WEST DES MOINES, Iowa – The U.S. and Europe split their singles matches on Sunday as the Americans cruised to a 16 ½ to 11 ½ victory in the Solheim Cup. Here’s a recap of the matches.
DAY 3
Sunday singles: U.S. 6, Europe 6
Overall: U.S. 16 ½, Europe 11 ½
MATCH 17: Lexi Thompson (U.S.) vs. Anna Nordqvist (Europe), halved: Difficult to find words to describe this match. Thompson was 4 down after four holes (and 4 down after nine) then went 8 under in a 7-hole stretch (Nos. 10-16) to take a 1-up lead. Nordqvist hit it stiff on 18 to win the hole and halve the match.
MATCH 18: Paula Creamer (U.S.) def. Georgia Hall (Europe), 1 up: Overshadowed because of what went on up ahead but this was another well-played match. Only thing that marred it was the way it ended with a Hall miss from 4 feet that would’ve halved the match.
MATCH 19: Cristie Kerr (U.S.) def. Mel Reid (Europe), 2 and 1: Kerr led the entire way but never had more than a 2-up advantage. Ultimately, her putter was just too much for Reid, just as it was for everyone in Kerr’s way all week. She ended with 3-0-1 record.
MATCH 20: Catriona Matthew (Europe) def. Stacy Lewis (U.S.), 1 up: Another incredible match that, unfortunately, will get lost in the shuffle. Matthew was 3 down after 11 and just calmly plodded her way back for the victory. The Suzann Pettersen replacement compiled a remarkable 3-1 record.
MATCH 21: Angel Yin (U.S.) vs. Karine Icher (Europe), halved: This half-point essentially guaranteed that the U.S. would retain the Solheim Cup. Although it was only the 13 ½ point, Salas was 2 up with two holes remaining two matches behind, which would ultimately push the Americans over the edge.
MATCH 22: Caroline Masson (Europe) def. Michelle Wie (U.S.), 4 and 2: Wie was out of sorts from the beginning and Masson took advantage and built a fairly easy 4-up lead after 10 holes. Wie didn’t make enough birdies and Masson cruised.
MATCH 23: Lizette Salas (U.S.) def. Jodi Ewart Shadoff (Europe), 1 up: This victory gave the Americans the Solheim Cup outright and this was another close match from beginning to end. Once Salas was 2 up with two remaining there was no way the U.S. could lose the cup.
MATCH 24: Charley Hull (Europe) def. Brittany Lang (U.S.), 1 up: Hull never trailed although she was never more than 2 up at any point. She battled a wrist injury that had her sit all day Saturday and came to play Sunday against Lang, who did not produce her best stuff.
MATCH 25: Carlota Ciganda (Europe) def. Brittany Lincicome (U.S.), 4 and 3: Sorenstam pointed out that Ciganda didn’t perform her best the first two days, but she finally did in singles, although it was too late. More than a little surprising that Lincicome didn’t make more birdies.
MATCH 26: Gerina Piller (U.S.) def. Florentyna Parker (Europe), 4 and 2: Piller saved the Solheim Cup for the Americans two years ago in Germany and she brought her best against an overwhelmed Parker in singles. Piller is now 2-0-1 in Solheim singles matches.
MATCH 27: Madelene Sagstrom (Europe) def. Austin Ernst (U.S.), 3 and 2: The rookie Sagstrom put her first point on the board and it came against Ernst, her former LSU teammate. Once Sagstrom got to 3 up after six holes she was in control the rest of the way.
MATCH 28: Danielle Kang (U.S.) def. Emily Pedersen (Europe), 3 and 1: Kang was an absolute rock star for the Americans all week and it’s easy to envision the 24-year-old being on many Solheim Cup teams in the future. The match put a stamp on a 16 ½ to 11 ½ U.S. victory.
DAY 2
Afternoon fourballs: U.S. 3, Europe 1 (Overall: U.S. 10 ½, Europe 5 ½)
MATCH 13: Brittany Lang-Brittany Lincicome (U.S.) def. Carlota Ciganda-Mel Reid (Europe), 2 up: Easily the best match of the week and one that Europe did well to get to the 18th hole. Lincicome started with six straight birdies and made 10 in the first 15 holes. Lang dunked a wedge for eagle on the seventh hole. Europe was 10 under, and lost.
MATCH 14: Jodi Ewart Shadoff-Anna Nordqvist (Europe) def. Lizette Salas-Angel Yin (U.S.), 4 and 2: The only bright spot in another losing session for Europe. Both Europeans played great and kept continuous pressure on the Americans, who simply didn’t make many birdies.
