Europe’s rookies cement victory in Solheim Cup

TOLEDO, Ohio — Matilda Castren glanced at the rapidly expanding sea of red on the videoboard next to the 18th green, took a deep breath and tried to block everything out.

Her long road to the Solheim Cup. Europe’s rapidly dwindling lead over the host Americans. A record crowd filled with unfamiliar faces after COVID-19 travel restrictions basically forced the visitors to go it alone at breezy, sun-splashed Inverness.

The 26-year-old knew the 10-footer for par would move right to left. She just needed to get the speed right. When it poured into the heart to give her a 1-up win over Lizette Salas and assure Europe of a second straight Solheim Cup victory, there was no explosion of joy. Just a fist pump and perhaps a little shake of the head.

“It’s just crazy, crazy,” said Castren, who had to win a tournament in her native Finland in July to become eligible to make the 12-woman team. “I can’t believe I made that putt.”

Castren might be the only one. Over the course of three days, the Europeans seemed to make everything that mattered, serving notice in a 15-13 victory that the notion of home-course advantage in the biennial event between the longtime rivals no longer exists. Perhaps Europe’s perception as the perennial underdog, too. Europe never trailed at any point in northwest Ohio while beating the Americans for the fourth time in their past six meetings.

“Hands down, I think this is the best team Europe has ever had,” seven-time Solheim Cup veteran Anna Nordqvist said.

The Europeans certainly played like it, guided by the leadership of two-time captain Catriona Matthews — who said she will step aside when the event shifts to Spain in 2023 — and the brilliance of rookie Leona Maguire.

Maguire 26, the first Irish woman to make a Solheim team, went unbeaten (4-0-1) while being the only player on either side to participate in all five sessions.