Solheim Cup: Team USA comfortably beat Europe to retain the trophy

Solheim Cup: Final score

USA 16.5 Europe 11.5

Scroll down for daily results and reviews

Day three singles: USA 6-6 Europe

Lexi Thompson tied with Anna Nordqvist
Cristie Kerr bt Melissa Reid 2&1
Paula Creamer bt Georgia Hall 1 up
Michelle Wie lost to Caroline Masson 4&2
Stacy Lewis lost to Catriona Matthew 1 down
Brittany Lincicome lost to Carlota Ciganda 4&3
Angel Yin tied with Karine Icher
Lizette Salas bt Jodi Ewart Shadoff 1 up
Brittany Lang lost to Charley Hull 1 down
Gerina Piller bt Florentyna Parker 4&2
Austin Ernst lost to Madelene Sagstrom 3&2
Danielle Kang bt Emily K Pedersen 3&2

Final day report

The United States have retained the Solheim Cup against Europe.

Being the holders, the hosts only needed to reach 14 points to keep the trophy and it was Angel Yin who got them over the line with her half point against Karine Icher as Lizette Salas was guaranteed at least a half point in her match against Jodi Ewart Shadoff.

Victory completes a dominant showing from the United States, who completed a sweep of the afternoon fourball matches on the opening day to surge ahead. A strong second day followed leaving Europe needing to overturn a five-point deficit on Sunday.

The win was confirmed soon after when Salas beat Shadoff one up, sparking scenes of celebration on the 18th green in Des Moines.

Salas told Sky Sports: "To secure the point that wins us the Solheim Cup is unbelievable. My hands were shaking. This is really special."

The hosts' lead was extended to 15 1/2 to 9 1/2 when Gerina Piller needed only one of the two putts available to seal victory over Florentyna Parker.

Although Charley Hull and Madelene Sagstrom recorded wins over Brittany Lang and Austin Ernst to trim the deficit to 15 1/2-11 1/2, Danielle Kang wrapped up a 16 1/2-11 1/2 triumph by defeating Emily Pedersen 3&1.

United States captain Juli Inkster revealed table tennis played a part in the success.

She explained on Sky Sports: "I'm glad we had the lead because Europe came out fighting.

"But we did enough to get the victory. I've got a great group of gals. We had great preparation. I tried to not make things too regimented. We had lots of banter and played lots of ping pong."

Former world number one Tiger Woods was quick to take to social media to pass on his congratulations to the winners.

He tweeted: "What an amazing day for @Lexi and the @SolheimCupUSA team. That was some inspirational golf. Congrats on winning the Cup."

Afterwards, Annika Sorenstam ruled out continuing as captain of the Europe team.

The 46-year-old Swede said: "I said this was a one-time thing for me. It is time to move the torch to the next person.

"I am very honoured (to be captain). We had a great leadership team and players to work with and I couldn't have asked for anymore."

Sorenstam continued on Sky Sports: "It has been a great week for women's golf.

"If you have watched the last week then it has been some of the better golf you will have seen in a long time. It has been great to be part of it.

"I am extremely proud. We fought so hard. It wasn't easy today, we decided to give it all we had and fight to the end - and we did that.

"But I want to congratulate the US team, they played awesome golf.

"I am not someone to look back. We did everything we could. The team was extremely helpful and co-operative. Sometimes you are outplayed and that is what happened this week."

Solheim Cup: How day two unfolded

End of day match score: USA 10.5 Europe 5.5

Day two foursomes: USA 2-2 Europe

Kerr/Thompson bt Ewart Shadoff/Masson 5&3
Creamer/Ernst bt Reid/Pedersen 5&3
Lewis/Piller lost to Nordqvist/Hall 2&1
Wie/Kang lost to Matthew/Icher 2&1

Day two fourballs: USA

Lincicome/Lang bt Reid/Ciganda 2up
Salas/Yin lost to Nordqvist/Ewart Shadoff 4&2
Creamer/Ernst bt Icher/Sagstrom 2&1
Kerr/Thompson bt Matthew/Hall 4&2

Scroll further down for the day one results

Day two report

The United States left Europe in need of a miracle comeback as they took a five-point lead going into the final day of the Solheim Cup in Des Moines.

After retaining their three-point edge in the morning foursomes on day two, the Americans stretched their advantage in the afternoon by winning the fourballs 3-1.

They go into Sunday's play leading 10 1/2 to 5 1/2, comfortably odds on to retain the cup as Europe may need to focus on damage limitation.

The United States are now 1/100 with Sky Bet for victory while Europe can be backed at 33/1 to triumph, with a tie priced at 25/1.

Having swept the fourballs 4-0 on Friday afternoon, the Americans dominated once again on Saturday.