MATCH 15: Paula Creamer-Austin Ernst (U.S.) def. Karine Icher-Madelene Sagstrom (Europe), 2 and 1: Another terrific match that had fireworks, including two near-aces on the par-3 14th hole. Creamer and Ernst collected their second win of the day as a team and both dropped putts all over the place.
MATCH 16: Cristie Kerr-Lexi Thompson (U.S.) def. Georgia Hall-Catriona Matthew (Europe), 4 and 2: The anchor match turned out to be another display of tremendous play from the red, white and blue. Kerr was 8 under on her own ball and the team was 12 under in the 16-hole match. Otherworldly. Kerr and Thompson are now 4-0-2 together as a team.
Morning foursomes: U.S. 2, Europe 2 (Overall: U.S. 7 ½, Europe 4 ½)
MATCH 9: Cristie Kerr-Lexi Thompson (U.S.) def. Jodi Ewart Shadoff-Caroline Masson (Europe), 5 and 3: Win gave Kerr the most Solheim Cup points in U.S. history surpassing captain Juli Inkster. The difference was U.S. wins on Nos. 8, 9 and 10 to put it out of reach against Europe’s best team.
MATCH 10: Paula Creamer-Austin Ernst (U.S.) def. Emily Pedersen-Mel Reid (Europe), 5 and 3: The second consecutive rout for the Americans to step on the Europeans at a crucial time. Won 11, 12, 13 and 15 to slam the door shut. Creamer becomes all-time top U.S. points-earner in foursomes play.
MATCH 11: Georgia Hall-Anna Nordqvist (Europe) def. Stacy Lewis-Gerina Piller (U.S.), 2 and 1: Sure, it was only Saturday morning but this was a match that Europe had to win to stop the bleeding. Lewis-Piller fall to a surprising 1-2 together this week, while Hall has quickly proved she will be a future superstar for Europe.
MATCH 12: Karine Icher-Catriona Matthew (Europe) def. Danielle Kang-Michelle Wie (U.S.), 2 and 1: Europe’s all-mom team collects its second victory together this week and hands Kang her first loss in three matches. This match assured Europe a 2-2 split in the morning session.
DAY 1
Afternoon fourballs: U.S. 4, Europe 0 (Overall: U.S. 5 ½, Europe 2 ½)
MATCH 5: Michelle Wie-Danielle Kang (U.S.) def. Jodi Ewart Shadoff-Madelene Sagstrom (Europe), 3 and 1: Kang was a star on her first day playing in the Solheim Cup. She hit great shot after great shot and drained key putts all over the lot. It was a thing of beauty for the U.S. and she may just play in all five matches.
MATCH 6: Lizette Salas-Angel Yin (U.S.) def. Carlota Ciganda-Emily Pedersen (Europe), 6 and 5: An absolute drubbing as Salas pushed her second rookie of the day to victory. Europe was overmatched from the beginning and was 3 down after three holes because of three Salas birdies. But both Americans played superb.
MATCH 7: Brittany Lang-Brittany Lincicome (U.S.) def. Caroline Masson-Florentyna Parker (Europe), 3 and 2: The Europeans were overmatched but hung in there for awhile. Parker was out of sorts for most of the way, leaving Masson to helplessly play the two Brittany’s on her own.
MATCH 8: Stacy Lewis-Gerina Piller (U.S.) def. Georgia Hall-Charley Hull (Europe), 2 and 1: Redemption for the same U.S. duo that lost a match in the morning that they should’ve, at least, halved. Still, this was the best match of the afternoon that went down to the wire. A Lewis birdie on 17 sealed it.
Morning foursomes: Europe 2 ½, U.S. 1 ½
MATCH 1: Cristie Kerr-Lexi Thompson (U.S.) vs. Charley Hull-Mel Reid (Europe), halved: Thompson drove the first green, Kerr made the 10-foot eagle putt to go 1 up, but Europe fought back and was 2 up with two remaining. Americans won both the last two holes to make a halve feel like victory.
MATCH 2: Danielle Kang-Lisette Salas (U.S.) def. Carlota Ciganda-Caroline Masson (Europe), 1 up: The U.S. never trailed in this match but it was a nail-biter until the end. Europe won the 17th to take the match to the final hole, but the Americans made par to collect their only full point of the session.
MATCH 3: Georgia Hall-Anna Nordqvist (Europe) def. Paula Creamer-Austin Ernst (U.S.), 3 and 1: This match was close the entire way although Europe never trailed. With a 1-up lead standing on the 16th tee, Europe won the next two holes to quickly end this match.
MATCH 4: Karine Icher-Catriona Matthew (Europe) def. Stacy Lewis-Gerina Piller (U.S.), 1 up: This was a humongous victory for Europe, taking down arguably the American’s best foursomes team. Matthew only found out she was on the squad two days ago, and stepped up huge. Americans bogeyed the last hole, when par would’ve produced a half point.
