ANDALUCIA, Spain – The Solheim Cup was tied at 8-8 heading into Sunday’s singles matches as Europe won 3-1 in the afternoon fourball to erase a two-point lead over the Americans. Charley Hull and Leona Maguire beat Nelly Korda and Ally Ewing to earn the Euros their fourth fourball point of the week, and the other three matches all went down to the last two holes with no ties. While the momentum shifted to the Europeans whose performance Saturday afternoon was exciting for the home crowd, it was the first time the US had not trailed after the first two days of play since 2009. It was also the fourth moment when the Americans took the lead. or tied after the first four sessions, and they won the Cup on all three previous occasions. But you believe that Europe, led by Spaniard Carlota Ciganda who is currently 3-0-0, will not go down without a fight.
See the Saturday afternoon results and Sunday’s singles matches at Finca Cortesin.
Saturday afternoon results
Match 13 – Charley Hull/Leona Maguire def. Nelly Korda/Ally Ewing 4&3
After a tie on the first hole, Charley Hull and Leona Maguire took a 1-up advantage at No. 2 and held that lead for the rest of the game, gradually increasing it to 4 and up as the game went on. Ally Ewing and Nelly Korda did not go down without a good fight, trying their best to even the match, and even closing the European gap as little as 3 over for some holes. In the end, they couldn’t close it. Landing a long Ewing putt to extend the match, the American barely missed and opened the door for Hull to win with two putts. The Englishwoman closed it out with the Americans, earning her 12th career Solheim Cup win.
Match 14 – Cheyenne Knight/Angel Yin def. Anna Nordqvist/Caroline Hedwall 2 up
Europe is ahead of the season in game 14 thanks to a well-rested and fired-up Caroline Hedwall, who is making her first appearance at the 2023 Solheim Cup. The Swede made birdie right off the bat, setting up another European win. Angel Yin tied it with a birdie at 3, but Euros went 1-up, then 2-up at Nos. 5 and 8, thanks again to Hedwall. Cheyenne Knight does her best at No. 7 to reduce the European leader from 80 feet from 80 feet, but Hedwall matched with a long birdie putt. With the momentum definitely favoring Team Europe, things started to change after the turn. In No. 11, Yin turned the game around with a monster drive and a long birdie putt. Knight tied things with a close putt on 12, then Yin sank a long one on 12 to take the lead with just three holes left. The Americans held on to that lead for all they could for the next four holes, going 18 1-up. On the par-5 final, Yin hit another long drive and got it to the green in two, almost assuring an American victory after it took Hedwall and Nordqvist three shots to get aboard. Yin’s eagle putt missed the right side of the hole and rolled just three feet past, just enough to earn the Americans their only point of the afternoon after the Swedes missed every long birdie putt. .
Match 15 – Madelene Sagstrom/Emily Kristine Pedersen def. Rose Zhang/Andrea Lee 2&1
The United States took an early lead after Rose Zhang drove the green on the opening par 4 and sank an eagle putt to seize the early momentum. The lead stood for another hole until Europe took the lead at 4. Madelena Sagstrom and Emily Pedersen would hold that lead over 13 of the final 14 holes. Not easy, the Americans tried to bring the game back to a tie with a clutch Zhang birdie putt at 9 but Pedersen matched it with a birdie putt of his own to keep the European edge. The dagger for the Americans reached No. 14 when Pedersen sank the birdie putt from the green to take a 2-up lead with the remainder of the game.
Match 16 – Carlota Ciganda/Linn Grant def. Danielle Kang/Lilia Vu 2&1
Carlota Ciganda won her 10th career Solheim Cup match on home soil with partner Linn Grant, defeating Lilia Vu and Danielle Kang 2&1. It was a tie match through five holes, thanks to a barrage of birdies from each team, before the Spaniard put the Euros 1-up at No. 6. Kang tied it again with a solid birdie at the par-3 10th, but Grant and Ciganda quickly birdied the 11th and 12th, respectively. At 13, Vu stuck his approach shot 18 inches from the cup, closing the gap to 1-up again, advantage Europeans. On 16, in front of the largest crowd on the course, Ciganda drained a solid birdie that produced a roar that could be heard on the grounds of Finca Cortesin. The match was dormie going to 17, but the Americans had a good look at forcing one more hole and possibly tying the match. However, Kang’s putt missed right on 17, giving the Europeans their final point of the day and bringing the total score to 8-8 with singles matches still to play.
Sunday Singles Matches
Match 17, 11:10 am – Megan Khang vs. Linn Grant
Match 18, 11:22 am – Rose Zhang vs. Leona Maguire
Match 19, 11:34 am – Danielle Kang against Charley Hull
Match 20, 11:46 am – Jennifer Kupcho vs. Anna Nordqvist
Match 21, 11:58 am – Andrea Lee vs. Georgia Hall
Match 22, 12:10 pm – Cheyenne Knight vs. Gemma Dryburgh
Match 23, 12:22 pm – Angel Yin vs. Celine Boutier
Match 24, 12:34 pm – Ally Ewing vs. Caroline Hedwall
Match 25, 12:46 pm – Lilia Vu vs. Madelene Sagstrom
Match 26, 12:58 pm – Allisen Corpuz vs. Maja Stark
Match 27, 1:10 pm – Nelly Korda vs. Carlota Ciganda
Match 28, 1:22 pm – Lexi Thompson vs. Emily Kristine Pedersen