BANDON, Oregon --Paige Mackenzie helped her team to a three-point lead in foursome play, then won her individual match with a bogey-free round to help the United States take a 7-2 advantage after the first day of the Curtis Cup.

Bandon Dunes, a rural coastal resort about five hours' drive from Portland, is hosting the biennial amateur competition between the United States and Britain and Ireland.

On the par-71 Pacific Dunes course, carved into sand dunes, a family of deer watched over the pin placement before the foursomes came through Saturday morning.

The defending champion U.S. team needs just two more points on Sunday to retain the Curtis Cup.

Jennie Lee gave the host its first point of the afternoon's singles competition with a victory over Dublin's Martina Gillen, 4 and 3.

Lee didn't know she had won until a course official told her.

"I didn't realize we were on 15," Lee said.

Seventeen-year-old Kiran Matharu, of Leeds, England, won 2 and 1 over Jenny Suh. Matharu is the youngest player participating in the Curtis Cup. Breanne Loucks, the only player from Wales in the competition, defeated Amanda Blumenherst 5 and 4.

Mackenzie downed Melissa Reid of Derbysire, England, 5 and 4.

Taylor Leon won 5 and 4 over two-time Curtis Cup veteran Claire Coughlan of Cork, England, before Jane Park wrapped up the sunny day by defeating Tara Delaney of Carlow, Ireland, 3 and 2.

Park, who also played in the Curtis Cup in 2004, tied for 10th with Blumenherst at the U.S. Women's Open last month. The 19-year-old has suggested she may turn pro after next month's U.S. Women's Amateur.

The United States went up 3-0 after the morning alternate-shot matches.

Mackenzie and Blumenherst went 2-up over Tricia Mangan and Matharu on the par-3 fifth hole, thanks to a perfectly placed shot from the sand by Mackenzie. The pair went on to win 5 and 4.

In the other two foursomes, Virginia Derby Grimes and Amanda McCurdy beat Gillen and Naomi Edwards 2-up, and Park and Leon edged Coughlan and Reid 1-up.

On Sunday, the teams will again play three morning foursome matches and six afternoon singles matches. Each match counts as one point toward the team score.

The Americans lead the Curtis Cup series 24-3-6.

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