A strong early surge by the European team, which included a victory over world No. 1 Nelly Korda, wasn't enough to overcome the Americans' quick start on Friday, which ultimately proved decisive.
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| Stacy Lewis of Team USA celebrates with the Solheim Cup after defeating Team Europe at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. / Aaron Doster - Imagn Images |
**GAINESVILLE, Va.** — For the first time since 2017, the Solheim Cup is back in American hands.
Captain Stacy Lewis’s team held strong during Sunday’s singles matches at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, securing a 15½ to 12½ victory. The decisive half-point came from a near tap-in birdie by Lilia Vu on the 18th hole of her match against Albane Valenzuela.
Despite world No. 1 Nelly Korda and the retiring Lexi Thompson losing their singles matches, other American players rose to the occasion. Vu kept the U.S. hopes alive by sinking a crucial 20-foot putt on the 17th hole to extend her match after being 2 down with two to play.
University of Virginia alum Lauren Coughlin had a chance to clinch the Cup with a birdie putt on her final hole but left it short. Her half-point brought the U.S. to 14 points, just shy of the 14½ needed to win. Last year, a 14-14 tie left the Cup in Europe.
After a week in which local favorite Coughlin, who was playing just over an hour from her Charlottesville home, Megan Khang's dynamic play, and Korda’s heroics grabbed attention, Team USA can finally celebrate the long-awaited victory—especially for Lewis, who redeemed herself in her second stint as captain.
“So stressful to watch. It's awful watching,” Lewis said. “But I’m so proud of the players. These matches come down to half a point here or there. Luckily, this time, we were on the right side of it.”
The U.S. team triumphed at home for just the second time in the last four Solheim Cups. They set the tone early with a 3-1 lead in Friday morning’s foursomes, followed by another 3-1 win in the afternoon fourballs. Europe fought back Saturday, managing a tie, and gained one point Sunday.
Europe made an early push in Sunday’s singles, winning two of the first three matches, but victories from Allisen Corpuz and Rose Zhang (who went a perfect 4-0 for the week) restored the U.S. lead.
“We fell short, but we gave it a good go,” European captain Suzann Pettersen said. “At 2:25 p.m., we still had a chance at an incredible comeback, and I don’t think the Americans expected such a fight from us.”
Pettersen praised her team’s resilience, highlighting Charley Hull’s dominant 6 and 4 win over Korda. “She set the standard and made us all believe it was possible.”
As Lewis and her assistant captains watched the winning point be secured, they could finally celebrate a moment that had been years in the making.
“It could have gone either way,” Lewis said. “It was crazy at the end how everything unfolded. I was just hoping and praying it would go our way. I’m so proud of the team, and Lilia’s finish was unbelievable. That’s what you expect from one of the best players in the world.”