Admin September 15, 2024
Team USA withstood a final-day fightback from Team Europe to claim a 15.5-12.5 victory and win the Solheim Cup for the first time since 2017.
Stacy Lewis’ side took a 10-6 advantage into the Sunday singles at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, leaving them requiring just 4.5 points for victory, with Megan Khang, Allisen Corpuz and Rose Zhang all posting big wins to move them closer to their target.
Charley Hull led from the front to thrash world No 1 Nelly Korda and Georgia Hall also posted a big win to raise hopes of a historic European comeback, with seven matches left on the course either tied or in favour of Suzann Pettersen’s side at that stage.
Celine Boutier and Leona Maguire won their matches to move Europe closer to the 14 points required to win for the fourth time in a row, only for Lilia Vu to secure the half-point needed for victory when she won her final two holes to tie against rookie Albane Valenzuela.
Europe won six and a half points on the final day but were unable to retain the trophy for the fourth time, having won back-to-back editions in 2019 and 2021 and tied last year’s contest, while the United States’ victory was their 11th in the event’s history.
How Team USA secured Solheim Cup victory
Europe made the perfect start to the singles when Hull cruised to victory over Korda, winning three consecutive holes from the sixth and making an eagle and five birdies during a dominant display.
Khang got the first point on the board for Team USA when she brushed aside Emily Pedersen, while Hall led from the opening hole in her 4&3 success over Alison Lee to reduce the deficit to 11-8.
Megan Khang got the home crowd fired up on the first tee at the Solheim Cup ahead of winning their singles match
Zhang matched Hull’s winning margin as she despatched Carlota Ciganda and Corpuz saw off Anna Nordqvist 4&3, taking the home side one and a half points away, only for Europe to threaten a historic comeback.
Olympic silver medallist Esther Henseleit halved her match with Andrea Lee while Boutier battled back from being three down with seven to play to edge Thompson with a final-hole birdie.
Esther Henseleit and Andrea Lee tied their Solheim Cup match after a series of putt over the last three holes
Maja Stark holed from 10 feet at the 18th to tie her match Lauren Coughlin, while Maguire responded to being left out of both sessions on Saturday by defeating Ally Ewing 4&3 and earning her first point of the week.
Valenzuela threatened to make the contest even closer as she retained two up with two to play against Vu, who had to get up and down from the sand to extend the contest at the 16th before finishing with back-to-back birdies to get the half-point needed for Team USA.
United States players celebrate after winning the Solheim Cup in Virginia
“I can’t even put it into words,” Vu said. “I felt like I didn’t do my part this week and I wanted to get something done. I was in the back bunker on 16 and had to get it up and down, somehow birdied 17 and birdied 18 to get the half point.”
Linn Grant capped a winless week with a 2&1 loss to Jennifer Kupcho, while Madelene Sagstrom defeated rookie Sarah Schmelzel on the final hole to reduce the United States’ winning margin.
Georgia Hall beat Alison Lee 4&3 to secure Europe’s eighth point of the Solheim Cup and reduce the gap to 11-8
Pettersen: ‘Europe will come back hungry’
Team Europe captain Pettersen said: “We gave them a run for their money. I don’t think anyone expected us to be here at 2.30pm and to still have a chance. It’s kind of hard to believe that we actually had a chance with kind of that poor of a start, giving them such a head start.
“It’s always exciting on a Sunday. There was possibilities out there, and several times we thought we could get it done. It came down to a couple of matches. Happy for Stacy [Lewis], obviously, on home turf, but we’ll come back very hungry.”
Team USA Solheim Cup captain Stacy Lewis suggested that the way the Sunday singles unfolded was stressful to watch and admitted it could have gone either way
Team USA captain Lewis said: “It really could have gone either way. It’s crazy there at the end kind of how it all unfolded. I was just hoping and praying it went our way. Just proud of the team, and Lilia [Vu]’s finish there was unbelievable. That’s what you expect from one of the best players in the world.”
The next task for the Americans will be to try to win on European soil for the first time since 2015, with the Netherlands hosting the next edition in 2026 at Bernardus Golf in Cromvoirt.
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