Players and fans in awe at Bernardus Golf

The Solheim Cup is the absolute peak of the women’s tours.  Indeed this year the 20th edition was played in the Netherlands for the very first time which was a delight for the European Team who clinched a magical 15-13 victory over the Americans at Bernardus Golf in North Brabant (11-13 September).  The European Team Captain, Anna Nordquist from Sweden was stunned and over the moon with her team in the bi-annual match.

 

Just like the prestigeous Ryder Cup, the Solheim Cup is played over three days with two teams of twelve players.  In the morning, the teams played foursomes and in the afternoon fourballs with a singles match on Sunday when all players competed.  After two days of golf the score stood at an unbelievable 8-8.  So what happened on Friday and Saturday?

 

Well, actually, the morning foursomes on Friday finished in a tie of 4 points for each team.  Amazingly this was only the second time since the start of the Solheim Cup in 1990 that the teams had done this.

 

 

For the Americans, the Official World Number One Nelly Korda, was playing in her fifth Solheim Cup.  She was joined by a few rookies making their Solheim Cup appearance for the first time like Lyndsey Duncan.

 

Team Europe had four rookies in their team including Julia López Ramírez (Spain), Nastasia Nadaud (France), Mimi Rhodes (England) and Lottie Woad (England).

 

Alas, there was not a single Dutch player in the Solheim Cup this year.  It was Christel Boeljon who made her debut in 2011 with a victory for Europe.  Then eight years later Anne van Dam also played in the victorious winning team.  This year she had the honour of being one of the vice captains to Anna Nordquist.

 

 

Up against the Spanish

 

Spain’s Carlota Ciganda had an impressive day on Friday afternoon in the fourball matches.  On the final hole she pushed her drive to the right of the green on the other side of the water.  She played an impressive chip to about five metres or so from the flag.  Her Spanish playing partner Julia López Ramírez had just chipped-in for bogey, so what could Ciganda now do?

 

Well, the Americans of Nelly Korda and Lauren Coughlin put up a great fight and just needed to hole their putts for par but alas missed them both.  It was down to Ciganda to hole her putt which she did to make an incredible half with America and the magical score of 4-4.

 

On day two, Europe had a wonderful foursomes victory over America when they produced a 7-5 victory.  Then Europe’s Maya Stark and Linn Grant got off to a flying start in the afternoon fourballs when Stark holed her second shot at the first for eagle to go one-up on Megan Khang and Lauren Coughlin.  The match was a real tussle which the Europeans won by 2&1.

 

Carlota Ciganda holed an enormous putt to win the hole on the 6th to go two-up with her French partner Céline Boutier against Jennifer Kupcho and Lindy Duncan.  A few holes later Ciganda holed a putt on the 14th to get back to two-up.  It was finally Kupcho who holed a putt from around seven metres on the final hole to secure victory for the Americans with a tally of 8-8.

 

Sunday singles

 

By this time, the golf fans were really excited by what some of the best players in women’s golf were producing at Bernardus Golf.  On Sunday the singles matches would determine who had the honour of winning the 2026 Solheim Cup.

 

On the final day the grandstands were full of enthusiastic fans from around the globe all enjoying the music and clapping, even in the rain.  Today was the chance for the whole team to spring into action in the singles.

 

 

 

 

Charlie Hull (England) teed-off first against Megan Khang which she went on to win 3&2.  Esther Henseleit (Germany) then had a blistering match against Alison Lee which she lost narrowly by one hole.  The day was really hotting-up with players holing putts from everywhere.  The sun was shining too and so the waterproof golf clothes simply ended-up in the golf bags.

 

It was the player from Denmark, Nanna Koerstz Madsen who won the first point for Europe on Sunday.  But the Americans were fighting back.  At one point, Europe had won six holes and America twelve.  The fight to win the Solheim Cup was becoming very tense.  Indeed, Europe then surged forward.  They had won 13 points and just needed to add another one and a half points for victory from the last five matches.  Now that was not so easy for the Europeans as they were up in two, down in two and were even in the fifth.

 

Leading Solheim Cup players

 

As this was the 20th edition of the Solheim Cup it was interesting to realise that players such as Catriona Matthew leads the Europeans with the most points ever: 6.5.  Laura Davies is in second spot with 6 points.  And who lies in third spot?  Well, actually that is Carlota Ciganda on 4.5 points.  Can the Spanish player add to this score at Bernardus?

 

 

Ciganda played a superb round on Sunday when she got herself to 3-up with just four holes to play against Jennifer Kupcho.  The Spaniard had chance of a birdie at the 15th but made par and so halved the hole to get to 3-up with three holes to play.  Half a point was guaranteed for Ciganda but who was going to strike the blow for victory?

 

Woad clinches equaliser

 

In fact, a rookie by the name of Lottie Woad from England played superbly and won her match against Austin Kim by 2&1 to secure the crucial point to bring the European total to 14 with America trailing by for wins.  She was rather flabbergasted with her victory but the rest of the Europeans were seriously focussed on their matches.

 

Ciganda actually won her match against Kupcho on the 16th for a 4&2 victory to secure the Solheim Cup for Europe.  Indeed her victories were decisive points in the 2023 and 2026 Solheim Cup.

 

Victory for the Europeans in the Solheim Cup now means that Carlota Ciganda now lies in third spot on the trophy rankings with 5.5 points.  Yes, a tiny half a point behind Laura Davies.

 

As the celebrations began, two players were still battling it out on the course: Céline Boutier and Rose Zhang.  The American won the point 2up which resulted in a final score in the 2026 Solheim Cup of Europe 15 – 13 America.

 

What an amazing victory for Europe!  This was the 8th victory for the Europeans in the twenty editions of the Solheim Cup.

 

Congratulations Team Europe!  We are so proud of the way you played at Bernardus Golf.  May many more victories follow in the coming years!

 

 

Wendy Hoad

Editor

 

 

MAIN PHOTOGRAPH:  Team Europe celebrate their superb victory in the 2026 Solheim Cup at Bernardus Golf, The Netherlands.  BELOW:  Nelly Korda (US). Carlota Ciganda (l) and Yealimi Noh (US).  Carlota Ciganda.