01쿱초의 기적 같은 퍼팅쇼… 미국, 솔하임컵 둘째 날 8-8 동점 성사
네덜란드 크롬뷔르트의 베르나르두스 골프장에서 열린 2026 솔하임컵 둘째 날 경기에서 미국의 제니퍼 쿱초가 각본 없는 드라마를 써냈다. 포볼 매치 마지막 조로 나선 쿱초는 17번 홀에서 무려 93피트(약 28m) 거리의 초장거리 버디 퍼트를 성공시킨 데 이어, 마지막 18번 홀에서도 25피트 버디 퍼트를 깔끔하게 홀에 떨어뜨렸다. 이 극적인 연속 버디에 힘입어 린디 던컨과 짝을 이룬 쿱초는 유럽의 카를로타 시간다-셀린 부티에 조를 1홀 차로 제압했다.
이날 쿱초의 과감한 플레이는 기세를 탈취당할 위기에 몰렸던 미국팀에 구세주가 됐다. 경기 중 유럽 팬들의 일방적인 야유와 열광적인 응원이 이어지자, 쿱초는 10번 홀 버디 후 입가에 손가락을 대는 '쉿' 세리머니로 중압감을 이겨냈다. 이어 승리를 확정한 18번 홀 직후에도 귀에 손을 가져가는 세리머니로 열띤 반응을 이끌어냈다. 앤절라 스탠퍼드 미국팀 단장은 "이런 경기 장면은 본 적이 없다. 팀 분위기를 완전히 반전시켰다"며 환호했다.
반면 유럽팀은 스웨덴 콤비 마야 스타르크와 린 그란트가 세계 1위 넬리 코다 조를 꺾는 등 맹활약했으나, 에이스 찰리 헐과 로티 우드 조합이 잇따라 패배하며 미국에 추격을 허용했다. 양 팀이 승점 8점 동점으로 맞선 가운데, 대회 우승 트로피의 주인을 가릴 최종 승부는 일요일 펼쳐지는 12개의 싱글 매치에서 결정된다.
02Original (English) — LPGA
Jennifer Kupcho of Team United States celebrates after winning a point on the 17th green during the Saturday afternoon four-ball matches of the Solheim Cup 2026 at Bernardus Golf on September 12, 2026 in Cromvoirt, Netherlands.
DEN BOSCH, Netherlands (AP) — Jennifer Kupcho first shushed the Europeans with her finger against her lips. Then she did it with her putter.
In one of the most remarkable finishing stretches in the Solheim Cup's 36-year history, Kupcho rolled in huge birdie putts on Nos. 17 and 18 — one, outrageously, from 93 feet — to snatch an unlikely point for the Americans from the last match on the course on Saturday and tie the score at 8-8 after four sessions at Bernardus Golf.
Over to the Sunday singles to determine the destination of the crystal trophy, with the United States needing 14 points to keep possession.
"That was huge," U.S. captain Angela Stanford said of Kupcho's exploits. "It's absolutely turned the tide."
Europe's fans became more excitable — or "rowdy," in the words of Kupcho — as Day 2 wore on, helped by two big wins from Swedish pairing Maja Stark and Linn Grant, first over Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz in the morning foursomes and then Megan Khang and Lauren Coughlin in the afternoon four-balls.
She was already a target after producing a "shush" gesture, seemingly toward the Europe fans, after making birdie on the 10th hole of her match with Lindy Duncan against Carlota Ciganda and Celine Boutier.
About two hours later — and trailing at 1 down as she reached the 17th green — Kupcho got to her ball off the back of the green knowing Ciganda and Boutier were both inside 12 feet.
"Honestly, going into it, I had zero expectations," Kupcho said. "I hardly even read my putt."
Kupcho sent in a speculative putt that kept rolling and rolling and rolling, before sweeping down the hill and into the side of the cup.
Cue huge celebrations from Kupcho — "Vamos!" she screamed in Spanish, the nationality of Ciganda — and the rest of the U.S. team that was gathered beside the green. Some of the players and support staff spilled onto the putting surface.
"I've never seen anything like that," Stanford said. "And in that environment, it just makes it so much more special."
Ciganda and Boutier both missed their putts, leaving the match tied.
There was more to come from Kupcho, a Colorado native, on No. 18. With the last putt of the match, she poured in a 25-footer from the edge of the green into the heart of the hole, completing a 1-up win and securing a 3-1 victory for the Americans in the four-balls.
There was time for one last gesture from Kupcho: A cup of the ear, apparently toward Europe's shellshocked fans.
"It was just playful," Kupcho said. "Carlota's loud, so I can be loud back."
The scores were tied at the end of Day 1 — 4-4 — and still were after Day 2.
The momentum, crucially, is now with the Americans heading into Sunday.
Kupcho's opponent in the singles? It's Ciganda again.
Super Swedes upstage misfiring Woad and Hull
The Europeans haven't been helped by their star pairing misfiring.
Lottie Woad and Charley Hull, the highest-ranked Europeans in the lineup, have been paired for all four sessions so far — something that has never been done in 36 years of the Solheim Cup.
They have contributed only a half-point, with two straight defeats coming Saturday against Alison Lee and Coughlin — a 6-and-5 thrashing — in foursomes and Yealimi Noh and Andrea Lee (1 up) in four-balls.
European captain Anna Nordqvist defended her continued selection of Woad and Hull, saying: "They're doing everything they can or everything right, but they just haven't really holed those momentum putts this week. So I have full trust and confidence in them."
Noh was particularly inspired, making five birdies in a seven-hole stretch on the front nine to build a 2-up lead that she and Lee never relinquished.
With Europe's power pairing continuing to stumble, Stark and Linn have stepped up. They are 3-0-0 for the week and, on Saturday, took down the U.S. heavyweights, ending the record five-match winning streak of Korda and Corpuz by 3-and-2 before handing Coughlin her first loss in eight Solheim Cup matches.
Stark, specifically, sparked the biggest roars around Bernardus, chipping in for eagle at the par-4 8th in the morning and then holing a wedge shot from 74 yards for eagle on No. 1 in the afternoon.
Korda, the world No. 1, came to the Netherlands carrying much of the expectations of her nation but has also struggled.
After her loss to Stark and Grant, she headed to the range and was left out of the afternoon session, meaning she'll play four matches for the fifth straight Solheim Cup.
Her record this week is 1-1-1 ahead of a singles match against European rookie Mimi Rhodes on Sunday.