Tag: Caroline Hedwall

How each American, European player fared at the 2023 Solheim Cup in Spain

Three players went unbeaten over the three days but only one earned 4 points over the five sessions.

CASARES, Spain — The 2023 Solheim Cup couldn’t have been closer.

The 18th edition of the biennial bash between the United States and Europe was all square at 8-8 entering Sunday singles, and after the final 12 matches – five won by the both teams and two ties – the competition ended in a 14-14 tie, and the Europeans retained the Cup.

In the event’s 23-year history, the Americans have taken home the trophy on 10 occasions, with the Europeans earning the other eight. Team Europe hasn’t lost since 2017 in Iowa.

Spain’s Carlota Ciganda was the only player to score four points this week (4-0-0) and was one of four players who went unbeaten, joining Gemma Dryburgh (0-0-2), Megan Khang (3-0-1) and Cheyenne Knight (2-0-1). Two players went winless for each team, but only one failed to earn a point.

Here’s a breakdown of how each player fared this week by event at the 2023 Solheim Cup.

MORE: Sunday singles results | Best shots | Crazy fans

European records

Player Overall (W-L-T) Singles (W-L-T) Foursomes (W-L-T) Fourball (W-L-T)
Celine Boutier 0-3-0 0-1-0 0-2-0 0-0-0
Charley Hull 1-2-0 0-1-0 0-1-0 1-0-0
Linn Grant 3-2-0 0-1-0 1-1-0 2-0-0
Georgia Hall 1-2-1 0-0-1 0-2-0 1-0-0
Leona Maguire 3-2-0 1-0-0 0-2-0 2-0-0
Carlota Ciganda 4-0-0 1-0-0 1-0-0 2-0-0
Anna Nordqvist 1-3-0 1-0-0 0-2-0 0-1-0
Maja Stark 2-1-1 1-0-0 1-1-0 0-0-1
Madelene Sagstrom 1-1-1 0-1-0 0-0-0 1-0-1
Gemma Dryburgh 0-0-2 0-0-1 0-0-0 0-0-1
Emily Pedersen 2-2-1 0-1-0 1-1-0 1-0-1
Caroline Hedwall 1-1-0 1-0-0 0-0-0 0-1-0

American records

Player Overall (W-L-T) Singles (W-L-T) Foursomes (W-L-T) Fourball (W-L-T)
Lilia Vu 1-3-0 1-0-0 0-1-0 0-2-0
Nelly Korda 2-2-0 0-1-0 2-0-0 0-1-0
Allisen Corpuz 2-1-1 0-1-0 2-0-0 0-0-1
Megan Khang 3-0-1 1-0-0 2-0-0 0-0-1
Lexi Thompson 3-1-0 1-0-0 2-0-0 0-1-0
Jennifer Kupcho 0-2-1 0-1-0 0-1-0 0-0-1
Ally Ewing 1-3-0 0-1-0 1-0-0 0-2-0
Rose Zhang 0-3-1 0-1-0 0-0-0 0-1-1
Danielle Kang 2-2-0 1-0-0 1-1-0 0-1-0
Angel Yin 2-1-0 1-0-0 0-0-0 1-1-0
Andrea Lee 1-2-1 0-0-1 1-1-0 0-1-0
Cheyenne Knight 2-0-1 0-0-1 1-0-0 1-0-0

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See which Solheim Cup captain’s picks have come up big in Spain and which have been on the bench

Cheyenne Knight (2-0-0) is undefeated so far in Spain.

Solheim Cup captains are always judged in part by their captain’s picks. The composition of the two 12-person teams are different in that Suzann Pettersen selects four players for Europe compared to Stacy Lewis’ three picks for Team USA.

So far, the European captain’s picks have combined for 4½ points to Team USA’s four points. While Pettersen has practically hidden two of her picks with Caroline Hedwall and Gemma Dryburgh only playing in one match apiece, she has leaned heavily on one pick: Emily Pedersen. The Dane is one of three European players to tee it up in all four matches. No American, however, will play every session.

