GAINESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Lilia Vu made a 2-foot birdie putt on the final hole, and the United States won the Solheim Cup for the first time since 2017, beating Europe on a tense Sunday of singles matches at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.
Megan Khang, Rose Zhang and Allisen Corpuz moved the U.S. to the brink of victory with blowout wins, and the Americans got just enough from the back half of their lineup to prevent Europe from capturing the cup for a record fourth straight time.
Europe fell behind 6-2 on the first day and trailed 10-6 entering singles. Captain Suzann Pettersen said her team needed a “miracle,” and while that never appeared likely, the Europeans kept it interesting, denying the Americans the clinching point on the 18th hole in three straight matches.
It finally ended when Vu stuffed a wedge in close at the par-4 18th and Albane Valenzuela came up short on her long birdie putt. Valenzuela did not concede Vu’s birdie, giving the American the chance to savor the tap-in that tied their match and gave the Americans the 14 1/2 points they needed to win.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
