Lilia Vu caught her method shot on the 18th gap 2 toes from the cup to present herself the go-ahead birdie putt, and the USA crew clinched its first Solheim Cup victory since 2017 over Crew Europe on Sunday at Robert Trent Jones Golf Membership in Gainesville.
With the U.S. main Europe 14-11 with 4 matches to go, Switzerland’s Albane Valenzuela led her match towards Vu 1 up heading into the ultimate gap. Valenzuela had a protracted birdie putt to win her match however left it a few foot brief.
Vu then made her birdie to halve the match and assured the U.S. the 14 1/2 factors vital to finish a three-event shedding streak to Europe.
The Individuals wound up posting a last rating of 15 1/2 factors to 12 1/2.
“This has been all the things,” mentioned Vu, ranked No. 2 on the planet. “I’ve an image of the U.S. crew profitable the Solheim Cup some time again, so it’s on my wall in my room. So it is a dream of mine, and so glad that I used to be ready to do this for them.”
Vu mentioned she instructed herself she had hit the clinching putt “one million instances.”
“I understand how to do it. Simply go get the job achieved,” Vu mentioned. “I knew establishing, although, it was going to go in.”
Stacy Lewis, captain of the U.S. crew for 2 straight years, revelled within the victory after her crew tied with Crew Europe and captain Suzann Pettersen final September in Spain. Europe retained the cup because of that 14-14 tie.
“I assume for 3 years I’ve considered that second on 18 the place we really win the cup, and I’ve replayed it again and again in my head,” Lewis mentioned. “It nonetheless doesn’t really feel actual. It’s manner sweeter in individual. That is simply so cool, and I’m so pleased with this crew. I’m able to have a good time with them tonight.”
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The Individuals entered the day with a 10-6 lead over Europe, they usually wanted simply 4 1/2 factors out of Sunday’s 12 singles matches in an effort to wrest the Solheim Cup again from their rivals.
Europe made the Individuals work for it by profitable two of the primary three singles matches and 6 1/2 of the 12 out there factors Sunday.
“We gave them a run for his or her cash,” Norway native Pettersen mentioned. “I don’t suppose anybody anticipated us to be right here at 2:30 and to nonetheless have an opportunity. It’s sort of arduous to imagine that we really had an opportunity with sort of that poor of a begin, giving them such a head begin. … Completely happy for Stacy, clearly, on residence turf, however we’ll come again very hungry.”
World No. 1 Nelly Korda was 3-0-0 getting into Sunday however got here out flat Sunday within the first singles match towards Charley Hull of England. She sprayed her opening drive manner off beam and had placing troubles all day, and Hull cruised to a 6-and-4 victory.
Megna Khang dominated Denmark’s Emily Kristine Pedersen 6 and 5, whereas Georgia Corridor of England answered again for Crew Europe with a 4-and-3 victory over Alison Lee.
Rose Zhang was the one participant on both crew to go 4-0-0 for the week. Her 6-and-4 win over Spain’s Carlota Ciganda gave the USA a 13-8 lead.
Zhang, the 21-year-old phenom who turned skilled final yr, sank the identical type of lengthy putts she made all week in an effort to down Ciganda.
“It was so unimaginable,” Zhang mentioned. “I simply really feel just like the Solheim Cup reignited my ardour for the sport, and it was so enjoyable to see so many individuals out right here supporting. My teammates have been unimaginable. We’ve been having a lot enjoyable, not solely off the golf course however even on it. It’s simply been an unimaginable experience.”
However Europe was not out of the battle.
Andrea Lee, who trailed by two through the again 9, made a clutch birdie on the par-3 sixteenth gap and went on to halve her match towards Germany’s Esther Henseleit, which scored a half-point for each side.
Lexi Thompson, who’s retiring from full-time golf on the finish of the season, led France’s Celine Boutier 3 up by eight holes however Boutier charged again. Boutier gave herself a brief birdie putt on the par-4 18th and drained it to win the match 1 up.
Eire’s Leona Maguire then defeated Ally Ewing 4 and three to chop Europe’s deficit to 3 factors.
Virginia native Lauren Coughlin had a birdie putt at No. 18 to win the Solheim Cup, nevertheless it got here up simply brief. Sweden’s Maja Stark had blown her birdie strive not less than 7 toes previous the cup, however she saved par from there to halve the match and make the rating 14-11 U.S.