Barack Obama cheers on Team USA against Europe at Solheim Cup as tournament kicks off in CHAOS outside Washington DC

Barack Obama led the rallying cry in Virginia Friday afternoon as Team USA thrashed Europe in the opening matches of the Solheim Cup. 

The day after Democratic candidate Kamala Harris was hyping up the crowds at a North Carolina rally, the former President was performing some rallying of his own - in a very different setting. 

The 63-year-old attended Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, where he is a member, to lend his support to the American golfers as they began their quest to take back the Solheim Cup. 

Obama greeted World No. 1 Nelly Korda and a pumped-up Megan Khang ahead of their fourball match in the afternoon in front of packed grandstands. 

And the former President will have been grateful he saved his blockbuster appearance until the afternoon as the crowds were far from overflowing the morning thanks to chaos from tournament organizers. 

The opening foursomes matches of the 2024 showdown were overshadowed by the lack of fans - and organizers' failure to get them there. 

Allisen Corpuz and Korda teed off against Esther Henseleit and Charley Hull in front of half-empty stands with transportation issues preventing fans from getting to the golf course.

Fans posted on social media that they were stuck for hours waiting in lines for buses at Jiffy Lube Live, a concert venue near the golf course about 40 miles west of Washington, DC, prompting a statement of apology from the LPGA Tour.

'We recognize and deeply apologize to all fans affected by the challenges with shuttling from parking to the golf course,' the statement said. 'We´ve made significant changes to our transportation system to mitigate these issues moving forward, and we´re working on ways to express our regret to those impacted.'

Spectators also said the portable restrooms at the parking site were locked while they waited for buses, making an already frustrating situation intolerable.

In the 20 minutes before the matches began, a small trickle of fans speed-walked toward the grandstand, but there was no sign of the record crowds that organizers had promised.

'It's disappointing. It is what it is. You play in these things for years, and things happen,' US captain Stacy Lewis said. 'Unfortunately, it was a big one.'

Despite the lack of a raucous American crowd, Team USA almost managed to sweep the morning session and keep blue off the board with an early 3-1 lead. 

Korda and Corpuz became the first American duo to win three straight alternate-shot matches in the Solheim Cup, taking control on the back nine against Hull and Henseleit.

Two US rookies also won their opening matches. The summer's hottest American player, Lauren Coughlin, teamed with Rose Zhang for a 3&2 win over Celine Boutier and European rookie Albane Valenzuela. 

Sarah Schmelzel, picked by US captain Lewis to play in her first Solheim Cup, chatted amiably with partner Lilia Vu as they beat the deliberately paced duo of Carlota Ciganda and Linn Grant, 3&2.

The only European win came from the fist-pumping, high-fiving pair of Maja Stark and Emily Pedersen, who went 3-up through four holes and survived a nervy back nine to close out Ally Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho, 2-up.