Europe Retains Solheim Cup With 14-14 Tie in Spain

For the first time in the history of the Solheim Cup, the team match play competition between the U.S. and Europe ended Sunday in a tie. But with the Europeans in possession of the Cup from their 2021 victory at Inverness, the 14-14 score was all the squad needed to retain the Cup.

Coming back from a 4-0 deficit in Friday’s opening foursomes session, the Europeans fittingly relied on Spain’s Carlota Ciganda—playing on home soil—to clinch the point that secured the retainment of the Cup. The 33-year-old from Pamplona went 4-0 in her matches. 

“I couldn’t be more proud. For Carlota to bring the match home—unbelievable,” European captain Suzann Pettersen said to Golf Channel. 

U.S. captain Stacy Lewis was just as impressed by the Spaniard’s storybook performance, but maintained that her team fought until the end. 

“I just told them, ‘We didn’t lose,’” Lewis said. “It was a tie and there is so much to build off of this week. These rookies learned a lot.”

Spain's Carlota Ciganda went 4-0 and her singles point retained the Solheim Cup for Europe.

John Walton/PA Images via Getty Images

To start the rollercoaster ride of a day, Irish match-play machine Leona Maguire came out firing, defeating all-star American rookie Rose Zhang, 4 and 3. But Megan Khang quickly answered, securing the first singles point for the Americans, fighting off a gutsy Linn Grant performance with a four-foot putt to win the match on the 18th. 

The back-and-forth continued with the matches between Danielle Kang and Charley Hull as well as Anna Nordqvist and Jennifer Kupcho. Kang defeated the Englishwoman in dominant fashion, 4 and 2, while Kupcho let a late surge slip away, losing to Nordqvist 2 and 1. 

The first four singles matches left the competition tied again, 10-10. 

The match between England’s Georgia Hall and Andrea Lee was yet another nail-biter. Hall three-putted the 17th-hole par-3 for bogey, allowing the match to return to a tie heading into 18. Two pars on the last gave each team the first half point of the day. 

Meanwhile, Vu rode a hot start in her match against Madelene Sagstrom. The two-time major champion made four birdies within her first four holes and went on to defeat the Swede 4 and 3. 

Moments after Vu closed out her match, Angel Yin produced fireworks for the Americans, holing a 25-foot putt on the 17th hole of her match against France’s Celine Boutier. The three-time U.S. Solheim Cup team member beat the major champion 2 and 1. With just four matches left on the course, the epic birdie putt seemingly took the Americans one step closer to reclaiming the Cup for the first time since 2017.  

After six holes, Cheyenne Knight went down 3 to Gemma Dryburgh. But a clutch birdie from the American and two late bogies from the European Solheim rookie tied things up, leading to another half point for each team. 

The Americans might have been two points ahead, but the fight was surely not over for the Europeans. Caroline Hedwall of Sweden staged a shocking comeback against Ally Ewing, going six under par in her final six holes while the American struggled to keep up. After Pettersen sat the 34-year-old for the first three sessions, she won 2 up on the 18th.

The momentum suddenly kept building for the European when Maja Stark, the 23-year-old from Sweden, capitalized on some uncharacteristic mistakes from the reigning U.S. Women’s Open champion Allisen Corpuz. Stark captured yet another full point for Team Europe, winning 2 and 1.  

Europe’s late charge came to a head when Ciganda—fittingly playing on home territory—closed out her match in legendary fashion. When Nelly Korda nailed her approach shot to 6 feet on the par-4 16th, the 10-time winner stuck it inside of her. 

Korda couldn’t execute for birdie, suddenly going 1 down to the Spaniard. Ciganda kept the fire going on 17—her iron game once again came in clutch when she nearly holed her tee shot on the par-3. Korda missed the green and gave the chip-in attempt a solid effort, but Ciganda’s birdie sealed the deal. 

“Very happy to win the four points in Spain in front of the home crowd,” Ciganda said. “The Americans played amazing as well, so I think congrats to both teams.” 

Lexi Thompson’s match against Emily Pedersen was still on the course, however, and the American star solidified the tie result with a par on the 17th and a 2 and 1 win over the Danish LPGA pro. 

The Solheim Cup will return to playing on even-numbered years in 2024 at the Robert Trent Jones Course in Gainesville, Va.