Team Europe won 8.5 points on the final day but fell to a narrow home defeat against Team USA; Anne van Dam’s European team briefly threatened the biggest comeback in the event’s history; By Ali Stafford at Bernardus Golf Team USA held off a remarkable final-day fightback from Team Europe to successfully retain the Junior Solheim Cup with a narrow 13-11 win in the Netherlands. Morgan Pressel’s side had dominated the opening day to take a seven-point lead into Tuesday’s singles at Bernardus Golf, leaving them requiring only 2.5 points to retain the trophy and three for outright victory. The target required was the same Team Europe experienced during last year’s Ryder Cup before they clung onto victory, although the visitors were left sweating as Anne van Dam’s European side threatened a record-breaking comeback. Team Europe won 8.5 of the 12 points on offer on Sunday, including England’s Annabel Peaford winning three of her last four holes to claim a 1up win over world No 1 Asterisk Talley in the opening match, but fell to their second successive loss.
Any hopes of a home comeback appeared unlikely when Eliana Saga claimed a 4&3 win over Adriana Garcia Terol and Madeleine Conser beat Lana Guyot 5&4, taking them within 0.5 points of retaining. Talley had already looked set to earn Team USA’s first point of the day when she was 2up with four to go, only for Peaford to par the 15th and birdie the 16th before winning the next two holes and snatch a remarkable victory. Lauren Crump saw off Amber Lee 3&2 and Anna Ludvova won three consecutive holes around the turn in a 2&1 win over Grace Carter, with Lena Geier claiming a final-hole win over Aubrey Hilgers to earn Europe further points. Sofia Maier-Borst and Axelle Guillemard beat Amelie Zalsman and Honorine Ferry respectively to keep hopes of an unlikely European victory alive, before Kelly Zhang claimed the winning point for Team USA with a 2up victory over Carolina Perez-Tasso.
Carlota Lopez Minguela closed out a 3&2 success over Irish Lee and Marta Munoz found a penultimate-hole birdie to tie with Anna Fang, while Team Europe reduced the winning margin further after Alice Kong snatched a final-hole win over Lily Peng. Sky Sports Golf will have at least 12 hours of live coverage from the first two days, with coverage getting under way at 6am on Friday and Saturday ahead of the opening foursomes match teeing off at 6.40am (7.40am local time). The afternoon fourballs are scheduled to start at 12.05pm (1.05pm local time) on both days, with coverage continuing until after the final putt is holed, while Sunday singles coverage begins at 9am ahead of the opening tee shot at 10.10am. Sky Sports+ will have live coverage of the closing ceremony from 5.30pm on Sunday, following the Solheim Cup winner being crowned, while the opening ceremony on Thursday at 4.30pm will see the opening-day pairings revealed.
Who will win the Solheim Cup? Watch Team Europe’s bid to regain the trophy exclusively live on Sky Sports, with all three days live from September 11-13 on Sky Sports Golf. Not got Sky? Get latest Sky Sports deals or stream golf with no contract on NOW.
