GAINESVILLE, Va. — For the first time since 2017, the Solheim Cup is back in American hands.
Captain Stacy Lewis’s squad held on during Sunday singles at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, winning 15½ to 12½, with the winning half-point coming off a near tap-in birdie from Lilia Vu at the 18th hole of her match against Albane Valenzuela.
Consider business finished 😤@theliliavu makes birdie on 18 to tie the match and secure the half point to take the cup 🏆 pic.twitter.com/UjAtmse6jY
— LPGA (@LPGA) September 15, 2024
On a day that saw world No. 1 Nelly Korda and the retiring Lexi Thompson lose their singles matches, other American players stepped up. Vu got the chance for the Cup winner by draining a must-make 20 footer on the 17th extend her match, having been 2 down with two holes to play.
University of Virginia product Lauren Coughlin had a storybook opportunity with a birdie putt to win the Solheim Cup on her last hole but left it short, though her half-point got the U.S. on the door at 14 points. The U.S. needed 14½ to clinch the Cup; last year a 14-14 tie left the Cup in Europe.
After a week dominated by local favorite Lauren Coughlin, playing an hour and 10 minutes from her Charlottesville home, Megan Khang bringing her animated personality and Korda’s heroics over the first two days, Team USA can now celebrate the win it’s been craving—especially Lewis, redeemed in her second Solheim captaincy.
“So stressful to watch. It's awful watching,” Lewis said. “But just so proud of the players. It's amazing how these things come down to half a point here and there. Fortunately this time we were on the right side of it.”
The U.S. side triumphed at home for only the second time in the last four Solheim Cups but proved ready to go, jumping out to a 3-1 start in the Friday morning foursomes session and going 3-1 again in the afternoon fourballs. Europe played Saturday to a stalemate and gained one point Sunday.
The Europeans mounted a challenge Sunday, winning two of the first three singles matches for some early momentum but Allisen Corpuz and Rose Zhang (a perfect 4-0 on the week) won points in the fourth and fifth matches to reclaim the breathing room.
“We fell short, but we gave it a good go,” European captain Suzann Pettersen said.
“We gave them a good run for their money today. At 2:25 p.m. we were still out there having a chance at this remarkable comeback that it would have been, and I don't think the Americans anticipated such a fight from us.
“We won the singles today, so we won the session. I think we did a great job. I'm very proud of the girls. They showed character when they go out there. It’s not the easiest of situations to face going into the singles, but we were led off by Charley (Hull, defeating Korda 6 and 4) and she set the standard and made us all believe it was possible.”
Lewis who was surrounded by her assistant captains when the winning point was clinched, finally able to celebrate a day that was a long time coming.
“It really could have gone either way.” Lewis said. “It's crazy there at the end kind of how it all unfolded. I was just hoping and praying it went our way. Just proud of the team, and Lilia's finish there was unbelievable. That's what you expect from one of the best players in the world.”
This article was originally published on www.si.com as U.S. Survives Sunday Singles to Secure Solheim Cup for First Time Since 2017.
