Solheim Cup 2021: Matilda Castren will get victory level as a result of Europe retains the trophy

Catriona Matthew (left) is the first European female captain to win the Solheim Cup twice

Rookie Leona Maguire played with a hard-fought 15-13 win over the United States in Ohio as Europe won the Solheim Cup.

The first Irish woman to take part in this competition won her individual match 5 & 4 on Sunday, remained unbeaten and set the tone for an exciting victory.

Matilda Castren’s winning putt on the 18th caused emotions among the Europeans, who were considered underdogs in the run-up to the game after having won only once in the USA.

When Emily Pedersen won the last individual match on Monday, the celebrations were in full swing.

Chants of “Beany we love you” echoed at the Inverness Golf Club as the small but loud crowd of visitors praised Catriona Matthew.

“It’s just amazing. My team has been so fantastic all week,” Matthew told Sky Sports.

“I’m so proud of them. We knew it would be difficult with just a handful of European fans. They persevered and came out with a great finish yesterday. It was a great start and then it got a little bumpy.”

“It was nerve-wracking. We got three and a half [points] from the first four and then the tide turned. “

Maguire’s flashy show

Matthew was a seasoned player in Europe’s only previous win on American soil in Colorado in 2013, but this time her success was underpinned by a debutant in the form of Maguire.

The 26-year-old presented herself in style at the 17th edition of the biennial event and won three and a half points from the four games she played on the first two days.

And she got the first point in the 12 single games on Monday with an emphatic 5 & 4 win over Jennifer Kupcho.

It bolstered visitors’ already strong overnight position, advanced Europe 10-7, and helped keep the huge galleries of home supporters little fuss.

Maguire, the only player from both sides to appear in all five games, scored a total of four and a half points, a record for a rookie.

Her devastating victory over Kupcho also meant that she became the third player in the history of the Solheim Cup to bring her team more than four points in a single competition.

Madelene Sagstrom and Celine Boutier brought Catriona Matthew’s squad closer to their goal of 14 points required to receive the trophy before America’s victories took a dramatic turn for world number one Nelly Korda, Brittany Altomare and Megan Khang threatened.

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