Team USA wins the Solheim Cup for the first time since 2017

CNN
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The United States regained the Solheim Cup for the first time in seven years with a 15 ½ – 12 ½ victory over the Europeans on Sunday at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia.

Lilia Vu, who was two shots behind with two holes to go, secured victory for the Americans by hitting an incredible approach shot about six feet from the hole on the par-4 18th and then sinking the birdie putt to secure the crucial half point. European Albane Valenzuela had a chance to extend the match but missed her 30-foot birdie putt, opening the door for Vu's heroics.

“I can't even put it into words,” Vu said after the match. “I felt like I hadn't done my part this week and I wanted to accomplish something. I told my caddy on hole 16 that I didn't feel like I had done anything for this team, and then hole 16 comes and I'm in the back bunker.”

“I thought, 'Oh no, I have to play up and down,' and she made a putt on almost every green, so I thought she was going to make a birdie on that hole too. She didn't, and then I played an up-and-down out of the bunker and somehow made a birdie on 17 and managed it on 18 to get the half point.”

Team USA dominated the entire weekend in its attempt to regain the Solheim Cup at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia.

Team USA last won the Solheim Cup in 2017, while Europe won in 2019 and 2021 before defending the trophy in 2023 when the teams tied 14-14.

The USA had a massive 6-2 lead after the first day of golf, a record margin. World number one Nelly Korda led the USA's challenge, winning both matches to underline the USA's dominance.

While Europe looked to fight back on the second day, Team USA constantly prevented the Europeans from catching up and maintained their lead at 10-6 after the second day.

Europe went into the third day with the need to repeat the Miracle of Medinah at the 2012 Ryder Cup – the male equivalent of the Solheim Cup.

In this tournament, too, Europe was four points behind on the third day, but was able to prevail with a historic result of 14.5 to 13.5 – with eight wins and one draw in the twelve singles matches.

Although Briton Charley Hull played a remarkable round of golf, defeating Korda in the first singles match and thus starting a comeback in Europe, it was ultimately too little, too late.

Team USA's Megan Khang, Rose Zhang and Allisen Corpuz won all of their matches on Sunday, while Andrea Lee, Lauren Coughlin and Vu earned half points to secure the victory for the Americans.

CNN's Homero De la Fuente contributed to this report