Vu’s closing birdie ensures USA reclaim Solheim Cup

[Pelican Press 0]

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Vu’s closing birdie ensures USA reclaim Solheim Cup

Lilia Vu has birdied the final ***** as the ******* States beat Europe to regain the Solheim Cup on a tense final day of singles matches at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia.

The Americans had entered Sunday with a 10-6 lead over Europe and needed just four-and-a-half points out of the 12 singles matches to wrest back the trophy and end their seven-year Solheim Cup drought.

Wins for Megan Khang, Rose Zhang, Allisen Corpuz and a half-point each from Andrea Lee and Lauren Coughlin set the stage for World No.2 Vu to grab glory for the 15-and-a-half 12-and-a-half victory in Gainesville.

With the US leading Europe 14-11 with four matches to go, Switzerland’s Albane Valenzuela led her match against Vu one-up heading into the final *****.

Valenzuela had a long birdie putt to win her match but left it about a foot short. Vu then made her birdie to halve the match and guarantee USA the 14-and-a-half points necessary to end a three-event losing streak to Europe.

World No.1 Nelly Korda was 3-0-0 going into Sunday but came out flat in the first singles match against England’s Charley Hull, who cruised to a 6 & 4 victory.

Khang dominated Denmark’s Emily Kristine Pedersen 6 & 5, while Englishwoman Georgia Hall answered back for Team Europe with a 4 & 3 victory over Alison Lee.

Zhang was the only player on either team to go 4-0-0 for the week. Her 6 & 4 win over Spain’s Carlota Ciganda gave USA a 13-8 lead, but Europe were still not out of the ******.

Lee, who trailed by two during the back nine, made a clutch birdie on the par-three 16th ***** and went on to halve her match against Germany’s Esther Henseleit.

Lexi Thompson led Celine Boutier three up through eight holes but the French star charged back, draining a short birdie putt at the par-four 18th to win one-up.

Ireland’s Leona Maguire then defeated Ally Ewing 4 & 3 to cut Europe’s deficit to three points while Virginia native Coughlin had a birdie putt at the 18th win the tournament, but it came up just short.

Sweden’s Maja Stark had blown her birdie try at least seven feet past the cup, but she saved par from there to halve the match.

“Grit, that’s what this event is about. It’s about toughness. It’s about grit,” USA captain Stacy Lewis said.

“The golf is just so good on both sides that it’s one putt, one shot here and there, and that’s what brought us here today.”

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