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 secured the decisive point on the final day, allowing Europe to reclaim the trophy from Team USA. Going into the rain‑soaked singles session at Bernardus Golf, the match was perfectly balanced. The Americans had seemed to have the edge after a dramatic Saturday fourball round that brought the score back to an 8‑8 tie.
Jennifer Kupcho’s spectacular finish—holing a 110‑foot putt on each of her last two holes—had given the United States a morale boost and, according to captain Angela Stanford, had "turned the tide" in their favor. However, a video that surfaced of the U.S. squad raising beers on their bus later that evening proved to be a premature celebration. The footage ignited a fire under the Europeans, who responded by winning six of the eight singles matches, ultimately sealing the Cup.
Lottie Woad’s winning point will be remembered as the clincher, pushing Europe to 14 points and guaranteeing at least a half‑point for Carlota Ciganda, who then closed out her match to make the victory official. The celebrations spilled over onto the course and into the trophy ceremony, highlighted by a viral clip of Dame Laura Davies handing beers to the European players on their bus.
The revelry continued well into the night. The final tally of 15‑13 does not fully capture the dominance displayed by Nordqvist’s side on the last day.
Team USA’s top order, aside from Nelly Korda and Alison Lee, could not sustain the excitement from the previous evening, allowing Europe to apply relentless pressure. Ciganda, perhaps the most passionate Solheim Cup participant, transitioned from cheering for Europe on the opening tee to delivering clutch performances throughout the week.
She was instrumental on Friday, sharing a half‑point with Julia Lopez Ramirez after a dramatic final‑hole par that prevented the United States from taking the lead after day one. The following day she fell victim to Kupcho’s birdie‑birdie finish, but she exacted revenge in the singles, securing the decisive point in what became her eighth Solheim appearance. Ciganda joined a very exclusive club as only the second player ever to clinch the winning point in two different Solheim Cups.
"I was really happy to see that I was playing against Kupcho," Ciganda said afterward. "She’s a fighter, I’m a fighter.
I knew she had no chance. I was like, ‘I want to kill you,’ so I had it very clear in my mind." Charley Hull and Lottie Woad made history by becoming the first pairing to play together in all four sessions of a Solheim Cup. Despite a rocky start—record‑equalling 6&5 loss in the Saturday morning foursomes—they improved as the tournament progressed, finishing the first two days with 0.5 points each.
Their perseverance paid off when Hull finally secured Europe’s first point of the day in the singles. Nordqvist faced criticism for not rotating her pairings on day two and for placing Hull in the singles line‑up, a move she later described as a "no‑brainer" after witnessing Hull’s resilience.
Hull admitted the week was "frustrating," noting that both she and Woad struggled with putting until their singles victories saved the day. "Being the leader of this team, we knew she [Hull] was going to deliver," Nordqvist added. "It was blue on the board early. Lottie has been very steady this week – it was nice to see her finally hole some putts." The standout performer for Europe was Linn Grant, who transformed from a zero‑point player in the previous Solheim Cup to a four‑point powerhouse in this edition.
Her 4‑0 record—three wins alongside Maja Stark and a 4&3 singles triumph over Angel Yin—placed her among only nine players ever to achieve a 4‑0 or better record in a Solheim Cup. Grant’s resurgence was remarkable given she entered the event after a slump that saw her miss five of six cuts. Stark praised Grant’s reliability: "It’s a really cool feeling to have a person like this on your team, someone you know inside and out. For Anna, it was a no‑brainer to put us together." All of Europe’s captain’s picks contributed meaningfully, each earning at least 1.5 points.
Leona Maguire, in particular, set a new benchmark by becoming the quickest player to reach ten Solheim Cup match wins—doing so in just 14 matches, one fewer than the previous record. She briefly held the highest winning percentage in Cup history until a loss alongside Celine Boutier in the fourballs. Meanwhile, Julia Lopez Ramirez, who was left out of Saturday’s lineup, finished unbeaten in her two matches.
Team USA’s captain Angela Stanford defended her selections, noting that her three picks delivered five points and that the course demanded high‑ball hitters, which her choices provided. The AIG Women’s Open earlier in the month had implications for future Solheim Cups. With the tournament’s outcome, players like Hannah Rhodes emerged as strong candidates for upcoming European squads. Rhodes, who finished runner‑up at Royal Lytham in the final qualifying event, secured a captain’s pick after overtaking Chiara Tamburlini on the European points list.
She immediately made an impact, thriving under the spotlight and forming a winning partnership with Nastasia Nadaud—the first rookie duo to win two matches together in a Solheim Cup. Nordqvist explained the rationale: "A lot of people questioned why we would send out two rookies, but I said why not?! And they delivered. I never felt like they were rookies." Nadaud, who was ranked just inside the world’s top 150 a year ago, capped her debut with a 3&2 singles win over Andrea Lee, delivering three points for Europe—a contribution she described as "absolutely crazy" and something she could hardly put into words.
Looking ahead, seven members of Nordqvist’s victorious squad will still be under 30 by the 2028 Solheim Cup in Virginia, suggesting that a core group could remain together for another home‑away cycle. The depth of Europe’s talent was further underscored by the immediate impact of four rookies, especially given the absence of regulars such as Georgia Hall, Emily Kristine Pedersen, and Madelene Sagstrom. This edition also marked the first Solheim Cup since 2007 without Anna Nordqvist as a player; she announced her mid‑season retirement and declined a captain’s pick. When asked if she would consider returning as captain in 2028, she responded, "You’re never going to say never.
I don’t know what my future holds." When Europe last won on home soil in 2019, Catriona Matthew returned as captain to guide the team to an away victory the following year. Whether Nordqvist or another leader will steer Europe in 2028, the next Solheim Cup—scheduled for September 8‑10 at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky—promises to be another fiercely contested battle between the continents.