Solheim Cup: 5 things we learned from Saturday

Here’s a look at how all seven captain’s picks have fared so far this week:

Nine 2023 Solheim Cup players have a winning record (and six are European)

If you look at past records, the advantage at the 2023 Solheim Cup lies with the home side Europeans.

CASARES, Spain — Who are the favorites at the 2023 Solheim Cup?

The gambling experts in Las Vegas currently have the host Europeans as the favorites at -115, but it’s a close bet with the Americans at +100. A tie is currently +950.

The Rolex world ranking gives the U.S. side a slight advantage as all 12 Americans are ranked inside the top 50. Nine Euros are inside the top 50, with two outside the top 120.

If you ask United States captain Stacy Lewis, she’ll say Suzann Petersen and her European counterparts have to be favored. After all, Team Europe has claimed the last two Cups and will be playing on home soil.

“And that’s not to doubt my team. I just think Europe is really, really strong. They have got all the momentum in this event right now,” said Lewis last month when she made her captain’s picks for the biennial event that begins on Friday at Finca Cortesin on Spain’s southern coast. “That’s going to be our biggest thing is we are going overseas, and we don’t have the momentum on our side. And so we are going to go try to flip it.”

“We have a lot of new blood that has not experienced the last two years,” Lewis continued. “They don’t know what it’s been like, and I think that’s going to be to our advantage, as well.”

Sure, ignorance can be bliss, but the other side of that coin is a lack of high-pressure experience in a truly unique event. That could be an issue for the U.S., who fields a 12-player team this week that features five rookies.

Not only is Team Europe two-time defending champions, but of the 24 players competing, nine have winning records in the event, and six are European.

MEET THE TEAMS: USA | Europe

Sweden, Thailand ride to 4-0 starts at LPGA’s 2023 Hanwha Lifeplus International Crown

Through two days at TPC Harding Park, Sweden and Thailand have yet to lose.

Through two days at TPC Harding Park, Sweden and Thailand have yet to lose.

The Swedish teams of Madelene Sagstrom/Maja Stark and Anna Nordqvist/Caroline Hedwall won their matches early Friday in the second round of the 2023 Hanwha Lifeplus International Crown, giving them a sterling 4-0-0 mark in San Francisco.

Sweden has already earned a spot in Sunday’s semifinals, regardless of how things shake out during Saturday’s third round. Thailand will join the Scandinavians after closing out Korea in the final matches of the day on Friday to also secure a perfect start.

Patty Tavatanakit/Atthaya Thitikul defeated Jin Young Ko/Hyo Joo Kim while the sister squad of Ariya Jutanugarn/Moriya Jutanugarn took down Hye Jin Choi/In Gee Chun.

“I love this course. I feel like it is a really tight course, but it doesn’t seem tight for me just because I really love this course and I feel like I can really get it going with a lot of confidence,” Tavatanakit said. “That really helped with my flow, too. That’s why I really hit it well.”

2023 Hanwha Lifeplus International Crown
Atthaya Thitikul of Team Thailand plays her shot from the third tee during day two of the 2023 Hanwha Lifeplus International Crown at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. (Photo: Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)

Team USA, the top-seed in the eight-team event and the only team with all four members having won a major championship, was 1-1-0 after Day 1 after splitting its matches with China.

On Friday, the Lilia Vu/Nelly Korda duo knocked out Liz Young/Alice Hewson, while the Danielle Kang/Lexi Thompson team beat Bronte Law/Jodi Ewart Shadoff, which sent the English squad to its fourth loss in two days. The U.S. has 3 points out of a possible 4.

The Americans are fourth after two days, however, as Team Australia, with 3 ½ points, has also yet to lose a match. The teams dealt with chilly temperatures throughout the day and Saturday’s forecast is expected to bring rain.

“I’m a Florida girl and I get cold pretty easily, but I think making sure you adjust to the weather, clubbing up, talking to your caddie a little more with club selections, and staying warm is key,” said Korda. “Everyone is kind of dealing with it, so you’re just trying to stay as patient as possible.

