Team Europe and Team USA entered the Sunday singles of the Solheim Cup dead‑locked at 8‑8, thanks to a series of dramatic swings that saw Maja Stark and Linn Grant keep their unbeaten streak alive while Charley Hull and Lottie Woad again fell short. The tie came after a Friday that featured a tightly contested set of matches, with Anna Nordqvist's side matching the United States in both sessions before pulling ahead in the morning foursomes by winning three of the four points on offer. That early lead was quickly neutralised when the Americans edged the afternoon four‑ball matches, setting the stage for a climactic final day.
Stark and Grant once more proved their partnership to be lethal, posting a convincing 2&1 victory over the previously unbeaten duo of Megan Khang and Lauren Coughlin. This marked their third consecutive win in as many sessions, underscoring their chemistry and confidence.
In contrast, Hull and Woad suffered a heartbreaking loss on the final hole to Yealimi Noh and Andrea Lee, extending their personal run of disappointment. Both Hull and Woad made history by becoming the first pair ever to compete in all four Solheim Cup sessions together, yet they managed to contribute only half a point to the European tally. Their struggle was compounded when Rose Zhang and Auston Kim further narrowed the gap by defeating Leona Maguire and Nastasia Nadaud 3&2.
Meanwhile, Carlota Ciganda seized a dramatic half‑point with a clutch putt in the closing moments of Friday's four‑ball session, only to be taken back to the 18th hole later in the day after Jennifer Kupcho sank a 90‑foot birdie on the par‑four 17th, pulling her and Lindy Duncan level. Kupcho continued her heroics on the final hole, holing a more than 20‑foot putt to clinch a 1‑up win over Ciganda and Céline Bouter.
The dramatic finish sparked jubilant celebrations on the green and left Team USA facing a steep challenge: they must secure six points on Sunday to retain the Cup, two years after their victorious home defense in Virginia. Europe, on the other hand, needs 6.5 points for a first outright triumph since 2021.
The Swedish duo of Stark and Grant were again the first to tee off, having already broken the perfect foursomes record of Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz earlier in the day. Stark's aggressive play paid off when she holed out from the first fairway, recording her second eagle of the competition. Lauren Coughlin responded with a string of birdies from the third hole onward, briefly putting the United States ahead for the first time that week. The match then seesawed, with both sides sharing holes until Grant surged ahead with birdies on the 11th and 12th.
Stark added to the momentum by sinking a 20‑foot putt on the 13th, extending the lead to two points. Coughlin answered on the 16th with a long‑range birdie, completing the third win of the week for Europe. The loss marked Khang's first defeat in ten Solheim Cup appearances, ending a six‑match winning streak that was one victory shy of the tournament record. It also represented the first ever loss for Team USA in a Solheim Cup match.
"We really turned it on during the back nine," Grant reflected. "We got our things together and played the way we wanted to. It was a great match – they were right on our heels the whole time." Hull and Woad's historic participation continued to be a story of near‑misses; they never led during their match, even as Noh produced an eagle and four birdies on the front nine to pull two ahead.
Europe claimed the opening hole of the back nine but surrendered the 13th to a birdie by Lee. Woad matched Lee's birdie on the 15th and added another on the 17th, yet the United States closed the match with a par on the final hole, securing another point. Meanwhile, Nastasia Nadaud paired with Mimi Rhodes for two successful sessions before joining Leona Maguire in the third match.
Maguire delivered an eagle on the eighth and followed with a birdie on the ninth, but the Americans responded with a three‑hole surge that clinched the victory. In the closing stages, both teams fought fiercely.
Ciganda won consecutive holes from the 13th, only for Duncan to take the next, while Kupcho delivered an astonishing birdie on the 17th. A final‑hole birdie completed a stunning comeback, allowing the United States to win the four‑ball session 3‑1 and leaving the overall score tied after two days – the third straight Solheim Cup on European soil to finish level heading into the singles.
"That was huge," Team USA captain Angela Stanford commented. "It completely turned the tide. Jennifer [Kupcho] never gives up; she's a fighter, and her team saw that in person today." Sunday's singles are slated to begin at 11:10 a.m.
local time (10:10 BST). Forecasts predict heavy rain for much of the day, adding another layer of difficulty to the already tense competition. Historically, the last three Solheim Cups that were tied after the first two days have all resulted in European victories on home ground.
Fans eager to see who will ultimately lift the Solheim Cup can tune in live on Sky Sports Golf from 9 a.m., with the opening singles match starting at 10:10 a.m. Additional viewing options include streaming via NOW with no contract required. For those interested in playing the sport themselves, the article also offers a link to book a round at any of the 1,700 courses across the UK and Ireland, complete with price comparisons and search tools.