Solheim Cup victory illustrates promising future for American stars on LPGA: Analysis

Nelly Korda managed what Tiger Woods rarely could. She lived up to her billing as the No. 1 player in golf at a high-stakes team competition against Europe.

And she had plenty of help as the Americans finally got possession of the Solheim Cup after seven long years. Their best players delivered some of the biggest moments.

Rose Zhang showed why she is looked upon as a rising star on the LPGA Tour. She not only became the third American to go 4-0 in the Solheim Cup, she needed just 58 holes to do it. Zhang played the 17th hole at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club only in practice rounds.

Not to be overlooked in this show of American star power is Lilia Vu.

A double major winner last season who started the year at No. 1, Vu missed more than two months — and two major championships — with a back injury and still wasn't feeling her best at the Solheim Cup. Her game didn't feel that great, either.

“I almost felt guilty taking that spot from someone else,” she said.

But when Europe was on the verge of a feisty rally on Sunday, it was Vu who delivered relief to U.S. captain Stacy Lewis and the winning moment for the Americans.

Albane Valenzuela was 2 up on Vu, and the American was in a bunker behind the 16th green. The Americans were one point away from winning, but they weren't ahead in any of the six matches on the back nine. No wonder Lewis called it “the longest hour-and-a-half of my life.”

But then Vu saved par to extend the match. Down to her last putt again, she holed an 18-foot putt to win the 17th. And then on the closing hole, Vu showed the mettle that has made her one of America's best.

“I felt like I didn’t do my part this week and I wanted to get something done,” Vu said.

She never lost sight of the message from Lewis at the start of the week, to play like the Solheim Cup could be decided by every match and that every half-point mattered. Vu realized the Americans were at 14 points. A halve would win it.

“I only had one goal, to get it close and get that birdie,” Vu said.

From 103 yards, she hit wedge that hopped hard and spun to a stop 2 feet away. Valenzuela's long birdie putt stopped a few inches short, Vu rapped in her birdie and the celebration was on.

And now it's time to move on.

There's no need to wait two years for the next Solheim Cup in the Netherlands. The Americans not only have the cup, they have the stars. That hasn't always been the case.

Lexi Thompson was the only American in the top 10 the last time they won the Solheim Cup in 2017. The previous U.S. victory in 2015, Thompson and Lewis were the only ones in the top 10. Neither was considered a dominant player worldwide.

Now they have Korda and Vu and Nos. 1 and 2 — just like last year — and they delivered in a big way on the biggest stage on the LPGA schedule.

Korda has always played great in these matches, and her 3-1 performance in Virginia extended her career record in the Solheim Cup to 10-5-1. That's to be expected.

Then again, the same was expected of the No. 1 player in men's golf. Woods didn't have a winning record in the Ryder Cup until his fifth appearance, going 3-2 in 2006 in Ireland when Europe won by a record margin. Woods was 0-7-1 in his final two appearances. He played on only one winning team.

The Ryder Cup is about the only thing he didn't master in his career.

More critical to the U.S. winning back the Solheim Cup were big contributions from Vu — who went 1-3-0 in Spain last year — and Zhang (0-2-1 in Spain).

For Zhang, it no doubt helped to have gone through a full year of life as a professional golfer (even though she's still taking classes at Stanford). And being on home soil with a big support on the course and in the team room sure helped.

Remember, a year ago she had just turned pro after a stellar amateur career. Over the next four months, she managed to win (in her first start as a pro), contend in a major and play in the Solheim Cup. She looked lost at times during the matches. Not this year.

“I just feel like the Solheim Cup reignited my passion for the game,” Zhang said. “And it was so fun to see so many people out here supporting. My teammates have been incredible. We’ve been having so much fun, not only off the golf course but even on it. It’s just been an incredible ride. I’m very thankful to be in this position.”

The hangover — joyous emotion, not to mention whatever they imbibed Sunday night — is to be expected in the Kroger Queen City Championship this week outside Cincinnati. Korda and Zhang are in the field, along with Thompson and Andrea Lee.

It's no longer about team or flags or music blaring during rides on the bus. There's more golf to be played this year — including five straight weeks outside the U.S. mainland — but it's more about the next two years until the Solheim Cup returns.

Korda and Vu are each 26. Zhang is 21. One victory at home doesn't signal the start of having the upper hand in these matches. But it can only help raise the profile of American golf.

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press