US captain Stacy Lewis might really feel the strain rise as match after match the Individuals struggled late on Sunday earlier than lastly capturing their first Solheim Cup since 2017.
Two ties and two losses to Europe got here and went earlier than Lilia Vu landed her method inches from the 18th pin and tapped-in for birdie and a Cup-clinching half-point within the US girls’s 15.5-12.5 victory.
“That was the longest hour and a half of my life. I’m not going to lie,” Lewis mentioned. “That final hour of matches on 16 and 17 and 18, it simply felt prefer it was by no means going to finish.
“Simply actually nerve-wracking. You felt fairly helpless. The final half-hour or so have been fairly tough.”
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The enjoyment of successful after Europe stored the Cup following final yr’s 14-14 attract Spain was definitely worth the wait.
“I’m so pleased with this crew,” Lewis mentioned. “They fought by way of some adversity this week and performed some unbelievable golf. I’m proud that they get this second to rejoice.”
Lewis praised her gamers for tenacity and fortitude in tension-packed conditions.
“Grit. That’s what this occasion is about,” Lewis mentioned. “It’s about toughness. It’s about grit. The golf is simply so good on each side that it’s one putt, one shot right here and there, and that’s what introduced us right here.” Lewis recalled crying on the airplane journey residence from Spain final yr.
“It didn’t actually hit me till I obtained on the airplane,” Lewis mentioned. “I simply misplaced it and I began crying.
I used to be like, we did all this work for these women to play to a tie and that was actually the one second. From that time on it was proper again to work as a result of I (didn’t) need that to occur once more.
“To look at them rejoice and to see Lilia pull off that shot in that second was simply actually particular.” A fearful Vu birdied to win 17 and 18 to tie Swiss Albane Valenzuela.
“I felt like in the course of the match the wheels have been type of falling off,” Vu mentioned. “One way or the other birdied 17 and was capable of hit it actually shut on 18.” Prime-ranked Nelly Korda, a six-time LPGA winner this yr, obtained her first Solheim Cup triumph.
“This was in all probability probably the most enjoyable I’ve had on a golf course ever,” Korda mentioned. “Simply the crew, atmosphere, the caddies. Everybody was so unimaginable. All of us vibed very well off one another.
“That is in all probability probably the most I’ve laughed and probably the most I’ve fist pumped ever on a golf course. It was simply an incredible week and a dream come true.”
Lauren Coughlin rallied from 3-down to tie Sweden’s Maja Stark and went 3-0 in foursomes and four-balls to equal one of the best US rookie effort.
“I had an absolute blast,” she mentioned. “It was a really particular week.” Lexi Thompson, who plans to retire at season’s finish, obtained her third win in seven Cup appearances.
“It was very particular,” she mentioned. “It meant the world to me simply to be right here and to be a part of this crew.” Ninth-ranked Rose Zhang, 21, went 4-0 this week and echoed the nice environment. “I simply felt so snug with everybody,” Zhang mentioned. “It was good vibes all week.” Megan Khang was 3-0 this week after going 3-0 with a attract 2023.
“To go undefeated for each Solheims, it has been unimaginable and a dream come true,” Khang mentioned.
Lewis mentioned it was unusual to have her “unfinished enterprise” over.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do subsequent week now,” she mentioned.
“I hadn’t thought previous this second. I’ve obtained to get my daughter again to highschool on Tuesday, however previous that, I don’t know what’s subsequent.”
Conscious of a celebration about to start, Khang mentioned, “However that’s Tuesday. And it’s Sunday.”