The chant "They drink on Saturday, we drink on Sunday!" rang out across the Team Europe bus on Sunday evening, capturing the jubilant atmosphere after another decisive home victory in the Solheim Cup. Anna Nordqvist secured the decisive point on the final day, allowing Europe to retake the trophy from Team USA.
Going into the rain‑soaked singles session at Bernardus Golf, the match was delicately balanced. The Americans had seemed to gain momentum after a dramatic Saturday four‑ball round that pulled the overall score back to an 8‑8 tie. Jennifer Kupcho’s spectacular finish—holing a 110‑foot putt over her last two holes—had given the United States a much‑needed lift.
Her birdie‑birdie burst, combined with Lindy Duncan’s win over Carlota Ciganda, prompted Team USA captain Angela Stanford to declare that the tide had turned in their favour. However, a video that surfaced later that evening, showing the American squad raising beers on their bus, turned out to be a premature celebration. The footage became instant motivation for the Europeans, who responded by winning six of the eight singles matches and ultimately seizing control of the contest. Lottie Woad’s point‑winning putt will be remembered as the clincher that pushed Europe to 14 points, with Ciganda already assured of at least a half‑point.
It was the Spaniard who sealed her own victory and made the win official, cementing Europe’s comeback. The celebrations continued well into the night, highlighted by a viral clip of Dame Laura Davies handing out beers to the European team on their bus.
The final tally 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, struggled to replicate the exuberance of the previous evening, leaving Europe free to dictate the pace.
Carlota Ciganda embraced the Solheim Cup like few others. She began the tournament as Europe’s first‑tee supporter on day one, then delivered clutch performances throughout the week. On Friday, a dramatic par on the final hole earned her and Julia Lopez Ramirez a half‑point that prevented the United States from taking the lead after the opening session. The following day, she endured a birdie‑birdie finish from Kupcho but later avenged that loss in the singles, becoming only the second player in Solheim Cup history to secure the winning point in two separate editions.
"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 rough start that saw them lose six‑and‑five in the Saturday morning foursomes, they eventually found form, finishing just half a point shy of a full point each.
Their perseverance paid off when both secured singles victories, averting the ignominy of participating in five sessions without a win. Nordqvist faced criticism for not rotating her pairings on day two and for sending Hull into the singles lineup. She defended the decision as a "no‑brainer," noting Hull’s steady play throughout the week. "Being the leader of this team, we knew she was going to deliver," Nordqvist explained.
"It was blue on the board early. Lottie has been very steady this week – it was nice to see her finally hole some putts." One of Europe’s brightest stars was Linn Grant, who transformed a previous Solheim Cup where she earned no points into a performance that yielded at least four points this time around. Grant joined an elite group of only nine players to finish a Solheim Cup with a 4‑0 or better record, posting three wins alongside Maja Stark and a commanding 4&3 victory over Angel Yin in the singles. Her turnaround was remarkable, considering she entered the event after a slump that saw her miss five cuts in six starts.
Stark praised Grant’s resilience, saying, "That is a really cool feeling that you have a person like this on your team, that you know you can just go out and you know them inside and out and their game. It felt like, for Anna, it was a no‑brainer to put us together." All of Europe’s captain’s picks contributed at least 1.5 points each.
Leona Maguire, in particular, delivered a record‑breaking performance, winning both foursomes sessions with Esther Henseleit and becoming the fastest player to reach ten Solheim Cup match wins—doing so in just fourteen matches, one fewer than the previous record holder. Though she briefly held the highest winning percentage in Cup history, a loss alongside Celine Boutier in the four‑balls ended that streak. Ramirez, who was left out of the Saturday line‑up, responded by remaining unbeaten in her two matches, underscoring the depth of Europe’s roster. Team USA captain Angela Stanford lauded her own selections, noting that the three rookies she chose contributed five points, precisely what the course demanded in terms of high‑ball hitters.
The narrative around the Dutch rookie Nanna Koerstz Madsen also shifted dramatically. After the AIG Women’s Open, she secured a spot on the European team via world rankings, freeing an extra captain’s pick. Her teammate, the newly‑emerged talent Nastasia Nadaud, formed a historic rookie pairing with Maguire, winning both their foursomes matches—an unprecedented achievement for two first‑time participants. "A lot of people questioned why would you send out two rookies, but I said why not?!" Nordqvist recalled.
"And they delivered. I never felt like they were rookies." Nadaud’s meteoric rise continued with a 3&2 singles victory over Andrea Lee, coming at a moment when Team USA threatened to regain momentum. "Getting three points for Europe is just absolutely crazy – I have no words for that," she said, already eyeing future Solheim Cup selections. Looking ahead, many of Nordqvist’s victorious dozen are still under 30, suggesting they could form the core of Europe’s squad for the 2028 edition in Virginia.
The impact of four rookies making immediate contributions underscores the depth of Europe’s talent pool, especially given that regulars such as Georgia Hall, Emily Kristine Pedersen, and Madelene Sågström were absent. This was also the first Solheim Cup since 2007 in which Nordqvist did not play, having announced her retirement mid‑season and declining a captain’s pick. When asked about a potential return 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 will steer the ship in Virginia or hand the reins to another leader, the next target is clear: to defend the title at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky from September 8‑10, 2028. The upcoming Solheim Cup promises fresh storylines, emerging stars, and the ever‑present drama that makes this competition one of women’s golf’s most compelling events.