The Europeans had enjoyed the upper hand against their US counterparts at the Junior Solheim Cup for the last two editions, with a 13-11 victory in 2021 followed up with a 15-9 triumph two years later.
However, any hopes the visitors had of making that three successive wins at the match this year were comprehensively dashed at Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia.
That’s because the US didn’t just beat the Europeans, they did so by the greatest margin in the 13-edition history of the contest, by 18.5 points to 5.5 points.
Needing 12.5 points to reclaim the trophy at the two-day match, the US got off to a confident, if tight, start in the Monday morning fourball on day one, taking a 3.5-2.5 lead into the afternoon foursomes session.
There, the hosts showed their class, winning 4.5 to 1.5 to take an overall lead of 8-4 going into the Tuesday singles session.
If the team’s four-point lead had given them confidence heading into the deciding session, the US performance during it was the stuff of dreams.
The team won 10.5 of the 12 points on offer, with Lily Rietter’s halved match against Talley and Martina Navarra Navarro’s 2&1 win against Nikki Oh the only inroads the Europeans made on a dispiriting day.
Add their names to the history books 🏆The US Team defeats Europe by the largest margin of victory in the #JrSolheimCup history! pic.twitter.com/3KE1TRCDwrSeptember 10, 2024
The manner of the defeat, which was by the biggest margin since Europe lost 17-7 in the first edition in 2002, will have been particularly disappointing for captain Gwladys Nocera and her 12 players given the Europeans’ recent history at the match and some of the ability at its disposal, including Spaniard Andrea Revuelta, who is ninth in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and had competed in the previous two wins.
The Europeans also had Louise Landgraf on the team, who made history at the age of 14 when she became the youngest player to win on the LET’s Access Series at the 2023 ANNIKA Invitational Europe.
However, the team was up against a formidable US outfit that included Gianna Clemente, who won the AJGA section of the LPGA Tour’s Mizuho Americas Open in May, while Beth Daniel’s team also featured Asterisk Talley, who finished 44th at the 2024 US Women’s Open aged 15, while she defeated World No.1 Lottie Woad in the first singles match at the Curtis Cup.
In the end, the US players had far too much for their opponents, with the win increasing the nation’s overall lead to 8.5-4.5 since the match’s inception in 2002.
