Michelle Wie, pictured, and Danielle Kang won their fourball match on a dominant afternoon for the US ©Getty Images

The United States won all four of this afternoon's fourball contests to grab a three-point lead after the first day of play at the 2017 Solheim Cup.

It is the first time in Solheim Cup history that the Americans have won all four matches in a session and now have a comfortable 5½-2½ lead as a result.

Europe started the day well and were in front at 2½-1½ after the opening foursomes at the Des Moines Golf and Country Club in Iowa.

England's Mel Reid and Charley Hull were two up with two to play but finished tied with Americans Cristie Kerr and Lexi Thompson.

Georgia Hall of England and Sweden's Anna Nordqvist beat Paula Creamer and Austin Ernst 3&1 before Spaniard Carlota Ciganda and German Caroline Masson lost by one to Danielle Kang and Lizette Salas.

Scotland's Catriona Matthew and Karine Icher of France managed to beat Stacy Lewis and Gerina Piller to hand the Europeans the advantage going into this afternoon's four fourball contests.

Europe led after the opening foursomes before a torrid afternoon session followed ©Getty Images
Europe led after the opening foursomes before a torrid afternoon session followed ©Getty Images

Things quickly went wrong, however, for the team led by captain Annika Sörenstam of Sweden.

Throughout the fourballs, no European pair led at any point in any match.

Angel Yin and Salas of the US comfortably dispatched Ciganda and Denmark's Emily Pedersen 6&5.

Kang and Michelle Wie then dismissed England's Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Madelene Sagstrom of Sweden 3&1.

Florentina Parker of England and Masson were the next European victims as the two Brittanys, Lang and Lincicome, combined to win 3&2.

Hull and Hall at least provided a slightly sterner test for the Americans but were eventually beaten by Lewis and Piller 2&1.

Action is due to continue tomorrow with another set of four foursome matches in the morning and four fourball contests in the afternoon.