Anna Nordqvist and Jodi Ewart Shadoff beat Lizette Salas and Angel Yin 4&2, but that was the sole bright spot for Europe.

Catriona Matthew and Georgia Hall lost 4&2 to Cristie Kerr and Lexi Thompson, Karine Icher and Madelene Sagstrom lost 2&1 to Paula Creamer and Austin Ernst, while the two Brittanys, Lang and Lincicome, beat Mel Reid and Carlota Ciganda 2up.

In the morning, the Americans retained their three-point lead as the foursomes ended two apiece.

Kerr and Thompson beat Ewart Shadoff and Caroline Masson 5&3, with Creamer and Ernst enjoying the same margin of victory over Reid and Emily Pedersen.

Nordqvist and Hall won 3&1 for Europe over Stacy Lewis and Gerina Piller, with Karine Icher and Catriona Matthew prevailing 2&1 again Michelle Wie and Daniella Kang.

Europe's Charley Hull was forced out of the fourballs owing to a wrist injury.

The tournament concludes with 12 singles matches on Sunday.

Solheim Cup: How day one unfolded...

End of day score: USA 5.5 Europe 2.5

Day one foursomes: USA 1.5-2.5 Europe

Kerr/Thompson halved with Reid/Hull
Kang/Salas beat Ciganda/Masson 1up
Creamer/Ernst lost to Nordqvist/Hall 3&1
Lewis/Piller lost to Icher/Matthew 1up

Day one fourballs: USA 4 Europe 0

Wie/Kang bt Sagstrom/Shadoff 3&1
Yin/Lizette Salas bt Ciganda/Pedersen 6&5
Lincicome/Lang bt Parker/Masson 3&2
Lewis/Piller bt Hull/Hall 2&1

Day one report

The United States completed a sweep of the afternoon fourball matches to move into a dominant position over Europe in the Solheim Cup after the opening day's play in Des Moines.

Catriona Matthew, a late addition to the team, had helped Europe get off to a strong start in the morning as they led 2 1/2 to 1 1/2 after the foursomes.

But the pendulum swung sharply in the United States' favour in the afternoon as they took a 5 1/2-2 1/2 lead.

It was a first ever fourball sweep for the Americans, who are looking to retain the cup after their victory in Germany two years ago.

"It wasn't the afternoon we had wished for, but the players fought very hard," European captain Annika Sorenstram said on the tournament website.

"I must say the US team played very well. They made a lot of birdies. They made a lot of putts. And we just didn't have the same flow. So overall, just still feel pretty happy how we had the setup. And like I said, the girls fought to the end."

Lizette Salas - who took the United States' only full point in the morning alongside tournament debutant Danielle Kang - teamed up with another rookie, Angel Yin, for a convincing 6&5 win over Carlota Ciganda and Caroline Masson, while Kang partnered Michelle Wie in a 3&1 win over Madelene Sagstrom and Jodi Ewart Shadoff.

Salas and Yin had set the tone, with Salas recording three straight birdies to take the first three holes, and they won on back-to-back par fives to end the contest in 13 holes.

"I was just fortunate to have great partners," Salas said. "I felt like I let myself down and Danielle down a little bit this morning and I kind of used the afternoon as redemption. I really focused on feel. These greens are very tricky. I went back to basics and went to a style of golf I know how to play."

Brittany Lincicome and Brittany Lang beat Masson and Florentyna Parker 3&2, while Stacy Lewis and Gerina Piller beat Charley Hull and Georgia Hall 2&1.

That changed the mood considerably after Europe had made the better start on Friday morning.

Assistant captain Matthew was only brought into the team to replace the injured Suzann Pettersen on Thursday, but took to the task well alongside France's Karine Icher in the foursomes.

The Scot, 47, was playing the fourth match at Des Moines Golf and Country Club and the European pair won on the last hole against Lewis and Piller.

Earlier, Hull and Melissa Reid were forced to halve the opening match against Cristie Kerr and Lexi Thompson after the American pair picked up birdies on the final two holes.

The English duo were two shots clear after the 13th hole but the resilient Kerr kept her cool to sink a decisive birdie putt on the 18th.

Kang and Salas then claimed victory in the second match on the last against Ciganda and Masson.

Fellow Solheim Cup rookie Hall, of England, and the experienced Anna Nordqvist were clinical in beating Austin Ernst and Paula Creamer 3&1.

After the setback of Friday afternoon, Sorenstam promised her players would regroup ahead of Saturday's play.

"I'll tell (my players), but I think they know, that this is a distance run," she said. "It's a marathon. It's not a sprint. We have to do the work. We have to do the process.

"We gotta go out there, and 36 holes, we got eight points out there tomorrow. That's a lot of points and we need to get a lot of those. And that's what I'm going to tell them."

Related links

Solheim Cup team line-ups
Latest Solheim Cup odds
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