After a stalemate on Friday, Europe took Saturday’s morning session 3-1 only for the Americans – thanks to Jennifer Kupcho’s late heroics – to win the afternoon session by the same score.
As such, he is 8-8 heading into Sunday’s singles.
Since the Americans are the defending champions, they need to reach 14 points to keep a Solheim Cupwhile Europe needs 14 1/2 to win. Who will come out on top in what should be an epic final day in the Netherlands? The answers to these burning questions could decide that.
Can Nelly Korda end his 2026 on a high note?
Korda set the golf world on fire earlier this year, recording four wins and three runner-up finishes in his first eight starts of the season. But he has cracked the top five just once in his seven starts since. He is 1-1-1 this week and sat the afternoon session on Saturday. On Sunday, she will face Solheim rookie Mimi Rhodes, who is 2-0 this week. Last year Korda lost 6 and 4 to Charley Hull in singles. Can he end the year with a bang?
What’s going on with Charley Hull and Lottie Woad?
Europe’s top two players have done little for their team this week. Woad, ranked 7th in the world, is making his Solheim Cup debut, while Hull, 8th, is a veteran with a 15-9-3 career record entering the week. (The only Solheim Cup player ranked higher than these two is Korda at No. 1.) European captain Anna Nordqvist didn’t shy away from pairing all week, and they also became the first duo to play all four matches together in Solheim Cup history. The results? Three defeats, one draw and half a point. If Europe is to win on Sunday, these two must be seen. Luckily for them, they had some help (see below).
Can anyone beat the Swedes?
While Hull and Woad struggled, Maja Stark and Linn Grant – the only two Swedish players on the European roster – played three matches together and won them all without even having to play the 18th hole. Their 3-2 win over Korda and Allisen Corpuz in four games on Saturday ended the American duo’s perfect 5-0 record together in that format. Speaking of Swedes…
Can Linn Grant stay warm at home?
Grant made his Solheim Cup debut in Spain in 2023 and secured three crucial points. But in Virginia two years ago, he was 0-4 and the only European player to be held scoreless. Already 3-0 this week, maybe she lives for home games.
What version of Angel Yin will we see?
It was a difficult summer for Yinwho battled gastrointestinal issues, lost 35 pounds and struggled to find his game. Ranked 16th in the world at the time, she withdrew from the KPMG Women’s PGA in June and has played just one event since, an 81-76 loss at the FM Championship a couple of weeks ago. He had already earned his place in the team due to his strong play over most of the qualification period and he played well in this event (4-2 in his last two Solheim Cups) and the captain of the United States Angela Stanford decided to keep Yin on the list despite bringing an alternative (Lilia Vu) to Holland. Yin has only played one match so far, teaming up with Yealimi Noh in a Friday afternoon four-ball. He made back-to-back birdies on 7 and 8 to win both holes, but still showed signs of rust. He was the only US player to sit out all Saturday. How he performs on Sunday will be a big story.
And which version of Carlota Ciganda will we see?
Ciganda was 1-3 at the 2024 Solheim Cup, which included a brutal 6-4 loss to Rose Zhang in singles on Sunday. This came a year after she went 4-0 and was Europe’s MVP in a 2023 Solheim Cup match in Spain. He looks to be turning into that 2023 form this week as he halved his only game on Friday – and made the key, momentum building putt to end the second session – and he was good again in four balls on Saturday, making a couple of long birdie putts on 5 and 6 to earn a 2-up start and later back-to-back birdies on 13 and 14. His game was the story until Kupcho stole the show down the stretch. And now Ciganda faces Kupcho in Sunday singles, which might be the best Sunday matchup of all.
Will Lauren Coughlin ever win again?
OK, we’re kidding here. Coughlin was awesome. She went 3-0-1 in her Solheim Cup debut two years ago and was still unbeaten (2-0-1) through her first three matches this year, although Coughlin and Megan Khang went 2 and 1 in Saturday’s four-ball, handing Coughlin her first loss in eight career matches. He played well despite the loss and made key birdies on 15 and 16 to keep the match close. On Sunday, he will become the first American player in 15 years to play in all five games. Will the adrenaline fuel him through any potential fatigue? She receives Leona Maguire (see below) in Sunday singles, who has not yet lost in the format.
Will Leona Maguire continue to dominate in singles?
This is Maguire’s fourth Solheim Cup, but the first time he needs a captain’s choice. On Saturday morning she teamed with Esther Henseleit to win in foursomes and improve her all-time record to 10-3-1, becoming the fastest player in Solheim Cup history to reach 10 wins. Maguire and Nastasia Nadaud lost in four balls on Saturday, but the singles is where Maguire really shines. In her three Solheim Cup singles matches he won 5 and 4, 4 and 3, and 4 and 3. He has a tough matchup Sunday vs. Coughlin.
Do the Americans now have the momentum?
Ciganda made a clutch putt to tie the 18th hole and tie the match to end Friday, which he hoped would give the Europeans momentum into Saturday morning’s quarterfinals. It is done, as Europe won three points out of four points. But will Kupcho’s late heroics to close out Saturday give the Americans a similar moment come Sunday? They will have the crowd against them. The fans were strangely quiet after Kupcho’s birdie stunner on the 18th.
Who will handle the conditions better?
There is a chance of rain on Sunday, with wind gusts up to 17 mph. It’s far from unplayable conditions, but it’s something players can adapt to. Bring on the Solheim Cup on Sunday.