PARKER, Colo. – Europe made history Sunday at Colorado Golf Club.
When Caroline Hedwall birdied the 18th hole to defeat Michelle Wie, 1 up, she secured the 14th point for Europe, the magic number the Euros needed to retain the Solheim Cup. When Catriona Matthew made par at the 18th to halve her match with Gerina Piller, the Euros won these matches outright, becoming the first European team to win the Solheim Cup on American soil.
The victory marks the first time Europe has won the Solheim Cup in back-to-back events.
Liselotte Neumann said she took the captain’s job for the chance to make history, to become the first European team to win on American soil since these biennial matches got their start in 1990. They were 0-6 coming to Colorado Golf Club.
Hedwall’s singles victory also made history, making her the first player to go 5-0 in a Solheim Cup.
With a 10 ½ to 5 ½ lead going into Sunday singles, the Euros needed just 3 ½ points to retain the cup, 4 to win the matches outright. As winners of the Solheim Cup two years ago, the Euros needed only 14 points (a tie) to keep the cup.
Charley Hull, the 17-year-old English standout, delivered the first point, routing Paula Creamer, 5 and 4. Anna Nordqvist delivered a half-point, playing Stacy Lewis to all square in the leadoff match. Carlota Ciganda delivered the next full point, defeating Morgan Pressel, 4 and 2.
That sequence of early events left the Euros needing just a single point to retain the cup, and Hedwall delivered it. There were still seven matches on the course when Hedwall secured the cup.
