Team USA holds a 10-6 lead heading into Sunday’s Solheim Cup singles — but don’t count the Europeans out just yet.
Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
GAINESVILLE, Va. – After Carlota Ciganda won the first point of the afternoon session for Team Europe with partner Emily Pedersen, she made a bold claim.
“I don’t know what the final result will be, but 12 points, we can win it all,” she said. “The miracle (in) Madinah – it is coming.”
Ciganda, of course, was referring to the 2012 Ryder Cup. That year, the European team entered Sunday singles at Medinah Country Club trailing the Americans 10-6. They won 8.5 points on the final day, coming back to beat the Americans 14.5-13.5 in what has become one of the most famous Ryder Cups of all time.
The 2015 Solheim Cup is another example of a 10-6 comeback on the final day. During that event, Team USA found itself in a 10-6 hole heading into singles only to come back and win by one point.
IN 19th Solheim CupTeam Europe enters the final day of competition facing the same 10-6 margin. And if they I hope he holds the Cup for two more yearsthey will have to invoke a similar type of magic.
“We’re still in it,” said Team Europe captain Suzann Petersen. “We need a massive day tomorrow. We should go again on another record singles streak. It’s been done before.”
If Europe hopes to pull off a miracle, it won’t be easy. Their American counterparts got off to a historic start this week as Team USA won six of the eight points available on Friday to amass the largest first-day lead in the event’s history. They returned On Saturday, the service was held, sharing both sessions with the Europeans to maintain their four-point lead.
“To come out of the day with the same lead we started with was huge for us,” said Team USA captain Stacy Lewis. “I thought in the morning that the European games were a bit more difficult, and then in the top four I don’t know who will be hot.”
Just building a four-point cushion hasn’t been the most impressive part of the Americans’ performance so far; it was the way they did it. Of the 10 points scored by Team USA through four sessions, nine have come in blowout fashion. Only one of the matches they have won has gone past 16 holes.
Nelly Korda, the world’s top-ranked player, has led Lewis’ team, taking three points in the first three sessions, but she has been far from the only American to bring her best stuff this week. Home favorite Lauren Coughlin is also 3-0, joined by Rose Zhang, who is a perfect 2-0 in four balls paired with Andrea Lee.
“They’ve taken care of business all week,” Lewis said. “I feel good about where we are and I’m excited for tomorrow.”
Despite the dominance, the Europeans have reasons for optimism. Despite their three highest-ranked players (Celine Boutier, Charley Hull and Linn Grant) combining for just three points, they remain within striking distance of Team USA. Pettersen also noted that her team hasn’t had “magic” on the green all week, making it difficult to turn the momentum around. But even with all that going against them, Team Europe still has the Americans in their sights.
“We’re still way behind,” Petersen said. “But if there’s a hope, there’s always a chance.”
