Europe won the Solheim Cup for the first time since 2013 after an incredible finish to the final day singles, which ended with Suzann Pettersen holing the decisive putt on the 18th green to send the thousands of fans into raptures at Gleneagles.
USA looked set to retain the trophy when they needed just a half-point from any of the final three matches, but Europe won all of them to secure a sensational victory.
Suzann Pettersen celebrates as she holes the putt to win the Solheim Cup on the final hole
With Anna Nordqvist closing out a 4&3 win over Morgan Pressel, and Bronte Law beating Ally McDonald 2&1 in the final two groups in the minutes preceding, Pettersen and Marina Alex were both on the 18th green and with makeable putts for birdie.
Alex missed and Pettersen, one of captain Catriona Matthew’s wildcard picks, stepped up and rolled in an eight-footer to give Europe the point they needed to get to the all-important 14.5.
The momentum swung either way throughout the final day, with Carlota Ciganda beating Danielle Kang on the last hole in the top group, while Nelly Korda putting some red on the board with a two-hole win over Caroline Headwall in the second match.
Georgia Hall was unbeaten in her four matches this week, as was Celine Boutier
The next two points went to Europe, Georgia Hall defeating Lexi Thompson and Celine Boutier seeing off Annie Park 2&1. Devastating as a pair, Hall and Boutier showed they could produce the goods individually too as both secured their fourth point from four matches this week.
The middle order matches all went America’s way, and put them on the brink of a triumph which would have been Juli Inkster’s third in a row as captain. First Angel Yin beat Azahara Munoz in the fifth match, then Meghan Khang won the 18th hole to claim a half from Charley Hull.
Next up was Lisette Salas, who downed Anne Van Dam by one hole, and there were easy wins for Jessica Korda, 3&2 against Caroline Masson, and Brittany Altomare, 5&4 over Jodi Ewart Shadoff.
USA, on 13½ points, were preparing to pop the champagne corks on the 18th green, but a dramatic finish then ensued as the final three Europeans completed a remarkable comeback.
Catriona Matthew is carried aloft by her team after leading Europe to victory
Pettersen, whose selection by Matthew last month raised eyebrows because of her lack of competitive action since having her son at the end of 2017, struggled to hold in the emotion after winning the Solheim Cup for her team
Moments after holing the birdie putt that secured Europe’s victory, the 38-year-old Norwegian, confirmed she would be hanging up her clubs with immediate effect. “That’s it, I’m done,” she said. “I’m closing it down tomorrow. I think it’s the perfect closure, there’s no better way to end my professional career. I never thought I was going to be here four months ago. So to end it this way, that’s very special.”
Pettersen bows out of professional golf having won two majors, 15 LPGA tour titles and seven on the Ladies European Tour. This year marked her ninth appearance in the Solheim Cup, stretching back to 2002, during which she won 18 matches, tied third on the all-time European list alongside Matthew, behind only Laura Davies and Annika Sorenstam.
“Can you ask for more?” she said. “The last putt to win the cup, when it’s that close? History was just made, to win here in front of the Scottish crowd, to be here most of all. I could never in a million years dream of this. I mean, to hole the winning putt, to win the cup. Nothing beats the Solheim Cup in my career.”
European captain Catriona Matthew, who orchestrated the win, said: “It’s a dream come true. All 12 of these players, they played their hearts out. We knew it was going to be close today, but to come down to the last putt and for Suzann to hole it, it’s incredible. She got a lot of stick when I picked her, but it shows it was the right one.
“I could barely watch, actually,” she added. “It’s far worse watching. “When you’re playing, you’re kind of in the zone and in the moment, and you’ve got control over things. But watching you just have to have faith in the players. There’s nothing else you can do.”
US captain Juli Inkster was philosophical after the narrow defeat, saying: “The Europeans played great. You tip your hat. We had a few tears. And I said it’s okay. But the bottom line is we had a great week, the Europeans played great and we’re going to have a great party. The sun’s going to come up tomorrow. This will give them the fuel and fire for another two years to work at their game, to be on that team, to try to get that Cup back. I just said, ‘Hold your heads up because you should not be disappointed’.”
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