Catriona Matthew’s Europe recorded only their second-ever Solheim Cup win on US soil with her rookies the heroines in victory at Inverness.
The Scot completed the set with Solheim victories home and away as both player and captain. Taking a two-point lead into the final day singles, she got key wins from her outstanding debutants Leona Maguire and Matilda Carsten.
Carsten’s up and down from a plugged lie in a bunker at the last ensured the USA’s Lizette Salas’ first singles loss and retained the cup. It fell to Emily Kristine Pedersen in the final match to secure the outright win as she defeated Danielle Kang.
Europe finally shared the singles 6-6 and won the match 15-13.
Maguire’s brilliance set the tone again
There’s only one @leona_maguire 🙌 pic.twitter.com/q4oB0xDrSk
— Solheim Cup Team Europe (@SolheimCupEuro) September 6, 2021
Three big wins early on with new star Maguire in the vanguard set it up for those who came later. The USA rallied in late afternoon but there was to be no dramatic turnaround as there had been at Gleneagles two years ago.
For the Scot, it is surely the culmination of a glittering and quite unparalleled career. One of the greatest amateur players of all time, a major winner as a professional, the best playing Solheim Cup record of any European, and now twice a winning captain.
“I don’t do a whole lot, the players deserve it all,” said the ever-modest Matthew. “It was always going to be tough with really just a handful of European fans with us.
“What I took from Gleneagles was to let everyone be themselves. Make it fun for them, but don’t make it any different from what they do week to week. I’m so proud of them all.”
Matthew said she wanted each of her players simply to focus on winning their point, but she could hardly have hoped for three of her first five to do so with such dominance.
Lisa Maguire’s magnificent week continued with four birdies on the front nine. That simply blew away the USA’s previously unbeaten rookie Jennifer Kupcho. The Irish debutant romped home 5&4 to put Europe on the board first.
Sagstrom and Boutier take Europe to the brink
.@celineboutier with a 5&4 win 🇪🇺👊🇪🇺#SolheimCup pic.twitter.com/PDJhgHLbp8
— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) September 6, 2021
Madelene Sagstrom, crestfallen after her rules controversy on Saturday, won a big point in the second match, 3&2 over Ally Ewing. And Celine Boutier was merciless against Mina Harigae, who twice lost par fives to pars in going down 5&4.
The titanic top match between Lexi Thompson and Anna Nordqvist was not quite as dramatic as four years ago in Iowa, but just as close.
Thompson started poorly with a shank out of the bunker at the second, but was one-up by the turn only for Nordqvist to retake the lead with birdie at the 15th.
However Thompson hit back at the short par four 16th and the two couldn’t be separated over the final two holes, and they halved just as they did in Des Moines.
The US had to wait for Nelly Korda to defeat Georgia Hall by two holes in game four for their first full point. But it seemed to spark the Americans who had been down in eight matches and headed for a calamitous defeat at one point.
A sniff of a comeback for the US
The crucial three middle games, where Europe had led most of the way, all went all square simultaneously. Lizette Salas and Brittany Altomare both came back from two down, while Austin Ernst pulled level with Nana Koerstz Madsen.
Suddenly the US were up in four of the remaining matches and there was a sniff of a comeback. But the Dane held on against Ernst for a half to take Europe to just one point away from retaining the cup.
Sylvia Popov never really got going in her game and lost to Megan Khang while Mel Reid battled but lost on the last green to Yealimi Noh. Carlota Ciganda’s wild drive at the short par four 16th let in Altomare for another American point.
Carsten and Pedersen finish it off
TEAM EUROPE retain the @TheSolheimCup 🇪🇺🏆🇪🇺
What a special moment for @CastrenMatilda 🙌#TeamEurope | #SolheimCup pic.twitter.com/ji8OnEOcsZ
— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) September 6, 2021
But Castren’s birdie at 15 got her nose in front again against Salas, who missed a golden chance to square the game again at 17.
The debutant from Finland plugged her approach in a bunker at 18 from the fairway, but got up and down brilliantly to secure the crucial point.
Just moments later Kang, three down to Pedersen with four to play in the final singles, missed a par putt to win the 15th. That gave the Dane the guaranteed half to take Europe over the 14 ½ point threshold for victory.
She had to wait three more holes to confirm it, but Pedersen – whose boyfriend was caddying for opponent Kang – got her point with a birdie on the 18th to close out the historic win.