Anna Nordqvist could not hide her delight after Team Europe secured the Solheim Cup, saying she was impressed by "every single player" who took part in the competition. She also stressed that placing Charley Hull at the top of the Sunday singles line‑up was an obvious choice.
Europe reclaimed the coveted trophy on a dramatic final day at the rain‑soaked Bernardus Golf Course, capturing seven of the twelve points on offer to edge Team USA 15‑13. After a thrilling finish the previous afternoon – when Jennifer Kupcho’s late‑round birdies forced a tie and kept the biennial contest alive – the European side rallied and clinched their first outright victory since 2021. "This win feels amazing," Nordqvist told Sky Sports. "We have put in a massive amount of work over the past week and, more importantly, over the last two years.
It isn’t just me – the entire support crew has been phenomenal. The staff made everything run smoothly, allowing the players to focus solely on their games, and the atmosphere in the camp was incredibly positive. Everyone behaved like true teammates." She continued, "When we left the course yesterday we were buzzing with anticipation for today.
I was genuinely blown away by every player and caddie who stepped up to the first tee, ready to give it their all." Nordqvist praised the early momentum, noting that Europe had a strong start on the scoreboard. "We talked a lot about getting off to fast starts this week, given the conditions of the course, and I’m extremely proud of the squad for both opening and closing the matches strongly." The decision to send Charley Hull out first was described as a "no‑brainer" by Nordqvist. She explained, "We reviewed the statistics after Saturday and saw that Charley and Lottie Woad were among the top‑four players who recorded the most birdies throughout the week. Even though they hadn’t amassed many points in the earlier sessions, they had played incredibly tough matches.
Many people don’t realize how high the standard of play has been across the board during these three days." Hull, who had struggled to earn points in the first four sessions – finishing with just half a point alongside Woad – validated Nordqvist’s faith by delivering a decisive 6&4 victory over Megan Khang in the singles. This win gave her a full point and helped Europe secure six of the first eight singles matches, a historic achievement for the team. Reflecting on her performance, Hull admitted, "I’ve given myself many chances this week, and it’s been frustrating at times. I didn’t make a lot of birdies today, but I stayed steady, hit a lot of greens and dealt with the poor weather.
I talked to Mel Reid, our vice‑captain, and she reminded me that I’m one of the top three birdie‑makers this week, even though I was up against Yealimi Noh, who has been sinking putts left and right." Hull added, "Match play can be cruel – you can play well and still lose points. I’m just happy to have contributed a point, even if it’s only half a point more than I had before. Anything is better than nothing!" Lottie Woad also broke her personal drought, securing her first Solheim Cup point by beating Auston Kim. Her win lifted Europe to 14 points and sparked a wave of celebration among the European contingent.
Shortly after, Carlota Ciganda defeated Jennifer Kupcho, sealing the overall victory for the home side. Woad expressed how crucial the win was for her confidence: "I was feeling disappointed, thinking I was playing solid golf but not translating that into points. The captains reminded me that I was third on the birdie list, so I just had to trust my game.
Golf can be unpredictable, but in the end I made the winning putt." The tournament also featured a series of unrelated golf headlines that appeared in the original feed, such as updates from the BMW PGA Championship and other professional events. While these items were unrelated to the Solheim Cup narrative, they illustrate the broader context of the golf world during this period. Looking ahead, the Ladies European Tour will travel to Spain for the La Sella Open at La Sella Golf Resort, beginning Thursday. Meanwhile, the LPGA Tour will take a brief hiatus before resuming with the Walmart N Arkansas Championship from September 25‑27.
The next Solheim Cup is scheduled for 2028 and will be contested at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky from September 8‑10. Fans can stay up to date with the latest Sky Sports offers or stream the action without a contract on NOW.