DEN BOSCH, Netherlands (AP) — Charley Hull and Lottie Woad put two days of Solheim Cup misery behind them in style on Sunday.
Veteran Hull led Team Europe out in the first match and beat Megan Khang 3 and 2.
Solheim Cup rookie Woad beat Auston Kim 2 and 1 to guarantee Team Europe would be winning back the crystal trophy.
Woad punched the air, hugged Kim and smiled before being engulfed by jubilant teammates dashing onto the 17th green at the Bernardus Golf course in the rural Netherlands.
Woad could not hide her disappointment after she and Hull managed only a half point in four matches together on Friday and Saturday, running into a series of strong American pairings and seeing putts narrowly miss.
“Felt like I was playing good golf and not getting the points and felt like I was kind of letting everyone down,” Woad said.
Team Europe captain Anna Nordqvist and her vice captains told her to trust a golf game that has taken Woad to the world No. 7 ranking.
“Ends up I got the winning putt,” she said.
Earlier, Hull personified a gritty European Sunday on the 16th. She was already two holes up against Khang on the par-5 hole. Khang had laid up in front of a stream in front of the green.
Hull could have also safely laid up but instead launched her second shot over the water and onto the green.
Minutes later, she was hugging Khang after a birdie and 3-and-2 victory that set the tone for the Europeans, who wound up winning 15-13.
“It’s been a frustrating week,” Hull said after celebrating on the 16th green. She added: “feels good to get on the board.”
Three birdies on three par fives were enough for Hull to beat Khang, including the 16th, to close out the match.
"It's a no-brainer to put Charley first," Nordqvist said.
Woad wobbled midway through her singles match. She looked to be cruising to victory at 4 up after 11 holes before slumping to lose the next three holes to Kim.
Woad holed a nerve-jangling putt to halve the 15th and halt Kim’s run. Nordqvist was greenside to put her arm around the rookie’s shoulder on her way to the 16th.
Two holes later, Woad was in the arms of the entire team, bouncing in celebration.
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Lottie Woad of Europe of Europe prepares to play on the 9th hole during the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Charley Hull of Europe embraces her caddie after beating Megan Khang of the United States in their singles match during the final day of the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Charley Hull of Europe, second right, reacts after beating Megan Khang of the United States, second left, after winning their singles match during the final day of the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
DEN BOSCH, Netherlands (AP) — Lottie Woad assured it. Carlota Ciganda sealed it.
Vamos! The Solheim Cup is back in the hands of Team Europe.
The blue wave came early in the Sunday singles at Bernardus Golf and never went away, all the way through to Woad holing a putt from 2 feet on No. 17 to win her match and guarantee the Europeans would reach the 14 1/2 points needed to reclaim the crystal trophy from the United States.
Woad punched the air and jumped into the arms of her teammates who flooded onto the green in celebration.
The point that officially took Europe to its victory target in the Netherlands was secured by — who else? — Ciganda about 10 minutes later.
The Spaniard, who got the decisive point when Europe retained the Solheim Cup in 2023, completed a 4-and-2 victory over Jennifer Kupcho, a feisty American who had roared “Vamos!” ("Let's go!") when holing an outrageous 93-foot putt on the way to beating Ciganda in a spiky four-balls match on Saturday.
“Today I was really motivated to beat her,” Ciganda said, “because I knew it was going to be important.”
Strains of “Olé, Olé, Olé, Olé” drifted across the course as the last matches finished and the European team and staff celebrated with Champagne.
Captain Anna Nordqvist, her assistants as well as the players and their caddies formed a line, put their arms over one another’s shoulders, and walked as one up the 18th fairway toward the green where Celine Boutier — the remaining European player on the course — was wrapping up her match.
When Boutier finished, she piled into the mass celebrations.
The final score: Europe 15, the United States 13.
The Europeans have now won three of the last five editions, the only loss in that stretch coming in Virginia two years ago. The U.S. team didn't have possession of the trophy for long and is still without a win on the road since 2015.
“The Europeans played great today, and that’s the way it goes,” U.S. captain Angela Stanford said. “So their backs were against the wall, they had nothing to lose, and that’s exactly what they did — they came out and played well.”
The teams were tied at 8-8 after two days and set out Sunday in heavy rain for the 12 singles matches, with Europe going out fast, putting blue all over the scoreboard and ultimately winning six of the first eight matches. Ciganda, in Match 11, added the crucial other victory.
Early wins for Charley Hull and Linn Grant laid the platform for victory, the only wobble for Europe coming when U.S. player Alison Lee came from 4 down after 11 holes to beat Esther Henseleit, 1 up, for the greatest comeback in Solheim Cup history.
Rookies contributed massively for Europe all week and especially Sunday, with Woad, Nastasia Nadaud and Julia Lopez Ramirez all winning matches in the singles.
“I think it’s been one of the best teams that we’ve had in the last few years,” Ciganda said. “Everyone just a unit, a team. That’s what Europe is about.”
The U.S. leads the all-time series 11-8, with one draw.
See AP’s full golf coverage here
Nastasia Nadaud of Europe, second right, celebrates with teamates after they won the Solheim Cup on the final day in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Members of Team Europe celebrate after they won the Solheim Cup on the final day in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Lottie Woad of Europe of Europe celebrates with teammates after they won the Solheim Cup on the final day in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Carlota Ciganda of Europe embraces her caddie on the 16th green after beating Jennifer Kupcho of the United States in a singles match during the final day of the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Carlota Ciganda of Europe reacts as she walks onto the 16th green during the final day of the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Nelly Korda of the United States misses a putt on the 15th green during the final day of the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Linn Grant of Europe embraces Angel Yin of the United States after winning their singles match during the final day of the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Nelly Korda of the United States plays from the 8th tee during the final day of the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Linn Grant of Europe celebrates as she leaves the 6th green during the final day of the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Esther Henseleit of Europe plays from the 1st tee during the final day of the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Alison Lee of the United States plays from the 1st tee during the final day of the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Europe fans gather in the rain on the 1st tee on the final day of the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Spectators gather in the rain on the 1st tee on the final day of the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Charley Hull of Europe plays from the 1st tee during the final day of the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Maja Stark, right, and Linn Grant of Europe celebrate after putting on the 15th green during the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Andrea Lee, right, bumps fists with Yealimi Noh of the United States after holing a putt on the 9th green during the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Charley Hull of Europe plays from a bunker near the 8th green during the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Europe supporters stand along the course on day two of the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Jennifer Kupcho of the United States celebrates after holing a putt on the 18th green during the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
