Europe Reclaims Solheim Cup With 15-13 Win at Bernardus
By Staff Writer
3 min read
Key takeaways
- Europe beat the United States 15-13 to reclaim the Solheim Cup at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands, the first time the event has been held there.
- Europe won Sunday singles 7-5 after the teams were tied 8-8 entering the day, needing 14.5 points to the United States' 14 to take the Cup back.
- Lottie Woad's win over Auston Kim put Europe on 14 points, and Carlota Ciganda's win over Jennifer Kupcho clinched it.
- Alison Lee's rally from 4 down to beat Esther Henseleit 1 up was the biggest Solheim Cup singles comeback since 2013.
- The trophy is captain Anna Nordqvist's last act before her planned retirement; the next Solheim Cup is in 2028 at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky.
Europe reclaimed the Solheim Cup on Sunday, beating the United States 15-13 at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands to end the Americans' bid to win away from home for the first time since 2015.
How did Europe win Sunday singles?
The teams started the day tied at 8-8, meaning the United States needed 6 points from the 12 singles matches to reach 14 and retain the Cup, while Europe needed 6.5 to reach 14.5 and take it back. Charley Hull opened Europe's account by beating Megan Khang 3 and 2 in the first match out, and Linn Grant followed with a 4-and-3 win over Angel Yin. Europe went on to win seven of the twelve singles matches.
Lottie Woad's 2-and-1 win over Auston Kim moved Europe to 14 points. That result guaranteed Carlota Ciganda at least a half point from her match against Jennifer Kupcho, which was enough to secure the Cup; Ciganda then closed out the win, 3 and 2, to make it official.
| Match | Winner | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Hull (EUR) vs. Khang (USA) | Hull | 3 and 2 |
| Henseleit (EUR) vs. Lee (USA) | Lee | 1 up |
| Grant (EUR) vs. Yin (USA) | Grant | 4 and 3 |
| Rhodes (EUR) vs. Korda (USA) | Korda | 4 and 2 |
| Koerstz Madsen (EUR) vs. Corpuz (USA) | Koerstz Madsen | 2 and 1 |
| Nadaud (EUR) vs. A. Lee (USA) | Nadaud | 3 and 2 |
| Lopez Ramirez (EUR) vs. Noh (USA) | Lopez Ramirez | 3 and 2 |
| Woad (EUR) vs. Kim (USA) | Woad | 2 and 1 |
| Maguire (EUR) vs. Coughlin (USA) | Coughlin | 2 and 1 |
| Stark (EUR) vs. Duncan (USA) | Duncan | 3 and 1 |
| Ciganda (EUR) vs. Kupcho (USA) | Ciganda | 3 and 2 |
| Boutier (EUR) vs. Zhang (USA) | Zhang | 2 up |
What went right, and wrong, for the United States?
Individual Americans played well without changing the outcome. Nelly Korda beat Mimi Rhodes 4 and 2, and Alison Lee erased a 4-down deficit against Esther Henseleit to win 1 up, the biggest Solheim Cup singles comeback since 2013. Lauren Coughlin handed Leona Maguire her first singles loss of the event, and Lindy Duncan beat Maja Stark, who had been unbeaten across three sessions.
The United States has not won a Sunday singles session, or a Solheim Cup on the road, since 2015.
The United States has not won a Sunday singles session, or a Solheim Cup on the road, since 2015 — the same year and the same trend line. Angela Stanford, this year's U.S. captain, holed the winning point herself the last time the Americans won in Europe. Eleven years later, she watched that drought continue as captain.
What does this mean for Nordqvist and the Cup's future?
Nordqvist, who announced her retirement from competitive golf two weeks before the matches, leaves the captaincy with the trophy she set out to win. The all-time Solheim Cup record now stands at 11-9 in the Americans' favor. The next Solheim Cup is scheduled for 2028 at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky.
Frequently asked questions
How many players are on each Solheim Cup team, and how are they chosen?
Each team has 12 players. The U.S. roster was built from nine automatic qualifiers plus three captain's picks from Stanford, while Europe's was eight automatic qualifiers plus four captain's picks from Nordqvist.
How did Charley Hull and Lottie Woad perform before Sunday?
Hull and Woad played all four team sessions together and combined for just half a point, their worst stretch of the week. Both turned it around in singles: Hull won the opening match, and Woad's win over Auston Kim clinched Europe's 14th point.
How is the Solheim Cup scored?
The event runs over three days: two days of foursomes and four-ball team matches followed by 12 singles matches on Sunday. Each match play win is worth one point and a tie is worth half a point to each side, with 28 points available in total.
- solheim cup
- europe team
- team usa
- lottie woad
- carlota ciganda
- charley hull
- anna nordqvist
- bernardus golf
