WEST DES MOINES, Iowa >> The favored Americans found themselves trailing Europe after a sluggish start to the Solheim Cup.

The U.S. settled down on Friday afternoon, pulling away with a record-setting fourball performance.

The United States swept the afternoon fourball matches to take a 51⁄2-21⁄2 lead at Des Moines Golf and Country Club.

U.S. newcomer Danielle Kang and Punahou alumna Michelle Wie topped Madelene Sagstrom and Jodi Ewart Shadoff 3 and 1. Lizette Salas and rookie Angel Yin routed Carlota Ciganda and Emily Pedersen 6 and 5.

In the morning foursomes Salas and Kang each won two matches, teaming to beat Ciganda and Caroline Masson 1 up for the Americans’ lone full point.

“This is the history we really don’t want. We want the history on Sunday night. We want the Cup,” U.S. captain Juli Inkster said. “We’ve got a lot of work (ahead). I know (European captain) Annika (Sorenstam) is going to get that team fired up.”

In the other fourball matches, Brittany Lincicome and Brittany Lang beat Masson and Florentyna Parker 3 and 2, and Stacy Lewis and Gerina Piller edged Charley Hull and Georgia Hall 2 and 1

In the morning foursomes, Americans Cristie Kerr and Lexi Thompson rallied to halve with Hull and Mel Reid. For Europe, Hall and Anna Nordqvist beat Paula Creamer and Austin Ernst 3 and 1, and Karine Icher and Catriona Matthew topped Lewis and Piller 1 up.

The U.S. would find a lot more success in fourball play — dominating so thoroughly that it never trailed in any of the four matches.

Salas and the 18-year-old Yin set the tone for the afternoon. Salas opened with three straight birdies to win those holes, and wins on consecutive par-5s helped the duo end the match in 13 holes.

The 6-and-5 win was the second-largest in Solheim history.

“Everything kind of fell together,” Salas said.

Kang’s putting was solid throughout the day — and back-to-back birdie putts sealed her and Wie’s win after 17 holes.

Lincicome and Lang improved to 3-0-0 as a four-ball tandem, and Lewis made a short birdie putt on No. 17 to complete the sweep.

“It was beautiful. Never seen anything prettier,” Lang said about seeing the leaderboard lit up in the Americans’ red color.

Thompson, fueled by a surge of adrenaline provided by the pro-American crowd singing songs and chanting “USA! USA!” drilled her tee shot on the first hole to set up Kerr’s 12-foot eagle putt to open the three-day, biennial event.

But the Americans stumbled, and they appeared to be finished after Hull’s long birdie chip on No. 16. Thompson birdied the next hole, and Kerr halved the match with another 12-footer on 18 — pumping her fist in the air before the ball even dropped in.

“It was pretty much a you-know-what sandwich out there,” Kerr said. “I’m glad it ended up the way it did.”

Nordqvist dealt with a case of mononucleosis this summer. But she and Hall, playing in her first Solheim Cup, cruised to the only point that came easy for the Europeans.

Europe will likely need Nordqvist and Hall’s teammates to emulate those performances if it hopes to pull closer to the surging Americans.

“I would say that the spirit is still there, if not stronger,” Sorenstam said. “You get a little fired up when you see an afternoon like this. We knew coming in here it was going to be a challenge. And I have fighters on the team, and I believe in them. We’re just going to forget about this day. Tomorrow’s Saturday. New points. Go out there and grab as many as we can.”

After more foursomes and fourballs today, the event will closes with 12 singles matches Sunday.

Ormsby takes lead at Fiji International

NATADOLA BAY, Fiji >> Australian Wade Ormsby had five back-nine birdies today for a 6-under 66 and a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the Fiji International.

Ormsby had a three-round total of 10-under 206 on the oceanside Natadola Bay course south of Nadi.

Australian Jason Norris was one stroke behind after a 70. Norris, one of four golfers tied for the second-round lead, had a late two-stroke lead until a triple-bogey 7 on the 16th.

James Marchesani of Australia, who had a 68, was in third place, two strokes behind Ormsby. Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe, who shot 68, was tied for fourth with Australians Peter Wilson (70) and Scott Hend (72), three behind.

Wall recovers at Paul Lawrie Match Play

BAD GRIESBACH, Germany >> Defending champion Anthony Wall produced his second big finish in as many days to move into the last 16 at the Paul Lawrie Match Play with a 1-up victory over Haydn Porteous on Friday.

The Englishman, who won the European Tour event when it was staged in Scotland last year, was behind going into the last two holes but won them both for a clash against Ryder Cup winner Jamie Donaldson.

Local favorite Marcel Siem delighted the home fans on the Beckenbauer Course at Bad Griesbach with a birdie-birdie finish to beat Mikko Ilonen 2 up. Ilonen had had the most convincing win of the first round.

Sutherland, Short each birdie eight for top spot

ENDICOTT, N.Y. >> Kevin Sutherland shot a 7-under 65 for a share of the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open lead, three years after scorching the En-Joie course for the only 59 in PGA Tour Champions history.

Sutherland had eight birdies and a bogey to join Wes Short Jr. atop the first-round leaderboard.

Short also had eight birdies and bogey.

Ghim advances into U.S. Amateur semifinals

LOS ANGELES >> Doug Ghim advanced to the semifinals of the U.S. Amateur with a 2-and-1 victory over Scotland’s Connor Syme.

Tommy Humphrey also advanced with a 1-up victory over Taiwan’s Chun An Yu. Doc Redman beat Australia’s Travis Smyth 1 up, and Mark Lawrence Jr. finished off Dawson Armstrong 3 and 2 to complete an all-American final four at Riviera Country Club.