USA win Solheim Cup for back-to-back victories
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The United States have won the 2017 Solheim Cup, with Lizette Salas’ victory over Jodi Ewart Shadoff securing the necessary 14.5 points
Juli Inkster has become the second person to Captain her side to back-to-back victories. In 2015 she was the skipper of a side that needed an astonishing comeback – but this time, the road to the Solheim Cup was a lot more straightforward for the American side.
Setting the pace on the opening day with a clean-sweep of the afternoon fourballs after a morning of equal foursomes, the USA remained on the front foot for the entirety of the contest.
Heading in to Sunday they led Annika Sorenstam’s European team 10.5 points to 5.5 points, giving them what appeared to be, and turned out to be, an impossible task to recover from. Even though the Sunday singles were split evenly points-wise, by the end of the contest the USA had won convincingly with a score of 16.5 points to 11.5.
Anna Nordqvist and Lexi Thompson were the first grouping out in the Sunday singles, and their halved match could possibly go down as the greatest match-ups in Solheim history. A seemingly out of form Thompson found herself four down at the turn, but the World No.2 found her game on the 10th and began to produce a stunning masterclass of golf that saw her eight under for just seven holes of her back nine.
The tables had turned, and suddenly it was Thompson who was up in the match with just the 18th hole to go. Nordqvist nearly holed out for her second shot on the final hole, and with Thompson missing her own birdie chance – the first points on the board were deservedly shared.
Cristie Kerr extended her American record point-scoring total to 21 with victory over Mel Reid, while Georgia Hall’s impressive first Solheim outing ended in disappointment as a final-hole three-putt gifted Paula Creamer a third point to take the USA’s total to 13.
The next two points on the board came from the Europeans, as Catriona Matthew fought back to beat Stacy Lewis on the final hole, and Caroline Masson dismissed Michelle Wie 4&2 – but it wouldn’t be enough.
It was the teenager Angel Yin who assured that the United States team would keep the cup, finding a par at the 18th to halve her match with Karine Icher – knowing that Lizette Salas was dormy 2-up on Jodi Ewart Shadoff. Shadoff brought her back to the 18th, and missed her own chance at halving the match – leaving Salas to hole a short one to guarantee both a 1up victory in her own match and victory in The Solheim Cup.
Salas said: “To do that in front of the home crowd & to wear the red white and blue is such a great honor.”
Carlota Ciganda and Charley Hull managed to take two points from Brittany Lincicome and Brittany Lang – who had proved a formidable pairing in the singles matches, and Europe’s final point came from rookie Madelene Sagstrom, who defeated Austin Ernst.
Gerina Piller 4&2 victory over Florentyna Parker pushed the U.S total to 15.5, and it was rookie and major champion Danielle Kang who won the final point in her match against Emily Pedersen.
Europe’s Captain Annika Sorenstam was gracious in defeat, saying “We just got outplayed. There’s no doubt about it.”
For Inkster, who was holding a styrofoam cup that said ‘vodka tonic’ on it (a story we’ll surely find out soon), it was proof her pod system and emphasis on fun helped her team get the job done.
“To me my best memories of the Solheim Cup – some we won, some we lost – but it’s being together and being, not only being together as a team but bringing our families together,” said Inkster. “And I’m just trying to bring that back the last couple of years because I know that’s when I had my most fun.”
Solheim Cup 2017 Results: USA 16.5 – 11.5 Europe
Find out all the results from the 2017 Solheim Cup below
Sunday 20th August: Singles Matches
A/S Lexi Thompson vs Anna Norqvist A/S
1UP Paula Creamer vs Georgia Hall
2&1 Cristie Kerr vs Mel Reid
Stacy Lewis vs Catriona Matthew 1UP
A/S Angel Yin vs Karine Icher A/S
Michelle Wie vs Caroline Masson 4&2
1UP Lizette Salas vs Jodi Ewart Shadoff
Brittany Lang vs Charley Hull 1UP
Brittany Lincicome vs Carlota Ciganda 4&3
4&2 Gerina Piller vs Florentyna Parker
Austin Ernst vs Madelene Sagstrom 3&2
3&1 Danielle Kang vs Emily Pedersen
Saturday 19th August: Afternoon Fourballs
Carlota Ciganda/ Mel Reid vs Brittany Lang/ Brittany Lincicome 2UP
4&2 Anna Nordqvist/ Jodi Ewart Shadoff vs Lizette Salas/ Angel Yin
Karine Icher/ Madelene Sagstrom vs Paula Creamer/ Austin Ernst 2&1
Catriona Matthew/ Georgia Hall vs Cristie Kerr/ Lexi Thompson 4&2
Saturday 19th August: Morning Foursomes
Jodi Ewart Shadoff/ Caroline Masson vs Cristie Kerr/ Lexi Thompson 5&3
Mel Reid/ Emily Kristine Pedersen vs Austin Ernst/ Paula Creamer 5&3
2&1 Anna Nordqvist/ Georgia Hall vs Stacy Lewis/ Gerina Piller
2&1 Catriona Matthew/ Karine Icher vs Michelle Wie/ Danielle Kang
Friday 18th August: Afternoon Fourball
Madelene Sagstrom/ Jodi Ewart Shadoff vs Danielle Kang/ Michelle Wie 3&1
Carlota Ciganda/ Emily Kristine Pedersen vs Lizette Salas/ Angel Yin 6&5
Florentyna Parker/Caroline Masson vs Brittany Lang/ Brittany Lincicome 3&1
Charley Hull/ Georgia Hall vs Gerina Piller/ Stacy Lewis 2&1
Friday 18th August: Morning Foursomes
Mel Reid/ Charley Hull vs Cristie Kerr/ Lexi Thompson A/S
Carlota Ciganda/ Caroline Masson vs Danielle Kang/ Lizette Salas 1UP
3&1 Anna Nordqvist/ Georgia Hall vs Austin Ersnt/ Paula Creamer
1UP Karine Icher/ Catriona Matthew vs Stacy Lewis/ Gerina Piller
