Lilia Vu sinks winning putt as USA hold off Europe fightback to lift Solheim Cup

**Lilia Vu Seals Victory as U.S. Wins Solheim Cup for First Time Since 2017**

In a thrilling showdown, the United States claimed their first Solheim Cup victory since 2017, defeating Europe 15.5-12.5 at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club on Sunday. The decisive moment came when second-ranked American Lilia Vu secured the final half-point needed to clinch the win.

Facing Swiss rookie Albane Valenzuela, Vu was two holes down with just two to play. However, she mounted a spectacular comeback, birdying the 17th hole to stay alive. On the 18th, her approach shot landed inches from the hole, setting up a birdie tap-in to win the final hole and tie the match. That tie gave the U.S. the crucial 14.5 points needed to reclaim the Cup.

“This is a dream of mine, and I’m so happy I was able to do that,” Vu, the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants, said after her victory. “It meant the world.”

The Americans, who lead the all-time Solheim Cup rivalry 11-7 with one draw, entered Sunday’s 12 singles matches with a commanding 10-6 lead. They needed just four wins and a tie to secure the overall victory. However, despite an early surge by the U.S., the contest remained fiercely competitive until the final matches.

“This is so cool. So stressful to watch. But just so proud of the players,” U.S. captain Stacy Lewis remarked. “It really could have gone either way. Lilia’s finish was unbelievable. That’s what you expect from one of the best players in the world.”

Europe fought valiantly but fell short of what would have been the greatest final-day comeback in Solheim Cup history. They needed to win eight of the singles matches to retain the trophy on U.S. soil for the first time. Despite their efforts, Europe was denied the opportunity to claim a record fourth consecutive Solheim Cup.

“We gave them a run for their money,” European captain Suzann Pettersen reflected. “There were moments when we thought we could pull it off. It came down to a couple of crucial matches. Happy for Stacy on home turf, but we’ll come back very hungry.”

World number one Nelly Korda, who had captured six LPGA titles earlier in the year, celebrated her first Solheim Cup victory, saying, “It has been a dream come true. It has been such an amazing week. We all bonded really well.”

Although the U.S. extended their lead to 13-8 early in the day, Europe mounted a fierce comeback to make it a tense finish. One of the key moments came when American Andrea Lee tied her match with Germany’s Esther Henseleit. Lee made a critical five-foot par putt on the 18th hole to earn half a point for each side. Lee had pulled even after sinking a 20-foot birdie putt on the 16th, but Henseleit responded with a 12-foot par putt on the 17th to keep the match level.

France’s Celine Boutier kept European hopes alive, edging out Lexi Thompson with a 1-up victory. Boutier, who had been three down with seven holes to play, rallied with birdies on the 12th and 13th holes before squaring the match on the 15th with a 10-foot birdie putt. She then sank a crucial six-foot birdie putt on the 18th to secure the win.

“It feels amazing,” Boutier said after her win. “It was a great match. She played awesome. A very needed point.”

Ireland’s Leona Maguire then defeated Ally Ewing 4&3, applying more pressure to the Americans. Meanwhile, Sweden’s Maja Stark made a clutch 10-foot par putt on the 18th hole to tie her match with Lauren Coughlin, denying the U.S. a victory in that match but leaving the Americans just one point shy of the title.

“It was huge,” Stark said. “Having the putt to not lose the Solheim, it’s so much pressure.”

This set the stage for Vu’s dramatic finish. After she clinched the title, Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom and American Jennifer Kupcho won their matches, but by that point, the trophy had already been secured for the U.S.

Earlier in the day, England’s Charley Hull gave Europe an early boost by routing top-ranked Nelly Korda 6&4 in the first singles match. “I played my heart out,” Hull said. “It was a pretty cool moment.”

American Megan Khang also delivered a dominant performance, defeating Denmark’s Emily Pedersen 6&5, finishing her Solheim Cup campaign with a perfect 3-0 record. “This week definitely brought out a lot of confidence in my putting,” Khang said. “Seeing those putts drop when it matters under that immense pressure, that’s huge.”

Rising American star Rose Zhang continued her impressive form, improving to 4-0 in the competition after defeating Spain’s Carlota Ciganda 6&4. Zhang dominated the back nine throughout the week, winning 15 holes while only losing one.

“It was so incredible,” Zhang said. “The Solheim Cup reignited my passion for the game.”

Meanwhile, England’s Georgia Hall led from start to finish in her 4&3 victory over Alison Lee, and American Allisen Corpuz never trailed in her 4&3 win over Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist.

With Vu’s clutch performance sealing the win, the U.S. team savored their first Solheim Cup victory in seven years, finally breaking Europe’s streak of dominance.