The atmosphere on the Team Europe bus on Sunday night was electric, with players chanting, “They drink on Saturday, we drink on Sunday!” after another home‑soil victory in the Solheim Cup. Anna Nordqvist’s decisive win on the final day sealed the trophy for Europe, overturning the United States’ hopes and igniting a night of celebration that lasted well into the early hours.
Going into the decisive singles session at Bernardus Golf, the match was finely balanced. A rain‑soaked morning had left the scores level at 8‑8 after Saturday’s four‑ball matches, where the Americans had managed to claw back a lead and force a tie. The tension was palpable, and both captains knew the outcome would hinge on the individual performances that afternoon.
Jennifer Kupcho of the United States made a dramatic statement on the penultimate hole, holing a 110‑foot putt to secure a win alongside Lindy Duncan against Carlota Ciganda and Celine Boutier. Team USA captain Angela Stanford hailed the moment as a turning point, believing it would swing momentum in her side’s favour. However, a video that later surfaced showed the American team raising glasses on their bus that evening, believing they had already clinched the Cup. The premature celebration proved to be a powerful motivator for the Europeans, who responded by winning six of the eight singles matches and reclaiming the lead.
Lottie Woad’s decisive point will be remembered as the match‑winning moment that pushed Europe to 14 points, with Ciganda already assured of at least a half‑point. It was the Spaniard who ultimately sealed the victory, delivering the final putt that made the win official. The celebrations spilled over onto the course and into the trophy ceremony, highlighted by a viral clip of Dame Laura Davies handing out beers to the European players on their bus.
The final score of 15‑13 does not fully convey the dominance displayed by Nordqvist’s side on the last day. Team USA’s top order, aside from Nelly Korda and Alison Lee, seemed unable to replicate the exuberance of the previous night, leaving Europe to dictate the pace. Carlota Ciganda, perhaps the most vocal supporter of the Solheim Cup, embodied the spirit of the competition. She began the tournament cheering from the first tee and later produced several clutch performances.
On Friday, a dramatic par on the final hole with Julia Lopez Ramirez earned her a half‑point that prevented the United States from taking the lead after day one. The following day, she was on the receiving end of Kupcho’s birdie‑birdie finish, but she redeemed herself in the singles by defeating Kupcho and becoming only the second player in Solheim Cup history to secure the clinching point in two separate editions. "I was really happy to see that I was playing against Kupcho," Ciganda said. "She’s a fighter, I’m a fighter.
I knew she had no chance. I was like, ‘I want to kill you,’ so I kept that in my mind." The pairing of Charley Hull and Lottie Woad made history as the first duo to play together in all four sessions.
Despite a difficult start that included a record‑tying 6&5 loss in Saturday’s morning foursomes, they managed to turn the tide, each earning a point in the singles and delivering Europe’s first point of the day. Nordqvist faced criticism for not rotating her pairings on day two and for selecting Hull in the singles—a decision she later described as a "no‑brainer" after witnessing the 30‑year‑old earn Europe’s opening point.
Hull admitted the week was "frustrating," noting that both she and Woad struggled with putting until their singles matches. "Being the leader of this team, we knew she would deliver," Nordqvist explained. "Lottie has been very steady this week – it was great to see her finally sink some putts." One of Europe’s brightest stars was Linn Grant, who transformed from a zero‑point performer in the previous Solheim Cup to a four‑point contributor this time around.
Her 4‑0 record—three wins with Maja Stark and a 4&3 singles victory over Angel Yin—placed her among the elite handful of players to achieve a 4‑0 or better record in the event’s history. Grant’s resurgence is all the more remarkable given she entered the tournament after a slump that saw her miss five cuts in six starts. Her close friendship with Stark, another Swede, helped forge a partnership that reminded fans of the all‑Swedish pairings seen in 2023. The captain’s picks also paid dividends.
Leona Maguire delivered a record‑breaking performance, becoming the fastest player to reach ten Solheim Cup match wins in just 14 appearances. She and Esther Henseleit won both foursomes sessions, while newcomer Nastasia Nadaud formed a rookie duo with Maguire that won two matches together—a first in Cup history. "A lot of people questioned why we would send out two rookies, but I said why not?" Nordqvist said of the decision. "They delivered.
I never felt like they were rookies." Nadaud, who was ranked outside the world’s top 150 a year ago, surprised everyone with a 3&2 singles win over Andrea Lee, contributing three crucial points for Europe. Her rapid ascent underscores the depth of talent available to the European side.
Looking ahead, many of the players who helped secure the 2026 victory will still be under 30 when the Cup returns to Virginia in 2028. The success of four rookies in their debut highlights Europe’s growing pool of talent, especially as the home win came without the recent regulars Georgia Hall, Emily Kristine Pedersen, and Madelene Sagström. Although Anna Nordqvist announced her retirement mid‑season and ruled herself out of a captain’s pick for this edition, she left the door open for future involvement.
"You never say never," she told reporters after the win. "I don’t know what my future holds." When Europe last won on home soil in 2019, Catriona Matthew returned as captain to lead them to an away victory the following year.
Whether Nordqvist or another leader will steer the team in 2028, the next Solheim Cup—scheduled for September 8‑10 at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky—promises to be another thrilling chapter in this transatlantic rivalry.