Europe win 2021 Solheim Cup: singles matches – as it happened

Take a bow, Catriona Matthew, who has captained her team in back-to-back triumphs.

Team Europe bounce around, draped in the flags of their respective home nations, and doused in rather a lot of delicious fizzy French booze. Everyone traipses off to the closing ceremony, and Catriona Matthew raises the Solheim crystal into the air. Toledo will almost certainly get painted red tonight by these astonishing 12 women in blue. That was another sensational edition of the Solheim Cup. Commiserations to Team USA, congratulations to Europe ... and roll on the 2023 edition at Finca Cortesín, Andalucía, Spain. Thanks for staying with us to read these blogs. Nighty night, and sweet dreams wherever you are.

Lexi Thompson A/S Anna Nordqvist
Ally Ewing v Madelene Sagstrom 3&2
Jennifer Kupcho v Leona Maguire 5&4
1UP Nelly Korda v Georgia Hall
Mina Harigae v Celine Boutier 5&4
Austin Ernst A/S Nanna Koerstz Madsen
Lizette Salas v Matilda Castren 1UP
2&1 Brittany Altomare v Carlota Ciganda
3&2 Megan Khang v Sophia Popov
1UP Yealimi Noh v Mel Reid
3&1 Jessica Korda v Charley Hull
Danielle Kang v Emily Kristine Pedersen 1UP

Team Europe’s star turn, Leona Maguire, who earned four-and-a-half of Europe’s 15-point haul, prepares to talk to Sky ... but first a word with her proud sister Lisa. “I knew Leona is incredible, everyone at home knew Leona is incredible, now the whole world gets to see how incredible she really is. We couldn’t be more proud of her.”

Leona herself adds: “It’s been an incredible week, a dream come true. To win a Solheim Cup on American soil, you can’t even imagine. It’s an experience I’ll never forget. Never in my wildest dreams did I think the week would go this way. It’s been an honour and given me a massive confidence boost.”

Emily Pedersen, who sunk the winning putt and can hardly talk for smiling, speaks to Sky. “It was a bit of a fight, because after 15, I knew we’d won, and I just wanted to go and celebrate with everyone! I had to really collect myself but it felt really good to hole that last putt. I can’t wait to start the party!” As for her partner Ollie Brett, who caddies for today’s opponent Danielle Kang, she says: “It’s always a bit strange, but at the end of the day we’re out there to do a job and know it’s nothing personal. He knows the same. I want to win, and I get to tease him a little bit tonight! I think he’ll be allowed to come into the party!”

Catriona Matthew is hoisted into the air and chaired around the green. She deserves all the plaudits going, as she becomes the first European to captain her side to victory in two Solheim Cups. She talks to Sky Sports: “It’s unbelievable. My team have been so fantastic all weekend, it’s really up to them, I don’t do a whole lot! They go out there and win the points for us! I’m so proud of them. We knew it would be so tough with no European fans. I’m just so proud and happy from them.”

Emily Kristine Pedersen rattles in her birdie putt too, and what a way to seal the deal! She drops her putter as she raises both arms and punches the air! The Europeans flood the green in ecstasy, while Pedersen finally gets to embrace her partner Ollie Brett, who was on Kang’s bag. Emily Kristine Pedersen beat Danielle Kang 1UP.

Danielle Kang rolls in her 30-foot birdie effort and, to huge cheers, holds her arms aloft and soaks it up before taking a bow. How different things would be right now had she managed one of those on 15.

Of course, if Pedersen was to somehow become incapacitated, and was unable to finish playing the 18th hole, the match would be awarded to Kang. I think we can rule that out, though. Having sent her drive into semi-rough down the left, Pedersen eases her approach pin high. She’ll have a ten-foot look at birdie. One way or another, it’s the easiest putt she’ll ever stand over. Certainly the most enjoyable. Kang’s on in two as well.

The good folk of Inverness Club were worried that not enough matches would go up their famous 18th hole, scene of Bob Tway’s famous bunker shot at the 1986 PGA. So they switched the 18th and 9th around. They needn’t have worried. The last hole has seen plenty of action this weekend, which goes to show how tight this has been. And so it’s fitting that the final match will go up 18 as well. Emily Pedersen can’t finish things off from six feet at 17, and Danielle Kang has reduced the arrears to one hole.

Kang v Pedersen 1UP (17)
USA 13-14 Europe

On 18, Mel Reid should officially seal the deal with a three-foot par putt. But she shoves it wide right, and yesterday evening’s hero loses her singles match, despite launching an admirable comeback after the coldest of cold starts, which saw her lose the first four holes. Yealimi Noh beats Mel Reid 1UP.

