It was good while it lasted. Watching the Solheim Cup being carted off by the USA must’ve been as gut-wrenching for Europe as the break-up of a long-term relationship. They’d been striding out together since 2019, after all.
The slogan says that ‘Virginia is for Lovers’. Team USA can now enjoy the company of this treasured clump of Waterford crystal for a couple of years as the hosts battled to a 15 ½ - 12 ½ win at the Robert Trent Jones club in this corner of America during another compelling day of competition.
The Solheim Cup continues to serve up some quite thrilling fare.
It was always going to be an uphill struggle for the visitors. In fact, at 10-6 down heading into the final day singles, European skipper Suzann Pettersen must have felt like dishing out hiking boots and Ordnance Survey maps for the mountain her team had to climb.
It could’ve been worse, of course. In another transatlantic team tussle that was going on at the weekend, GB&I’s club professionals were 12-4 down going into the closing singles of The PGA Cup over in Oregon. A sair fecht indeed.
“We love a challenge,” said a defiant Pettersen in the build-up to the 12 head-to-head shoot-outs that would decide affairs at the Solheim Cup. “There's a possibility, and we're going to fight until the bitter end.”
They gave it their all. At one point of an enthralling day of cut-and-thrust, ebb-and-flow, nip-and-tuck and anything else you can fling in there, things were so tight and tense, our nibbled nails will need a restorative manicure this morning. It was terrific stuff.
Europe pushed the US all the way, but the home side managed to stave off those spirited, menacing advances. Lilia Vu, the former Women’s Open champion, pushed Stacy Lewis’ side over the winning line with a late brace of birdies to pinch a decisive half-point against Swiss rookie, Albane Valenzuela.
“We gave them a run for their money,” said Pettersen, whose battling side came up short in their bid to keep their hands on the cup for an unprecedented fourth time in a row.
“I don’t think anyone expected us to be here at 2:30 [in the afternoon] and to still have a chance. It’s kind of hard to believe that we actually had a chance with that poor of a start, giving them such a head start.
“There were possibilities out there and several times we thought we could get it done. It came down to a couple of matches but we’ll come back very hungry.”
The Europeans had to get off to a flying start if they were to nibble away at the American advantage. And they did. At the vanguard of the assault was Charley Hull, who was simply brilliant in the top tie with the previously unbeaten world No 1, Nelly Korda.
You half expected Hull to charge off down the first fairway in a chariot while brandishing a 6-iron. When the 28-year-old trundled in a 35-footer for birdie on the 13th to move five-up, the job was all but done.
“I played my a*** off…well, my heart out,” gasped Hull with a chuckling correction of language. “I knew I had to play unbelievable to beat her.”
Hull’s colleagues would have to do something unbelievable too. The US swiftly countered, however, when Megan Khang beat Emily Pedersen 6&5.
Georgia Hall’s 4&3 win over Alison Lee reduced the deficit to 11-8 but wins for Rose Zhang and Allisen Corpuz over Carlota Ciganda and Anna Nordqvist respectively meant the home side needed just one-and-a-half more points. It was still desperately tight in the lower order, though.
Celine Boutier’s thrilling comeback against the retiring Lexi Thompson underlined European courage. The Frenchwoman was three-down after 11 but birdied four holes in a row to draw level before winning with another birdie on the last to claim a one-hole win and keep European hearts beating.
While all that was going on, Andrea Lee’s halved match with Esther Henseleit edged the home side towards the promised land of 14 ½ points but Leona Maguire’s 4&3 win over Ally Ewing kept European hopes alive, as did Maja Stark’s brave par putt to halve her match with Lauren Coughlin.
Valenzuela, two-up with two to play, was unable to hold back Vu, however, and the American’s brilliant approach into the 18th gave her the half-point that kick-started the US celebrations.
“It really could have gone either way,” said a relieved US captain, Lewis. “I was just hoping and praying it went our way. “It’s so stressful to watch. It’s awful watching. But I’m just so proud of the players.”
We’ll do it all again in two years’ time. The finger nails should’ve recovered by then.
