(CNN)Team Europe retained the Solheim Cup connected Monday aft a gripping 15-13 conflict with Team USA astatine the Inverness Golf Club successful Ohio.
Europe's rookie Matilda Castren held her nervus to rotation location a five-foot putt connected the 18th to unafraid her singles triumph implicit American Lizette Salas, securing her team's palmy defence of the biennial golf tourney which pits the champion nonrecreational women's golfers from Europe and the US against each another.
Emily Pedersen made definite of the triumph by winning the past match, sparking scenes of jubilant celebrations successful which European skipper Catriona Matthew was lifted aloft to commemorate the achievement.
The Scot became the archetypal European skipper to triumph the contention doubly -- and fixed however overmuch of an underdog her squad had been coming into the competition, the 52-year-old was evidently delighted afterwards, though she did admit that it would beryllium her past Solheim Cup.
"It's implicit to idiosyncratic other now. I deliberation -- we person truthful galore bully past players, and I deliberation everyone deserves their accidental to beryllium captain," Matthew told the media afterwards.
"I deliberation to beryllium portion of the Solheim, I was fortunate capable to play successful 9 and I've captained two, and I've had a fantastic time. It's the champion week I've had each 2 years, and to person been progressive with it present for implicit 20 years, I'm definite I'll beryllium determination watching, but it's idiosyncratic else's turn."
Amongst the galore congratulatory messages connected societal media to the European squad was a connection from Ryder Cup skipper Padraig Harrington, who volition beryllium hoping for much European occurrence connected US ungraded aboriginal this period arsenic his squad look American absorption astatine Whistling Straits.
"What an inspirational show by Team Europe," Harrington said connected Twitter.
Down to the wire
Entering Monday's last time of play, the European squad had a 9-7 vantage implicit their host, needing conscionable 5 points to grounds a memorable victory.
And the time of singles matches couldn't person started amended for the visitors, winning the archetypal 3 points to widen their lead.
However, Team USA came roaring back, winning points from the pursuing 5 matches to trim the shortage to 2 with 4 games inactive connected the course.
But facing pugnacious absorption successful a hostile situation -- determination were 130,000 fans astatine the people successful Toledo -- Castren was capable to clasp her nervus to soundlessness the location spectators and assertion Europe's 2nd ever Solheim Cup triumph connected US soil.
Just six weeks ago, she won the 2021 Gant Ladies Open successful her autochthonal Finland to gain Ladies European Tour membership. And now, she's a Solheim Cup winner.
"It's hard to enactment it into words close now. I deliberation I'm inactive shaking," an affectional Castren said. "I conscionable knew I was looking astatine the committee and I knew it was going to beryllium an important putt, and I wanted to marque it. Me and (caddie) Mikey (Patterson) work it and we work it perfectly and it went in.
"I'm conscionable truthful blessed close now, and I'm not definite what the last scores are, but I'm just... Yeah, a batch of emotions close now."
Performing connected the biggest stage
It was different rookie, however, who stole the amusement implicit the weekend.
Ireland's Leona Maguire, the archetypal Irishwoman to play successful the event, ne'er looked fazed astatine immoderate constituent during the festival of women's play successful Ohio.
After her decisive 5&4 triumph implicit antecedently unbeaten US rookie Jennifer Kupcho, the 26-year-old finished arsenic the tournament's top-scorer with four-and-a-half points from her 5 matches.
A accelerated commencement connected Monday helped Maguire support her unbeaten debut astatine the Solheim Cup.
"Just wanted to enactment unit connected Jen from the get-go. She's a phenomenal player; we've played galore times before, and I knew I'd person to person my 'A' crippled today, and luckily, determination was inactive immoderate vigor near successful my legs and I was capable to get it done."
Team Europe skipper Matthew praised Maguire afterwards, whilst besides commending her team's unity.
"This team, we're ever 1 squad and we triumph arsenic a squad oregon we suffer arsenic a team. It's pugnacious to prime retired individuals. I deliberation they each played fantastically well, truthful we're each 1 team."
'Low stroke ... beryllium amended ... you're better'
While the modular of play dazzled, it wouldn't beryllium a Solheim Cup without immoderate controversy.
Putting for eagle connected Saturday, Nelly Korda's putt finished agonizingly adjacent to the hole. The American sunk to her knees successful vexation portion her opponent, Madelene Sagstrom, threw the shot backmost to her.
As the players moved to the adjacent hole, an authoritative could beryllium heard telling the European players that due to the fact that Korda's shot wasn't fixed 10 seconds connected the articulator of the spread to spot if it would drop, the putt would beryllium counted arsenic an eagle and not a birdie.
The incidental got a batch of radical commenting connected societal media, including Tommy Fleetwood's caddie, Ian Finnis, who said: "Listened again and the caddy had it perfectly right!! 'Don't bash sh*t similar this again!! It was'nt [sic] adjacent hanging implicit the hole"
In reply to Finnis' tweet, erstwhile satellite No. 1 Lee Westwood said: "Some radical volition beryllium capable to look successful the reflector this greeting and immoderate radical won't."
Korda's sister, Jessica, replied to Westwood, saying: "Low stroke ... beryllium amended ... you're better."
She sent different tweet soon afterwards seemingly referencing the incident, saying: "So overmuch hatred connected Twitter. Look successful the reflector and inquire yourself if you'd talk to your loved ones the mode you talk to us. Think doubly earlier you tweet. And halt hiding due to the fact that we tin spot you."
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