Team Europe doesn’t get its wish at 16. Emily Pedersen nearly chips in from the fringe for birdie, but the ball squeaks past the hole. Danielle Kang makes her birdie, though, and they’re off down 17.

1UP Noh v Reid (17)
Kang v Pedersen 2UP (16)
USA 12-14 Europe

Jessica Korda does indeed wrap up her match. Charley Hull can’t make her birdie putt, so that’s the end of the road in the penultimate match. Jessica Korda beats Charley Hull 3&1.

A dejected but proud USA captain Pat Hurst speaks to NBC Sport: “We got behind the eight-ball after the very first foursomes. We’ve fought our way back. It’s still going to be pretty close, but it’s not good enough. It is what it is. We played hard and with heart. That’s all we were asking for. Both sides are awesome players. The level of women’s golf is unbelievable now, and it’s just getting better.”

Team Europe gather around the 16th green, in the hope that Emily Pedersen can get the deal done now, and the party can officially get underway. Not that they really need anything rubber-stamped; there’s plenty of hugging, whooping, grinning and chattering going on already. Meanwhile Mel Reid grabs a hole back at 17, her second win in three, and she’ll go up 18 with Yealimi Noh. And it looks like Jessica Korda is about to close out her match with Charley Hull; already dormie two, she’s well inside her opponent on the 17th green.

1UP Noh v Reid (17)
2UP J Korda v Hull (16)
Kang v Pedersen 3UP (15)
USA 11-14 Europe

That’s a slightly farcical way for Europe to secure their win. Danielle Kang had a chance to grab a hole back at 15 and keep Team USA’s hopes of a tie alive, but she trundled a long birdie putt six feet past the flag, and couldn’t make the one coming back. It meant Emily Pedersen shared the spoils with a bogey five, and kept the Solheim Cup on this side of the pond!

Now then. Can Europe go on to win the thing outright? Yes. Yes they can. An egregious three-putt by Danielle Kang on 15 means Emily Pedersen is guaranteed at least a half-point in the anchor match. That will put Europe on 14½ at least, and though nothing’s official yet, Europe have effectively won the 2021 Solheim Cup!

2UP Noh v Reid (16)
2UP J Korda v Hull (16)
Kang v Pedersen 3UP (15)
USA 11-14 Europe

Castren, ice in the veins, splashes out from the bunker to six feet. Salas’s birdie effort slips wide, and the Finn makes sure the trophy will be coming back on the plane in Catriona Matthew’s carry bag by steering in a right-to-left par putt to halve the hole and secure her point. The Finnish debutant has been magical with the flat stick all week, so it’s only right she seals the deal. Matilda Castren beats Lizette Salas 1UP.

Castren is down the right side of the 18th fairway, 140 yards out. She tugs her approach into the bunker guarding the front left, and here’s a chance for Salas to snatch a crucial half ... because if she doesn’t, and Castren holds out for the win, Europe will retain the trophy. Pressure on! And how she responds! Salas fires straight at the flag, and though she’s 15 feet short, she’s in pole position to salvage the situation! What a battler Lizette Salas is!

Brittany Altomare’s second into 17 looks like a clincher. Six feet from the cup. But Ciganda, her back against the wall, responds by sending her’s to ten feet. The Spaniard can’t make the right-to-left birdie putt, though, missing on the high side, and Altomare completes her superb comeback with birdie! Brittany Altomare beats Carlota Ciganda 2&1.

Sophia Popov was never likely to complete her comeback from dormie six for half a point. She could have extended her match with Megan Khang with birdie at 16, but can’t make the six-footer. Still, a 3&2 defeat sounds a hell of a lot better than, say, 7&5, which was a live possibility at one point. Megan Khang beats Sophia Popov 3&2.

Salas leaves herself with a tricky three-footer for her par. If she misses, she loses, and Europe will retain the trophy. But in it goes, and the USA fight on. As, you’ll note, does Sophia Popov, who is halfway towards one of the most absurd comebacks for half a point of all time.

Salas v Castren 1UP (17)
1UP Altomare v Ciganda (16)
3UP Khang v Popov (15)
3UP Noh v Reid (14)
1UP J Korda v Hull (14)
Kang v Pedersen 3UP (13)
USA 9-13 Europe

... and then suddenly the pendulum swings back the other way. Salas fails to make her birdie putt on 17, while Ernst leaves her very makeable birdie effort short on 18. Madsen tidies up for par, and the match is halved. Austin Ernst ties with Nanna Koerstz Madsen.

