Great Britain and Ireland won the Curtis Cup for the first time since 2016 after a thrilling triumph over the United States at Sunningdale.
Singles victories for Sara Byrne, Patience Rhodes and Lorna McClymont took the home side to the verge of a famous win before Mimi Rhodes saved par on the 17th to guarantee a decisive half-point against Melanie Green.
Rhodes went on to lose the 18th after pulling her second shot out of bounds, but was then mobbed by her joyous teammates on the green as the celebrations began in earnest.
Rachael Kuehn’s victory over Aine Donegan in the anchor match meant a final score of 10.5 to 9.5 in favour of Catriona Matthew’s side, the Scot adding a Curtis Cup victory to her two successes as Europe’s Solheim Cup skipper.
How Europe edged Curtis Cup thriller
Great Britain and Ireland took a two-point lead into the final day but the U.S. saw hopes of a famous comeback increase when 15-year-old Asterisk Talley ended Lottie Woad’s unbeaten week with a 3&2 success.
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Lottie Woad became the first Englishwoman to win the Augusta National Women’s Amateur earlier this year. We went down to her home club to find out about the junior section that helped her rapid rise through the women’s game
Anna Davis despatched Hannah Darling by the same margin to give the U.S. their second point of the day, before Byrne completed her unbeaten week and moved GB and Ireland closer to victory by defeating Catherine Park 3&2.
Rhodes claimed the biggest victory of the day when she thrashed Zoe Campos 6&5 and McClymont won three holes around the turn on her way to a 3&2 win over Megan Schofill, taking the hosts to 10 points, while Jasmine Koo led from the first hole in her 4&3 triumph over Beth Coulter.
Mimi Rhodes recovered from being two down with eight to play to grab a share of the spoils against Green, with a par putt at the 17th keeping her one ahead with one to play and assuring the half-point for GB and Ireland.
She lost the last hole with a double-bogey but had already moved the hosts to the 10.5 points required for victory, while McClymont tapped in for par on the 16th hole for a 3&2 win over Donegan to reduce the winning margin.
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Matthew proud of ‘fantastic’ victory
“It’s absolutely fantastic,” Matthew told Sky Sports. “They were a fantastic team, I’m so proud of them, they really dug in every day, every session. It didn’t look as though it was perhaps going our way today but they really toughed it out and it’s been a fantastic experience for me getting to know them.
“At one point, I looked and it was all red; luckily there weren’t too many scoreboards so the players couldn’t see that but we’ve played well on the back nine all week and that really came out.
“A few of them turned their matches round and what an exciting finish. Hats off to the Americans as well. It takes two teams and there was some fantastic golf all three days. It made it a spectacle for women’s golf. The future of women’s golf is in good hands when you see both teams.
“It was a great contest, you love these to be close. It’s what makes it exciting for all the fans and it’s just nice to edge your way on top. It’s right up there with everything, the Solheim Cup wins [as captain] and playing in that. Any time you’re part of a team and representing your country, I couldn’t be prouder.”
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