SUGAR GROVE, Ill. — Michelle Wie saw the masses, heard the chants and knew this was going to be a special day no matter where her shots landed.

Her performance was mostly good. The experience was better.

Wie got her first taste of Solheim Cup play yesterday and was still savoring it long after she left the course.

"I think this was the most fun I've ever had playing," she said. "It was just unbelievable — the crowd, the cheers, everything about it. It was the most fun I've ever had on the golf course."

Wie has competed in majors and gone up against the men, but those experiences didn't compare to this. Adding to the fun was the fact that Wie had a decent round, with four birdies before a bumpy finish that left her and Morgan Pressel halved with Women's British Open champion Catriona Matthew and Maria Hjorth in the morning four-ball session.

She then watched the afternoon session, as did Pressel and Brittany Lang, with American captain Beth Daniel opting to conserve players' energy rather than have them play five rounds this weekend.

They all watched as Paula Creamer buried a 20-foot par putt late yesterday afternoon to give the United States a 4 1/2-3 1/2 lead and make her partner Juli Inkster the highest-scoring U.S. player in the event's history. The 49-year-old has scored 17 1/2 points, one more than Meg Mallon, now an assistant captain for the U.S. team.

Only Europe's Annika Sorenstam (24 points) and Laura Davies (23) have scored more points than Inkster in Solheim Cup play.

"That just means I'm the oldest," Inkster cracked after her and Creamer's 2-and-1 foursome victory over Matthew and Janice Moodie.

Well, that is true.

But the seven-time major champion can still play, as she showed time and again yesterday with sharp iron shots and clutch putts.

"I love playing with Juli," said Creamer, who also won her four-ball morning match match with Cristie Kerr. "We have a great chemistry together on the golf course. We know when we need to talk to each other and when we need to pump each other up, we just have that good connection. We went out, we played good, we got up early and we just stayed there."

Pressel and Wie were 2-down through 11 holes before making a run over the final seven. Wie birdied the 13th to pull even and converted a 10-footer for par on the next hole, allowing Pressel to knock in an 8-foot birdie.

But they lost the lead on 18.

Wie, who bogeyed No. 17, drove her final tee shot into deep rough and, when she punched out, the ball landed in a muddy divot. Rules officials gave her relief even though the spot hadn't been marked — they hadn't thought they needed to since it was between shots — and European captain Alison Nicholas questioned them for a few minutes.

"They didn't think anyone was going to hit it there, so they didn't mark it," said Wie, a Punahou alum and current student at Stanford. "And my ball got there, and I was like wondering if it was a ground repair or not. So then I guess they were just talking about why it wasn't marked, and they just wanted an explanation."

Wie's next shot hit a front bunker, anyway, and Pressel's chip from the rough went to the other side of the green. Matthew made a 12-footer for the Europeans, wiping out the Americans' lead.

That sour finish aside, it was a sweet day for Wie.

Hailed as the LPGA's answer to Tiger Woods ever since she captured the Women's Amateur Public Links at 13 and became the youngest winner of a USGA championship for adults, the 19-year-old Wie hasn't quite lived up to that billing over the past six years.

Although Wie has contended at the majors, she is still seeking her first win on the women's tour.

Even so, she's finished among the top 10 in five of 13 tournaments this year.

SOLHEIM CUP

YESTERDAY'S RESULTS

AT RICH HARVEST FARMS

Sugar Grove, Ill.

YARDAGE: 6,670; PAR: 73

USA 4 1/2, EUROPE 3 1/2

FOUR-BALL

UNITED STATES 2 1/2, EUROPE 1 1/2

Paula Creamer-Crister Kerr, United States, def. Suzann Pettersen-Sophie Gustafson, Europe, 1 up.

Helen Alfredsson-Tania Elosegue, Europe, def. Angela Stanford-Juli Inkster, United States, 1 up.

Brittany Lang-Brittany Lincicome, United States, def. Laura Davies-Becky Brewerton, Europe, 5 and 4.

Morgan Pressel-Michelle Wie, United States, halved with Catriona Matthew-Maria Hjorth, Europe.

FOURSOMES (ALTERNATE SHOT)

UNITED STATES 2, EUROPE 2

Christina Kim and Natalie Gulbis, United States, def. Suzann Pettersen and Sophie Gustafson, Europe, 4 and 2.

Becky Brewerton and Gwladys Nocera, Europe, def. Angela Stanford and Nicole Castrale, United States, 3 and 1.

Maria Hjorth and Anna Nordqvist, Europe, def. Kristy McPherson and Brittany Lincicome, United States, 3 and 2.

Paula Creamer and Juli Inkster, United States, def. Catriona Matthew and Janice Moodie, Europe, 2 and 1.

TODAY'S PAIRINGS

MORNING FOUR-BALL

Match 9 — Helen Alfredsson and Tania Elosegui, Europe, vs. Christina Kim and Michelle Wie, United States

Match 10 — Catriona Matthew and Diana Luna, Europe, vs. Angela Stanford and Brittany Lang, United States

Match 11 — Suzann Pettersen and Anna Nordqvist, Europe, vs. Nicole Castrale and Cristie Kerr, United States

Match 12 — Gwladys Nocera and Maria Hjorth, Europe, vs. Brittany Lincicome and Kristy McPherson, United States.

AFTERNOON FOURSOME

Pairings TBA