Europe retain Solheim Cup after epic contest
Spanish golfer Carlota Ciganda dedicated her two-foot putt that ensured Team Europe retained the Solheim Cup against the USA on home soil to captain Suzann Pettersen after a thrilling contest at Finca Cortesin.
Having trailed 4-0 after the first day before levelling the score at 8-8, Team Europe won enough singles ties on Sunday to reach 14 points and retain the Solheim Cup.
The 14-14 final score is the first draw in the competition’s history and sees Europe hold the trophy for the third consecutive time, something the team had never achieved prior to Sunday.
“I’m so happy just to do this for Suzann, for Spain. I’m just so proud,” Ciganda said.
“I’m so happy to do this for everyone here in the family, the Spanish crowd, this is just amazing.
“When I saw Suzann on [hole] 16, she told me a couple of things, and I was like, ‘I’m just going to do this for her, because I love her and she deserves this’.”
Ciganda – who won all four of her matches across the three days – found the hole from two feet out on the 17th to beat Nelly Korda and was hugged by an emotional Pettersen.
“I think it was meant to be. It came down to Carlota, in Spain, in her own hands,” said Pettersen.
“I walked with her down 16 and said, ‘Is this how you wanted it? Because it’s all in your hands now.’ And she was like, ‘I’m up for it’.”
Friday’s foursomes saw Team USA sweep an entire session for the first time in Solheim Cup history before Europe won the Friday four-ball 3-1.
Saturday saw an even morning foursomes before Europe again won the afternoon four-ball 3-1.
Yesterday’s singles finished 6-6 with European wins for Leona Maguire, Anna Nordqvist, Caroline Hedwall, Maja Stark and Ciganda.
Megan Khang, Danielle Kang, Angel Yin, Lilia Vu and Lexi Thompson scored wins for the United States – two ties were halved between England’s Georgia Hall and Andrea Lee and Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh and Cheyenne Knight.
Hedwall made an epic recovery to save the tournament when she came back from a position of being 3down with six to play against Ally Ewing – the Swede won five of those six holes to secure a 2up victory.
The United lead the historical match-up by 10 series to eight.