T U E S D AY
on the back nine, won the 16th with a birdie to take a 1-up lead that she took to 18 after both players bogeyed the par-three 17th.
The world number two was on the green in two at the last when Nordqvist fired her approach to within two feet. Thompson conceded the birdie putt, and when she couldn’t get her own long attempt to drop the match ended halved.
“It was probably fitting that they both got half a point, they both played amazing,” US captain Juli Inkster said.
The United States continued to edge closer to their goal as veteran Cristie Kerr closed out a 2 & 1 victory over England’s Mel Reid and Paula Creamer defeated Georgia Hall 1 up.
Germany’s Caroline Masson helped stem the tide with a 4 & 2 win over Michelle Wie.
And Scottish veteran Catriona Matthew,pressedintoplayingdutyonlywhen Suzann Pettersen pulled out late with an injury, rallied from 3 down through 11 holes to beat Stacy Lewis 1 up.
But when 18-year-old Angel Yin halved her match with France’s Karine Icher, with Salas and Gerina Piller assured of at least halving theirs, the Americans were home and dry.
“We just got outplayed, there’s no doubt about it,” said Sorenstam, adding she was proud of her players’ determination in the face of adversity.
“They were out there fighting for every single point,” she said after her players grabbed six of the 12 points on offer on the final day. The United States had taken control of the tournament with dominant performances in the fourball matches on Friday and Saturday—winning seven of eight points on offer in that format.
Their whitewash in the Friday fourballs erased Europe’s narrow lead fromtheopeningfoursomessessionand the visitors wouldn’t get in front again.
Inkster joined Judy Rankin as the only women to captain back-to-back winning US Solheim Cup teams.
“I’m just proud of my team,” she said after the 10th American victory in 15 editions since the matches began in 1990. “I really haven’t been nervous all week, but I was a little nervous today.
“It’s just an honor to captain this team, and I’m really honored to captain these girls.”