A Historic Turnaround in the Netherlands
Linn Grant just did something no one in Solheim Cup history has ever done. After losing all four of her matches in a previous tournament, she stepped onto the Bernardus Golf course this past week and won every single one. Her perfect 4-0-0 record helped Team Europe secure a 15-13 victory over the United States. According to reports, no competitor has ever scored four or more points right after a match with zero points. That’s a statistical anomaly that rewrites the record books for a Swedish golfer.
Captain Anna Nordqvist trusted Grant with the ball four times, and Grant delivered without a single drop of doubt. I’ve watched plenty of players crumble after a shutout, but the speed of her recovery here was unlike anything I’ve seen. It wasn’t just about winning; it was the mental toughness required to bounce back from a complete shutout. The numbers don’t lie, and neither did the look in her eyes when she holed the final putt.
Partnership Chemistry and Unbeaten Streaks
Grant didn’t do it alone. Nordqvist assigned her to partner with compatriot Maja Stark across every one of the three team contests. Since these close friends had previously secured the Sunningdale Foursomes, the alternate shot style was well known to them. Stark described their partnership in simple terms that any competitive golfer would understand. “You don’t have to baby each other,” Stark said. “You just kind of keep playing your own game.”
That dynamic was on full display during the Friday foursomes match against Rose Zhang and Jennifer Kupcho. Once the Americans finished their initial two matches, Grant and Stark secured Europe’s opening point. They won 3-and-2. The pair arrived at the course with plenty of golf behind them, which allowed them to skip the awkward recovery talk after a miss.
The momentum carried into Saturday morning against the American favorites. Grant and Stark competed against Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz, the first Solheim Cup duo to claim their initial five foursomes victories together the day before. Despite that streak, the Swedes beat them 3 and 2. They took the lead for good at the fourth hole. Playing a bogey-free alternate shot, Stark contributed an eagle by holing out.
For the afternoon four-ball session, Nordqvist maintained the pairing while Megan Khang and Lauren Coughlin went 1 up on the fourth hole and retained the lead through hole No. 11. Grant won in alternate shot twice, in four-ball, and then by herself in singles. None of the four matches even reached the 18th tee, and the rhythm between the two Swedes never wavered for a second.
Team Culture and the Captain’s Choice
The atmosphere on the European team was electric, fueled by the presence of legend Dame Laura Davies. Following the win, the veteran delivered beers onto the team bus, leaving the entire squad energized. The celebration included a chant that highlighted the difference in timing between the two sides. “We drink on Sunday! They drink on Saturday!” Team Europe chanted, as shown in a Solheim Cup Team Europe X post. This came right after Team USA celebrated their own beer session following a 3-1 win in the Saturday fourballs. Although they leveled the score at 8-8 prior to the final day, their celebration proved premature. Davies was at the heart of the festivities, having appeared at 12 Solheim Cups. Despite her credentials, she has never captained the side, a fact that always sparked debate among fans and pundits alike.
Davies recently explained why she never took on that role. “When the time came that I maybe could have done it, I was still trying to play,” Davies said, as reported by reports. Yet I never truly felt enthusiastic about serving as captain. The captaincy is the one role I’m not that bothered about. Her focus remained on her playing career, winning four times in 1992, 2000, 2003, and 2011. Meanwhile, Grant’s performance proved that the European strategy worked perfectly. Grant stayed the only European player to finish with a flawless record as the team reclaimed the Solheim Cup for the first time since 2023. The numbers back up the narrative. While four defeats followed by four victories forms the headline, the matches beneath it held greater significance.
What Comes Next for the Swedes
With the Solheim Cup secured, the focus shifts to the individual careers of the players who made it happen. Grant has proven she can handle the biggest stage under immense pressure. The team will look to carry this momentum into the next season. According to Golfweek, other Swedish players like Madelene Sagstrom are also looking ahead. Sagstrom, a four-time Solheim Cup participant, recently gave birth to her first child, a son named Finn, and intends to resume LPGA tour play next spring. While Grant basks in the glory of her historic 4-0 run, the tour prepares for new challenges. The next scheduled event for the LPGA will see these players return to regular competition, and the memory of this perfect comeback will last a long time.
