Lilia Vu has birdied the ultimate gap as the USA beat Europe to regain the Solheim Cup on a tense last day of singles matches at Robert Trent Jones Golf Membership in Virginia.
The Individuals had entered Sunday with a 10-6 lead over Europe and wanted simply four-and-a-half factors out of the 12 singles matches to wrest again the trophy and finish their seven-year Solheim Cup drought.
Wins for Megan Khang, Rose Zhang, Allisen Corpuz and a half-point every from Andrea Lee and Lauren Coughlin set the stage for World No.2 Vu to seize glory for the 15-and-a-half 12-and-a-half victory in Gainesville.
With the US main Europe 14-11 with 4 matches to go, Switzerland’s Albane Valenzuela led her match in opposition to Vu one-up heading into the ultimate gap.
Valenzuela had a protracted birdie putt to win her match however left it a couple of foot brief. Vu then made her birdie to halve the match and assure USA the 14-and-a-half factors mandatory to finish a three-event dropping streak to Europe.
World No.1 Nelly Korda was 3-0-0 going into Sunday however got here out flat within the first singles match in opposition to England’s Charley Hull, who cruised to a 6 & 4 victory.
Khang dominated Denmark’s Emily Kristine Pedersen 6 & 5, whereas Englishwoman Georgia Corridor answered again for Group Europe with a 4 & 3 victory over Alison Lee.
Zhang was the one participant on both group to go 4-0-0 for the week. Her 6 & 4 win over Spain’s Carlota Ciganda gave USA a 13-8 lead, however Europe have been nonetheless not out of the combat.
Lee, who trailed by two through the again 9, made a clutch birdie on the par-three sixteenth gap and went on to halve her match in opposition to Germany’s Esther Henseleit.
Lexi Thompson led Celine Boutier three up by eight holes however the French star charged again, draining a brief birdie putt on the par-four 18th to win one-up.
Eire’s Leona Maguire then defeated Ally Ewing 4 & 3 to chop Europe’s deficit to 3 factors whereas Virginia native Coughlin had a birdie putt on the 18th win the event, however it got here up simply brief.
Sweden’s Maja Stark had blown her birdie strive not less than seven ft previous the cup, however she saved par from there to halve the match.
“Grit, that is what this occasion is about. It is about toughness. It is about grit,” USA captain Stacy Lewis stated.
“The golf is simply so good on either side that it is one putt, one shot right here and there, and that is what introduced us right here as we speak.”
