The U.S. Wins the Junior Solheim Cup Despite Europe's Fierce Comeback

The U.S. won the 2026 Ping Junior Solheim Cup. Captain Morgan Pressel’s team defeated Europe 13–11 at Bernardus Golf in Cromvoirt, the Netherlands. After a nearly perfect opening round, however, the second day turned into a thrilling continental showdown: Europe won 8.5 of the 12 possible points in singles but was unable to overcome the 2.5–9.5 deficit from the first day.

For the young players, it was a historic competition. For the first time, the Junior Solheim Cup was held at the same course as the professional Solheim Cup, which begins that same week at Bernardus.

Here you’ll find all the information about the 2026 Solheim Cup.

U.S. Lays the Groundwork on Day One

The U.S. team dominated the first two formats. In the foursomes, the U.S. won five of the six matches, taking a 5–1 lead into the afternoon. They added another 4.5 points in the fourballs. Europe secured one win and one tie in this session.

The first foursomes point went to Asterisk Talley and Amelie Zalsman. The Americans defeated Alice Kong and Axelle Guillemard decisively, 6&4. Anna Ludvová and Lana Guyot secured Europe’s only victory of the morning against Anna Fang and Lily Peng.

The U.S. team continued to set the pace in the afternoon as well. Annabel Peaford and Lauren Crump provided one of the few European bright spots. The English duo finished their match against Asterisk Talley and Anna Fang with an Eagle, a Birdie, and a Par, thereby salvaging half a point.

Morgan Pressel emphasized the importance of such close finishes as early as after the first day. “We won the 18th hole three times this morning, which was incredibly important,” said the U.S. captain in the official tournament report. According to Pressel, her team showed particularly strong nerves in the decisive moments.

Despite the significant deficit, European captain Anne van Dam saw no reason to criticize her team. “I’m very proud and couldn’t have asked for more from them today,” said the former Solheim Cup player. The players had given it their all and could therefore head into the evening with a smile.

Peaford Kicks Off Europe’s Comeback

Before the singles, the situation was clear: The U.S. needed just 2.5 points to defend its title. For Europe, however, the path to overall victory was nearly impossible. The team had to win ten of the twelve matches.

Nevertheless, Europe got off to the start they’d hoped for in the first match. Annabel Peaford defeated Asterisk Talley by 1 up. The Englishwoman had been down by two holes with four holes remaining. By winning three of the last four holes, she turned the match around and set the tone early on.

For Talley, the loss was particularly notable because, as the reigning champion of the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, she was one of the most prominent players in the field. The 17-year-old was competing in the Junior Solheim Cup for the third time and had evolved in recent years from the youngest team member to a key player on the U.S. team.

Van Dam saw Peaford’s success as the decisive catalyst for the European run: “It started with Annabel winning a great point against Asterisk. After that, there was a lot of blue on the scoreboard, and that gave everyone a huge boost.”

Rules and Formats: How the 2026 Solheim Cup Works.

Europe Wins the Singles—But Not the Cup

Peaford’s opening victory was followed by more European points. Lauren Crump defeated Amber Lee 3&2, and Anna Ludvová beat Grace Carter 2&1. Lena Geier won against Aubrey Hilgers by 2 up, and Sofia Maier-Borst also defeated Amelie Zalsman 2&1.

Axelle Guillemard and Carlota Lopez Minguela secured additional victories by a score of 3&2. Alice Kong clinched her match against Lily Peng on the 18th hole by a margin of 1 up. This brought Europe’s total to eight full points. A split point was added from the match between Anna Fang and Marta Muñoz.

The numbers illustrate just how closely contested the singles round was: Ten of the twelve matches went at least to the 16th hole, and five were decided only on the final hole. Europe won the day’s competition 8.5–3.5, closing the gap on the U.S. team much more than the interim score initially suggested.

For the U.S., Eliana Saga, Madeleine Conser, and Kelly Zhang sealed the overall victory. Saga defeated Adriana García Terol 4&3. Conser prevailed over Lana Guyot 5&4, winning five consecutive holes with Birdies. Fourteen-year-old Kelly Zhang secured a 2&1 victory over Carolina Perez-Tasso.

The half-point from the match between Fang and Muñoz ultimately brought the U.S. to 13 points. This sealed the deal: despite its extraordinary comeback, Europe could no longer overtake the U.S.

Pressel Praises Europe’s Fight

After the final matches concluded, Morgan Pressel expressed satisfaction not only with her own team. “I’m incredibly proud of what these girls accomplished today,” she said. She noted that Europe had played great golf throughout the tournament, and she had expected their opponents to come out with a lot of energy on the second day.

Her reflection on the tournament week was accordingly personal: “I loved this entire experience and am very grateful to have had the opportunity to lead an incredibly talented and very entertaining group of girls.”

Anne van Dam also drew a positive conclusion despite the loss. “They gave themselves a chance, even though no one had expected it at the start of the day,” said the European captain. Her players couldn’t have given any more.

The Next Generation on the Same Stage

The Junior Solheim Cup thus offered not only an exciting final but also a glimpse into the possible future of international women’s golf. Past participants in the competition include Rose Zhang, Carlota Ciganda, Linn Grant, Lexi Thompson, and the Korda sisters—players who went on to compete in the Solheim Cup themselves.

At Bernardus, several hundred schoolchildren watched the matches. Shortly before the start of the professional competition, they got to see the next generation of European and American women’s golf battle it out for a continental trophy on the same course.

For Asterisk Talley, the outcome of her own match was just a small part of the overall experience. “We all had a great time, and that was ultimately the most important thing. Whether we won or lost—we would have done it with class and pride,” she told The Athletic afterward.

Talley plans to continue her development as an amateur for now and attend Stanford University next year. She articulated her long-term goal without hesitation: “I just want to become the best player in the world. That’s my goal. It’s always been my goal.”

While the U.S. celebrated its title, attention in Bernardus was already turning to the professional Solheim Cup. The Junior Solheim Cup had shown that the next generation is ready for great team moments.