Team Europe entered the Sunday singles of the Solheim Cup dead‑locked with Team USA at 8‑8, thanks to a series of strong performances from Maja Stark and Linn Grant and a couple of setbacks for Charley Hull and Lottie Woad. The tie was the result of a roller‑coaster two‑day battle that saw both sides trade leads, clinch dramatic points and set the stage for a decisive final day. On Friday, Anna Nordqvist’s squad managed to split the morning sessions, but they surged ahead in the morning foursomes by capturing three of the four available points.
That early advantage was quickly neutralised when the United States edged the afternoon four‑ball matches, leaving the overall score perfectly balanced and ensuring a thrilling climax on Sunday. Stark and Grant continued their flawless run, delivering a convincing 2&1 victory over the previously unbeaten pair of Megan Khang and Lauren Coughlin. This marked their third straight win as a partnership, underscoring their chemistry and confidence.
Meanwhile, Hull and Woad suffered a heartbreaking loss on the final hole to Yealimi Noh and Andrea Lee, a defeat that highlighted the fine margins that define match play. Hull and Woad made history by becoming the first duo ever to compete in all four Solheim Cup sessions together, yet they managed to contribute only half a point to the team total. Their modest return was further diminished when Rose Zhang and Auston Kim defeated Leona Maguire and Nastasia Nadaud 3&2, widening the United States’ lead. In the closing moments of Friday’s four‑ball session, Carlota Ciganda secured a crucial half‑point with a clutch putt.
The drama escalated on the 18th hole when Jennifer Kupcho holed a 90‑foot birdie on the par‑four 17th, pulling her side level with Lindy Duncan. Kupcho then capped the session with another spectacular putt from beyond 20 feet, winning the match 1‑up over Ciganda and Celine Bouter. The crowd erupted as the United States celebrated the turnaround.
That dramatic finish left Team USA needing six points on Sunday to retain the Cup, two years after their home‑soil triumph in Virginia. Europe, on the other hand, required 6½ points for an outright victory – the first such win since 2021 – meaning both sides faced a monumental task. The Swedish pair were the first to tee off on Sunday, having already broken Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz’s perfect foursomes record earlier in the day. Stark dazzled by holing out from the first fairway, recording her second eagle of the tournament.
Coughlin responded with a run of birdies from the third hole onward, briefly putting Europe behind before the teams traded holes. Grant seized the momentum on the 11th and 12th holes with consecutive birdies, extending the lead.
Stark added to the excitement by holing a 20‑foot putt on the 13th, pushing the pair two up. Coughlin answered on the 16th with a long‑range birdie, sealing their third win of the week. The loss was particularly painful for Khang, who suffered her first defeat in ten Solheim Cup appearances, ending a six‑match winning streak that was one shy of the all‑time record. It also marked the first ever loss for Team USA in a match involving Coughlin.
"I think we really turned it on during the back nine," Grant reflected after the round. "We got our things together and started playing the way we wanted. It was a great match – they were right on our heels the whole time." Hull and Woad’s partnership, while historic for its longevity, also became the first to play every session without securing a full point. Their match against Noh was especially dramatic; Noh fired an eagle and four birdies on the front nine to take a two‑stroke lead.
Europe claimed the opening hole of the back nine but surrendered the 13th to an Andrea Lee birdie. Hull matched Lee’s birdie on the 15th and added another on the 17th, yet the United States clinched the final point with a par on the 18th.
Meanwhile, Nadaud, paired with Mimi Rhodes, had won two earlier sessions before joining Leona Maguire in the third match. Maguire delivered an eagle chip on the eighth and followed with a birdie on the ninth, but the Americans responded with a three‑hole burst that secured the win. In the closing stages of the four‑ball session, Ciganda won back‑to‑back holes from the 13th, only for Duncan to take the next. Kupcho then produced an incredible birdie on the 17th, and a final‑hole birdie completed a stunning comeback, giving the United States a 3‑1 victory in that session and leaving the overall score level after two days – the third consecutive Solheim Cup on European soil to finish tied heading into the final day.
Team USA captain Angela Stanford praised Kupcho’s resilience: "That was huge. It completely turned the tide. She never gives up; she’s a fighter, and her team saw that in person." Sunday’s singles will begin at 11:10 a.m. local time (10:10 BST), with heavy rain forecast for much of the day.
Historically, the last three Solheim Cups that were tied after the first two days have all been won by Europe on home turf, adding another layer of intrigue to the showdown. Fans can watch the decisive singles live on Sky Sports Golf from 9 a.m., with the opening match kicking off at 10:10 a.m.
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