Europe retains Solheim Cup with win on US soil
TOLEDO, Ohio – Europe retained the Solheim Cup on Monday, clinching just its second victory on U.S. soil when Matilda Castren closed out Lizette Salas 1 up to give the visitors their 14th point, sparking a somewhat muted celebration at breezy Inverness. Castren calmly curled in a 10-foot par putt on the 18th to edge Salas and give Europe back-to-back Cup victories for just the second time in the 31-year history of the biennial showdown between the two rivals. Two years after needing a 7-foot putt by Suzann Pettersen to slip by the Americans at Gleneagles, no such dramatics were needed this time around. The Europeans built a 9-7 lead going into the 12 singles matches over the weekend and quickly put on the pressure Monday, snuffing out any legitimate hopes of a comeback by the hosts. Leona Maguire, the first Irishwoman to appear in the Solheim Cup, capped off a brilliant 4-0-1 debut by making three birdies and an eagle on the front nine to top Jennifer Kupcho 5-and-4 in the third match out and give Europe the first of the five points it needed. Madelene Sagstrom followed with a 3-and-2 victory over Ally Ewing and Celine Boutier dropped U.S. rookie Mina Harigae 5-and-4 to push Europe’s total to 12. Anna Nordqvist and Lexi Thompson – who have combined for 12 Solheim appearances between them – finished all square in a taut match in which neither led by more than one at any point. The Americans briefly made a push, turning the scoreboard into a sea of red late in the afternoon, but the big shots the U.S. needed to put pressure on the leaders materialized. Most of the fist pumps and roars were reserved for lengthy par putts that halved holes instead of winning them.