Lottie Woad sank the putt that delivered the Solheim Cup back to Team Europe, defeating Auston Kim 2&1 in Sunday's singles to clinch a 15-13 victory over the defending champion United States at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands.
The 22-year-old English golfer provided the decisive 14th point for Europe after the competition entered the final day tied 8-8. Despite her crucial role in the victory, Woad expressed disappointment with her performance in the earlier team matches.
"I was pretty disappointed. Felt like I was playing good golf and not getting the points, and felt like I was kind of letting everyone down," Woad said during the post-match press conference. She had managed only a half-point in her first two days of team matches alongside Charley Hull.
Captain Anna Nordqvist, who announced her professional retirement two weeks ago, helped restore Woad's confidence before the singles. "Then the captains kind of spoke to me and said, the stat that I was third on birdies, so I was playing good golf and just had to trust that, and that's golf sometimes. Ends up, I got the winning putt," Woad explained.
The match against Kim proved challenging, with the American making three consecutive birdies to mount pressure. "When Auston made those three birdies in a row, that was great golf from her, and I just had to try and stay steady, and the moment on 16 was a key one, definitely," Woad said.
Woad sensed the magnitude of her match as it developed. "I knew it was mine or Carlota's match," she said, referring to teammate Carlota Ciganda, who was also in contention to deliver the winning point.
When Woad holed the clinching putt, teammates and captain Nordqvist rushed onto the green in celebration. The realization of victory came only after the putt dropped. "Not until after, but I knew," Woad said when asked how quickly she understood she had made the winning putt.
Europe's victory marked their return to Solheim Cup glory after losing to the United States in 2024. The competition required Europe to reach 14½ points to win, while the defending Americans needed 14 points to retain the trophy.
Charley Hull provided early momentum for Europe by defeating Megan Khang 3&2, while Linn Grant completed a perfect week by beating Angel Yin. However, the Americans mounted a challenge when Alison Lee staged a remarkable comeback from four down to defeat Esther Henseleit 1up.
The victory came on home soil for Europe, with the Netherlands hosting the biennial competition at Bernardus Golf. Rain affected the final day's play, but conditions did not prevent Europe from securing their first Solheim Cup triumph since 2023.
Ciganda ultimately confirmed the victory margin by defeating Jennifer Kupcho, ensuring Europe finished with a 15-13 scoreline. The result represented a significant turnaround for Nordqvist's team, which had entered the weekend requiring a strong singles performance to reclaim the trophy from the defending champions.