“The golf course is tough. It’s tough weather and the fairways aren’t very wide, and it gets tricky out here, especially if the wind picks up. Trying to stay warm and patient is the key this week.”

The No. 2-seeded Korean squad and the fifth-seeded English team will return to play Friday but will do so having both been eliminated from advancing.

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Linn Grant caps fantastic season with Race to Costa del Sol title as fellow Swede Caroline Hedwall ends victory drought in Spain

The Ladies European Tour season ended with a banner day for Swedish golf.

The Ladies European Tour season ended with a banner day for Swedish golf as veteran Caroline Hedwall won for the first time in four years and three Swedes topped the season-long Race to Costa del Sol: 1) Linn Grant 2) Maja Stark 3) Johanna Gustavvson.

Hedwall defeated Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux with a birdie on the fourth playoff hole at the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España. Grant closed with a 65 to finish third and top the year-long rankings.

“I am just very relieved, very happy,” said Grant. “This is huge for Swedish golf, having Johanna as well at No. 3 on the rankings. I’ve had Carro [Hedwall] as a role model myself to just see her out there winning and getting that moment for herself is awesome as well.”

Hedwall, 33, posted a bogey-free 67 on Sunday to finish at 18 under. Metraux, who won earlier this season at the Ladies Italian Open, recently clinched her LPGA card for the 2023 season with a share of fourth at the Pelican Women’s Championship.

“I wasn’t sure I still had it in me,” said Hedwall. “It’s so nice to get it together and get this win. It has been a roller coaster to be honest. I had injury in 2014 that was really tough on me, and I had a hard turn on my self-confidence. That win in 2018 meant a lot to me.

“It was tough during COVID-19. I didn’t want to travel as much but now it’s more or less back to normal and it feels great. My game is coming together really nicely, and it was awesome to finish with that.”

A seven-time winner on the LET, Hedwall said making the 2023 Solheim Cup team in Spain will be a goal for next season. She has made four previous Solheim Cup appearances.

Grant won four times on the LET in 2022, including the history-making Scandinavian Mixed, in which she beat the men on the DP World Tour. Stark won three times on the LET this season, including the ISPS Handa World Invitational, a co-sanctioned event with the LPGA that gave her immediate tour status. Stark, who like Hedwall played collegiately at Oklahoma State, finished out the season on the LPGA, placing 52nd on the Race to CME Globe points list.

Grant earned LPGA status last year at Q-Series but was unable to compete on U.S. soil this season due to her vaccination status. The former ASU star still managed to compete in LPGA events around the globe, however, finishing 56th on the CME rankings. In six LPGA starts this season, Grant carded four top-eight finishes and a T-19 at the AIG Women’s British Open.

She will have full LPGA status for 2023.

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Four players tied for lead at Scandinavian Mixed, including two men and two women

Four players are tied for the lead through three rounds of the Scandinavian Mixed, and it’s an equal representation.

Four players are tied for the lead through three rounds of the Scandinavian Mixed, and it’s an equal representation. Alice Hewson and Caroline Hedwall both stand at 12 under at Vallda Golf and Country Club in Gothenburg, Sweden, and so do Rhys Enoch and Jason Scrivener.

Equal representation at the top of the leaderboard is the best endorsement you could make for the opportunity this tournament provides.

Wind made conditions difficult in the third round, but Hewson persevered. She birdied three of her final four holes for a third-round 69 and is enjoying every minute.

“I am having a lot of fun this week,” Hewson said. “That’s been something I’ve really kind of worked on from the beginning of this season. . . . Playing with the men has been so much fun. They’ve all made me feel exceptionally welcome.”

The former Clemson star is looking for her second Ladies European Tour win. Hedwall, meanwhile, is a six-time LET winner and was the 2010 NCAA individual champion. She walked away from Saturday’s third round please with the course setup.

“They’ve obviously set it up really well for us. I’m really looking forward to tomorrow,” she said.

The tournament concludes Sunday.

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