2011 Solheim Cup Results

This was the 12th time the Solheim Cup was played. In the end, it came down to half a point. And when that half-point went Europe's way, so did the Solheim Cup. After the European victory, the overall standings in the event's history were eight wins for the United States and four wins for Europe.

Final Score: Europe 15, United States 13

Dates Played: September 23-25, 2011

Location: Killeen Castle in County Meath, Ireland

Team Captains: Rosie Jones for Team USA and Alison Nicholas for Team Europe

Team Rosters:

  • United States — Cristie Kerr, Stacy Lewis, Morgan Pressel, Angela Stanford, Paula Creamer, Michelle Wie, Brittany Lincicome, Brittany Lang, Christina Kim, Vicky Hurst, Ryann O'Toole
  • Europe — Melissa Reid, Laura Davies, Suzann Pettersen, Christel Boeljon, Maria Hjorth, Anna Nordqvist, Catriona Matthew, Sophie Gustafson, Azahara Munoz, Caroline Hedwall, Karen Stupples, Sandra Gal

What Happened at the 2011 Solheim Cup

The teams entered the final day tied, 8-8, and Europe eked out the win with late heroics from Suzann Pettersen and Caroline Hedwall. It was the first Solheim Cup win for Europe since 2003.

Pettersen birdied the final three holes of her match against Michelle Wie to win, 1-up. And Hedwall was 2-down to Ryann O'Toole with two holes to play, but won those last two holes to gain the halve. It was Hedwall's half-point that was the clincher, because at that time the only match left on the course was Azahara Munoz/Angela Stanford, and Munoz was dormie (a half-point guaranteed).

Stars of the match? Sophie Gustafson and Morgan Pressel each went 4-0-0 for their teams (Europe and USA, respectively). Captain's pick O'Toole was 2-0-2, earning three points for the U.S. Catriona Matthew was also 2-0-2, earning three points for Europe.

The singles session got off to an ominous start for Team USA when Matthew quickly jumped ahead of Paula Creamer in the session's first game, and then when Cristie Kerr had to concede her match to Karen Stupples due to wrist tendinitis. Kerr was in too much pain warming up on the driving range to start the match, and withdrew because of the pain and because she couldn't properly hold onto her clubs.

Matthew wound up beating Creamer 6 and 5, the worst loss in a singles match by an American golfer to this point in Solheim Cup history.

Juli Inkster and Laura Davies each played in the Solheim Cup for the final time this year. Fittingly, they played one another in singles, and halved. Davies had played in every Solheim Cup ever to this point. Inkster, at age 51, became the oldest Solheim Cup team member ever.

2011 Solheim Cup Match Scores

Day 1

Foursomes

  • Michelle Wie/Cristie Kerr (USA) def. Maria Hjorth/Anna Nordqvist (EUR), 2 and 1
  • Paula Creamer/Brittany Lincicome (USA) def. Karen Stupples/Melissa Reid (EUR), 1-up
  • Catriona Matthew/Azahara Munoz (EUR) def. Stacy Lewis/Angela Stanford (USA), 3 and 2
  • Suzann Pettersen/Sophie Gustafson (EUR) def. Brittany Lang/Juli Inkster (USA), 1-up

Score after first session: USA 2, Europe 2

Four-Ball

  • Morgan Pressel/Paula Creamer (USA) def. Laura Davies/Melissa Reid (EUR), 1-up
  • Christina Kim/Ryann O'Toole (USA) halved with Catriona Matthew/Sandra Gal (EUR)
  • Sophie Gustafson/Caroline Hedwall (EUR) def. Vicky Hurst/Brittany Lincicome (USA), 5 and 4
  • Suzann Pettersen/Anna Nordqvist (EUR) def. Cristie Kerr/Michelle Wie (USA), 2-up

Score after second session: Europe 2.5, USA 1.5
Overall score after Day 1: Europe 4.5, USA 3.5

Day 2

Foursomes

  • Caroline Hedwall/Sophie Gustafson (EUR) def. Angela Stanford/Stacy Lewis (USA), 6 and 5
  • Morgan Pressel/Ryann O'Toole (USA) def. Karen Stupples/Christel Boeljon (EUR), 3 and 2
  • Maria Hjorth/Anna Nordqvist (EUR) def. Brittany Lang/Juli Inkster (USA), 3 and 2
  • Cristie Kerr/Paula Creamer (USA) halved with Catriona Matthew/Azahara Munoz (EUR)

Score of first session: Europe 2.5, USA 1.5

Four-Ball

  • Laura Davies/Melissa Reid (EUR) def. Brittany Lang/Michelle Wie (USA), 4 and 3
  • Morgan Pressel/Cristie Kerr (USA) def. Suzann Pettersen/Caroline Hedwall (EUR), 1-up
  • Stacy Lewis/Ryann O'Toole (USA) def. Sandra Gal/Christel Boeljon (EUR), 2 and 1
  • Paula Creamer/Brittany Lincicome (USA) def. Maria Hjorth/Azahara Munoz (EUR), 3 and 1

Score of second session: USA 3, Europe 1
Overall score after Day 2: USA 8, Europe 8

Day 3

Singles

  • Catriona Matthew (EUR) defeated Paula Creamer (USA), 6&5
  • Sophie Gustafson (EUR) defeated Stacy Lewis (USA), 2-up
  • Morgan Pressel (USA) defeated Anna Nordqvist (EUR), 2&1
  • Laura Davies (EUR) halved with Juli Inkster (USA)
  • Vicky Hurst (USA) defeated Melissa Reid (EUR), 2-up
  • Christel Boeljon (EUR) defeated Brittany Lincicome (USA), 2-up
  • Brittany Lang (USA) defeated Sandra Gal (EUR), 6&5
  • Christina Kim (USA) defeated Maria Hjorth (EUR), 4&2
  • Suzann Pettersen (EUR) defeated Michelle Wie (USA), 1-up
  • Caroline Hedwall (EUR) halved with Ryann O’Toole (USA)
  • Azahara Munoz (EUR) defeated Angela Stanford (USA), 1-up
  • Karen Stupples (EUR) defeated Cristie Kerr (USA), walkover

Score of singles session: Europe 7, USA 5
Overall and final score: Europe 15, USA 13

Player Records at the 2011 Solheim Cup

Players' records are listed as wins-losses-halves.

Team USA
Cristie Kerr, 2-2-1
Morgan Pressel, 4-0-0
Stacy Lewis, 1-3-0
Angela Stanford, 0-3-0
Paula Creamer, 3-1-1
Michelle Wie, 1-3-0
Brittany Lincicome, 2-2-0
Brittany Lang, 1-3-0
Juli Inkster, 0-2-1
Christina Kim, 1-0-1
Vicky Hurst, 1-1-0
Ryann O'Toole, 2-0-2

Team Europe
Melissa Reid, 1-3-0
Laura Davies, 1-1-1
Suzann Pettersen, 3-1-0
Christel Boeljon, 1-2-0
Maria Hjorth, 1-3-0
Anna Nordqvist, 2-2-0
Catriona Matthew, 2-0-2
Sophie Gustafson, 4-0-0
Sandra Gal, 0-2-1
Caroline Hedwall, 2-1-1
Azahara Munoz, 2-1-1
Karen Stupples, 1-2-0

Previous and next:
2009 Solheim Cup - 2013 Solheim Cup

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