A sense that there’s some real American momentum developing now. As the home fans celebrate Ernst’s fine shot into 18, Salas repeats the trick at 17 to ratchet up the pressure on Castren. She’s six feet past. Castren finds the green with her second, but she’s left with a 20-footer uphill. Advantage USA here too! Meanwhile Jessica Korda goes one up on Charley Hull - par’s enough for her at 14 - while Ciganda’s antics at 16 lead to an inevitable win for Altomare at 16! The USA have the wind behind all right, and a famous comeback victory could be on the cards!

Ernst A/S Koerstz Madsen (17)
Salas v Castren 1UP (16)
1UP Altomare v Ciganda (16)
4UP Khang v Popov (14)
3UP Noh v Reid (14)
1UP J Korda v Hull (14)
Kang v Pedersen 2UP (12)
USA 8½-12½ Europe

Madsen to hit first from the centre of the 18th fairway. She’s a good distance shorter than her opponent, but finds the middle of the green. Not particularly close - she’s left with a slippery 25-foot downhill putt - but not bad either. However it leaves the door ajar for Ernst, who is close enough to attack the flag. She sticks a wonderful second over the flag to eight feet, and it’s advantage USA!

Koerstz Madsen and Ernst take turns to larrup drives down the track at 18. Stunning shots under the circumstances. Ciganda’s flay miles right at the drivable 16th is perhaps not so great. Now is not the time to start driving like Seve.

Mel Reid’s putter has been off all day, and she misses another short one on 14. It costs her the hole against Yealimi Noh. Reid’s now three down with four to play, and that brave fightback after that awful four-hole cold start looks all in vain.

Matilda Castren and Lizette Salas tie 16 in birdie. A couple of staunch putts under extreme pressure. And what about this from Nanna Madsen on 17? She sends a birdie effort five feet past the hole, and you fear for her as a player who has spoken of their struggle with the old jangling nerves. But in goes the par saver for the half, and she’ll go up the last with Austin Ernst all square!

Ernst A/S Koerstz Madsen (17)
Salas v Castren 1UP (16)
Altomare A/S Ciganda (15)
4UP Khang v Popov (14)
2UP Noh v Reid (13)
J Korda A/S Hull (12)
Kang v Pedersen 2UP (12)
USA 8½-12½ Europe

Another hole won by Sophia Popov! Megan Khang can’t deny her by chipping in from the back of 14, and walks off wearing a slight grimace. It’s surely only a matter of time Khang claims her point - she was dormie six - but closing out matches on singles day is easier said than done.

Ernst A/S Koerstz Madsen (16)
Salas v Castren 1UP (15)
Altomare A/S Ciganda (15)
4UP Khang v Popov (14)
2UP Noh v Reid (13)
J Korda A/S Hull (12)
Kang v Pedersen 2UP (12)
USA 8½-12½ Europe

... but what a blow that’s just been landed by Matilda Castren! She’s made some big putts already this week, but none better than the 30-foot right-to-left slider she’s made on 15 for birdie. Lizette Salas can’t respond, and the Finn reclaims the lead with holes running out. Meanwhile some more crucial European momentum on 12, where Danielle Kang’s bogey gives Emily Pedersen some breathing space; Europe are two up in the anchor match.

The enormity of the Solheim Cup is beginning to fray some nerves. On 16, the oft-jittery Nanna Koerstz Madsen is left with a three footer for a birdie and the win ... but she pulls it wide right. The crowd hoot and holler as Austin Ernst departs the scene imploring them to make even more noise. What a let-off for Team USA!

What’s this noise on 14 all about? Brittany Altomare has just raked in a 50 footer, that’s what! Astonishing! Could that be the blow that sends Europe, who looked en route to victory a while back, off track? What looked almost certain now looks very much in the balance. What a putt ... and what a comeback by Altomare! That will have reverberated around the course.

Ernst A/S Koerstz Madsen (15)
Salas A/S Castren (14)
Altomare A/S Ciganda (14)
5UP Khang v Popov (13)
2UP Noh v Reid (12)
J Korda A/S Hull (12)
Kang v Pedersen 1UP (11)
USA 8½-12½ Europe

Hall sends her third from bunker to the heart of the green. Nelly, sitting up in the rough at the back, opts to lag close with putter. She steers her ball delicately to kick-in distance, at which point Hall concedes. The USA have their first full point of the afternoon! Nelly Korda beats Georgia Hall 1UP.

A three-putt bogey for Austin Ernst on 15. Careless, and she’s all square with Nanna Madsen again. Meanwhile Sophia Popov, with little left to play for but pride, grabs a hole back off Megan Khang at 13. She’s still five down, mind.

Nelly gets a bit of a flyer from the rough. Whoa! Her ball whistles through the green, past the flag, and nearly into the bunker at the back. It ends up in the rough between green and trap. No matter, though, because Hall can only advance her ball from one bunker to another. The USA are in the box seat now.