After a stalemate on Friday, Europe took the Saturday morning session 3-1 only for the Americans — thanks to Jennifer Kupcho’s late heroics — to win the afternoon session by the same score.
Just like that, it’s 8-8 heading into Sunday singles.
Since the Americans are the defending champions, they need to reach 14 points to keep the Solheim Cup, while Europe needs 14 1/2 to win it. Who’s going to come out on top in what should be an epic final day in the Netherlands? The answers to these burning questions might decide that.
Can Nelly Korda end her 2026 on a high note?
Korda set the golf world on fire earlier this year, logging four wins and three runner-up finishes in her first eight starts of the season. But she’s cracked the top five just once in her seven starts since. She’s 1-1-1 this week and sat the afternoon session on Saturday. On Sunday, she’ll face off against Solheim rookie Mimi Rhodes, who is 2-0 this week. Last year Korda lost 6 and 4 to Charley Hull in singles. Can she 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 her 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 hasn’t strayed from the pairing all week, and they even became the first duo to play all four matches together in Solheim Cup history. The results? Three losses, one tie, and a half point. If Europe is going to win on Sunday, these two need to show up. Luckily for them, they’ve had some help (see below).
Can anyone beat the Swedes?
While Hull and Woad have struggled, Maja Stark and Linn Grant — the only two Swedish players on the European roster — have played three matches together and won them all without even having to play the 18th hole yet. Their 3-and-2 win over Korda and Allisen Corpuz in Saturday foursomes ended the American duo’s perfect 5-0 record together in that format. Speaking of the Swedes…
Can Linn Grant stay hot at home?
Grant made her Solheim Cup debut in Spain in 2023 and secured three crucial points. But in Virginia two years ago she was 0-4 and the only European player who was held without a point. Already 3-0 this week, maybe she lives for the home games.
What version of Angel Yin will we see?
It’s been a difficult summer for Yin, who has battled gastrointestinal issues, lost 35 pounds and has struggled to find her 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 missed cut at the FM Championship a couple of weeks ago. She had already earned her spot on the team due to her strong play over the majority of the qualifying period and has played well in this event (4-2 in her last two Solheim Cups) and U.S. captain Angela Stanford decided to keep Yin on the roster despite bringing an alternate (Lilia Vu) to the Netherlands. Yin has played just one match so far, teaming with Yealimi Noh in a Friday afternoon four-ball. She made back-to-back birdies on 7 and 8 to win both holes, but also showed signs of rust. She was the only U.S. player to sit out all of Saturday. How she performs on Sunday will be a major storyline.
And which version of Carlota Ciganda will we see?
Ciganda was 1-3 at the 2024 Solheim Cup, which included a brutal 6-and-4 loss to Rose Zhang in Sunday singles. This came a year after she went 4-0 and was Europe’s MVP in a 2023 Solheim Cup tie in Spain. She seems to be morphing back into that 2023 form this week, as she halved her only match on Friday — and made the key, momentum-building putt to end the second session — and was good again in four-balls Saturday, making a couple of long birdie putts on 5 and 6 to gain an early 2-up lead and later back-to-back birdies on 13 and 14. Her play 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 has been fantastic. She was 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 lost 2 and 1 in Saturday four-balls, handing Coughlin her first loss in eight career matches. She played well despite the loss and made key birdies on 15 and 16 to keep the match close. On Sunday she’ll become the first American player in 15 years to play in all five matches. Will the adrenaline power her through any potential fatigue? She gets Leona Maguire (see below) in Sunday singles, who has yet to lose in the format.
Will Leona Maguire continue to dominate in singles?
This is Maguire’s fourth Solheim Cup but the first time she’s needed a captain’s pick. On Saturday morning she paired 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 get to 10 wins. Maguire and Nastasia Nadaud lost in four-balls Saturday, but singles is where Maguire really shines. In her three Solheim Cup singles matches she’s won 5 and 4, 4 and 3, and 4 and 3. She has a tough matchup Sunday versus Coughlin.
Do the Americans have the momentum now?
Ciganda made a clutch putt to tie the 18th hole and tie the match to end Friday, which she hoped would give the Europeans momentum heading into Saturday morning foursomes. It did, as Europe won three of four points. But will Kupcho’s late heroics to close Saturday give the Americans similar momentum come Sunday? They’ll have the crowd against them. The fans were eerily quiet after Kupcho’s birdie stunner on 18.
Who will handle the conditions better?
There’s a chance of showers on Sunday, with wind gusts up to 17 mph. It’s far from unplayable conditions, but it is something players might have to adapt to. Bring on Solheim Cup Sunday.
