For a short period of time on Sunday, it appeared the U.S. was on the verge of victory in Spain. With four matches still in play, the U.S. was leading 13-11 and needed just one and a half points out of a possible four. In one match Lexi Thompson was up three, while the Americans were tied in two and down just one in another. If Thompson held on – which she did, the U.S. needed to tie just one of the remaining three.
They lost all three.
? SOLHEIM CUP ACE! ?
Emily Kristine Pedersen makes the second ace in Solheim Cup history on the 12th hole! ?#SolheimCup2023 pic.twitter.com/sO58VSwmM9
— LPGA (@LPGA) September 22, 2023
Frist, Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall rallied from 3-down against Ally Ewing with six holes to play. Hedwall won five of the last six holes to win the match 2 up.
Then, Maja Stark earned Europe’s 13th point by winning holes 16 and 17 to claim a 2 and 1 win over Allisen Corpuz.
Finally, after Nelly Korda tied things up on 15, Carlota Ciganda birdied 16 to move ahead 1 up with two to play. After she stuffed her tee shot on 17 to two feet and Korda missed the green, it was all but over. Ciganda’s birdie gave the Europeans their 14th point to retain the cup (Thompson eventually defeated Emily Pedersen 2 and 1 to make the result of the 2023 Solheim Cup a 14-14 tie).
“I don’t have many feelings right now,” said Ciganda, Europe’s only Spaniard. “I’m so happy just to do this for [captain] Suzann [Pettersen] and for Spain.
“I’m just so proud. I’m just so happy. Everyone here is a family. The Spanish crowd is just amazing.”
It marks the first time Europe has won the Solheim Cup three straight times.
It was a huge disappointment for Team USA, which took a 4-0 lead Friday after sweeping the morning foursomes (alternate-shot). But the Europeans rebounded to win eight of the next 12 points. They entered Sunday’s singles deadlocked, 8-8. On Sunday, the Europeans won five singles matches and tied two others to reach 14 points.
“I don’t want to sound like a sore loser, but it was a tie, and I think that’s a lot for this team to build off of, especially coming over here, coming into this environment with five rookies, a very young and inexperienced team,” said U.S. team captain Stacy Lewis.
“I mean, this week was really, really good for them. I just wanted to tell them how proud I was of them. Fortunately, we only have to wait another year to go get this thing back.”
Typically played every two years, the Solheim Cup will be played again in 2024 (Sept. 13-15, 2024, at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia) due to rescheduling one year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is expected to include most of the same team members.
