Team Europe and Team USA entered the Sunday singles of the Solheim Cup deadlocked at 8-8, a situation created by the continued dominance of Maja Stark and Linn Grant and the repeated struggles of Charley Hull and Lottie Woad. The match‑play drama over the first two days set the stage for a decisive final day, and the narrative was shaped by several key moments that swung momentum back and forth.
On Friday, Anna Nordqvist’s squad managed to split both morning sessions, but they surged ahead in the morning foursomes by capturing three of the four available points. That early lead, however, was short‑lived; the United States answered in the afternoon four‑ball matches, edging Europe and restoring parity heading into the weekend. The swing highlighted how quickly fortunes can change in a team event where every hole counts.
Stark and Grant again proved why they have been the cornerstone of Europe’s campaign. Paired together, they delivered a commanding 2&1 victory over the unbeaten American duo of Megan Khang and Lauren Coughlin. This win marked their third consecutive session triumph, underscoring their chemistry and clutch performance under pressure.
In contrast, Hull and Woad suffered a heartbreaking loss on the final hole to Yealimi Noh and Andrea Lee, a result that left them with a meagre half‑point from the entire competition—a first in Solheim Cup history for a pair that has played every session. The pair of Hull and Woad made history by being the inaugural team to contest all four sessions together, yet they have contributed only 0.5 points to the overall tally.
Their situation was exacerbated when Rose Zhang and Auston Kim further widened the gap by defeating Leona Maguire and Nastasia Nadaud 3&2 in a decisive four‑ball match. Meanwhile, Carlota Ciganda snatched a dramatic half‑point on the final green of Friday’s four‑ball session, only to be thrust back into the fray on the 18th hole of the bottom match after a spectacular 90‑foot birdie by Jennifer Kupcho on the par‑four 17th brought the U.S. pair level.
Kupcho’s brilliance did not end there. She sealed a 1‑up win over Ciganda and Celine Bouter by holing a more than 20‑foot putt on the 18th, sparking jubilant celebrations on the green and cementing her reputation as a clutch performer.
That dramatic finish left Team USA needing six points on the final day to retain the Cup—two years after their home‑soil victory in Virginia—while Europe required 6.5 points for an outright win, the first since 2021. The Swedish stars were again sent out early, having already broken the perfect foursomes record of Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz earlier in the day. Stark’s aggressive play produced a second eagle of the tournament when she holed out from the first fairway. Lauren Coughlin responded with a string of birdies beginning on the third hole, briefly putting Europe behind, but the teams traded holes until Grant secured birdies on the 11th and 12th to regain momentum.
Stark continued her surge by sinking a 20‑foot putt on the 13th, extending Europe’s lead to two points. Coughlin answered on the 16th with a long‑range birdie, completing Europe’s third session win of the week. Khang’s loss marked her first defeat in ten Solheim Cup appearances, ending a six‑match winning streak that was one shy of the all‑time record.
Coughlin’s loss, meanwhile, was the first ever suffered by a United States player in this competition. "I think we really turned it on during the back nine," Grant reflected after the match. "We got our things together and started playing the way we wanted. It was a great game – they were right on our heels." Hull and Woad’s partnership, despite its historic longevity, failed to produce a single point, a first for any pairing that has contested all four sessions.
Their match saw Noh fire an eagle and four birdies on the front nine, establishing a two‑stroke lead that Europe could not overcome. Europe briefly reclaimed the opening hole of the back nine, but a Lee birdie on the 13th shifted the advantage back to the United States. Hull matched Lee’s birdie on the 15th and added another on the 17th, yet the Americans clinched the final point with a par on the 18th.
Nastasia Nadaud, who had previously partnered with Mimi Rhodes to win two sessions, was paired with Leona Maguire for the third match. Maguire delivered an eagle on the eighth and followed it with a birdie, but the Americans responded with a three‑hole burst that secured their victory.
In the closing stages of the day, Ciganda won consecutive holes from the 13th, only for Lindy Duncan to take the next, and Kupcho to deliver an unforgettable birdie on the 17th. Her final‑hole birdie completed a stunning comeback, allowing the United States to take the four‑ball session 3‑1 and level the overall score after two days for the third consecutive Solheim Cup held in Europe.
"That was huge," Team USA captain Angela Stanford exclaimed. "It completely turned the tide.
Jennifer [Kupcho] never gives up; she’s a fighter, and the team saw that in action." The singles are scheduled to begin at 11:10 a.m. local time (10:10 BST) on Sunday, with heavy rain forecast for much of the day.
Historically, the last three Solheim Cups that were tied after two days have resulted in European victories on home soil, adding extra intrigue to the final showdown. Fans can watch the decisive singles live on Sky Sports Golf starting at 9 a.m., with the opening match teeing off at 10:10 a.m. Viewers also have the option to stream the action on NOW without a contract, and can take advantage of the latest Sky Sports promotions. For those looking to practice their swing, the article concludes with a reminder to check out the best rates for booking a round at any of the 1,700 courses across the UK and Ireland.