U.S. hold off Europe fightback to reclaim Solheim Cup

Lilia Vu, aged 26, clinched the Solheim Cup for the United States on Sunday in Gainesville, Virginia, by securing half a point in her match against Europe’s Albane Valenzuela, also 26. This achievement brought the American team to the necessary 14.5 points required to reclaim the trophy.

The USA needed to earn 4.5 points from the 12 singles matches, and victories by Megan Khang, Rose Zhang, Allisen Corpuz, along with half points from Andrea Lee and Lauren Coughlin, set the stage for Vu, who finalized the win with two matches still in play.

"This has been everything for me. I have a picture of the US team celebrating their Solheim Cup victory displayed on my wall," Vu remarked. "This has been a dream of mine, and I am thrilled to have accomplished this for my team."

Despite trailing Valenzuela by two holes with only two remaining, Vu responded to Europe’s strong performance on the final day by finishing her round with two birdies, including a tap-in at the last hole following an impressive approach shot.

This victory marked the first for the Americans in the biennial match-play event since 2017, preventing Europe from winning the Solheim Cup for an unprecedented fourth consecutive time.

The competition was intense, as Europe, starting the day behind at 10-6, needed a record-equaling comeback to retain the trophy. They struck first when England's Charley Hull defeated world number one Nelly Korda 6&4. Although the USA secured three wins in the following four matches, Europe remained resilient, narrowing the gap to 14-11 with three matches still ongoing before Vu sealed the victory after Valenzuela missed her 30-foot birdie attempt on the 18th hole.

"We certainly gave them a tough challenge. I don’t think anyone anticipated we would still be in contention at 2:30," stated European captain Suzann Pettersen. "It is quite remarkable to think we had a chance after such a difficult start, allowing them to gain an early advantage."

Lexi Thompson, participating in her seventh and possibly final Solheim Cup, had an opportunity to clinch the decisive point but failed to convert a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole. Subsequently, Coughlin also missed a 15-foot putt at the same hole, resulting in a shared point.

"It truly could have gone either way," remarked US captain Stacy Lewis.

"The conclusion was quite astonishing in how everything transpired. I was simply hoping and praying for a favorable outcome."

The United States currently leads the overall Solheim Cup series with a record of 11-7-1, with the sole tie occurring last year in Spain. The 2026 Solheim Cup is scheduled to take place at Bernardus Golf in Cromvoirt, Netherlands.