Leona Maguire was unable to add to her remarkable winning record as American duo Auston Kim and Rose Zhang recorded a 3&2 win over the Cavan golfer and European team-mate Nastasia Nadaud in Saturday’s afternoon fourballs as the Solheim Cup was left in the balance ahead of Sunday’s conclusion.
Maguire’s record in the Solheim Cup stood at a sensational 10-3-1 after the morning session, with a late rally alongside Esther Henseleit seeing them steal a crucial point from Jennifer Kupcho and Zhang to leave Europe 7-5 ahead at Bernadus Golf Course in the Netherlands heading into the second session.
However, USA took that later session 3-1 to tie up proceedings at 8-8 heading into the Sunday singles with Kupcho summoning a pair of superb last-gasp putts to drag the visitors all square on a thrilling day of action.
Maguire will be hoping to secure her 11th Solheim Cup point on Sunday when she comes up against Lauren Coughlin in the singles, that match getting underway at 12.46pm Irish time.
Nadaud had already racked up two points alongside Mimi Rhodes on her competition debut, but they were always chasing as the American pair holed a number of key early shots to set the terms.
All square after the opening two holes, momentum shifted to Zhang and Kim as they quickly moved 3UP through five.
First Kim’s putt from just off the green on the third just had the legs to find the cup and there was an even better putt at the next as her long-range effort swept across the green – right to left – and in to put America 2UP.
Kim missed her birdie putt at the next, but her team-mate bailed her out as the away pair took control.
Magiure’s character in matchplay situations cannot be questioned and she led a charge as Europe bounced back at eight and nine to get back within range after their opponents had missed opportunities on the sixth and seventh to extend their lead.
Leona Maguire tees off at the sixth during Saturday’s fourballs
Maguire was fist-pumping walking onto the eighth green as her eagle chip from just off was judged to perfection to drop in, and her approach at the next was sublime with the resulting birdie winning another hole for Europe.
But just look like all the momentum was with Maguire and Nadaud, Team USA won three holes on the trot to move 4UP.
Zhang started that run with an eagle at 10 with a 15-foot birdie following from the same player to take the next and although both American golfers found the sand at 12, Europe still lost the hole – and with it went their last chance to really force another late rally.
Nadaud kept the match alive with a birdie at 15, but Zhang closed it out with a birdie on the 16th hole.
Europe had built a two-point lead after the morning foursomes and looked strong favourites to retain that advantage as the final quartet approached the closing holes.
But Kupcho had other ideas, draining a birdie putt from 91 feet on the 17th to bring her and team-mate Lindy Duncan level against Carlota Ciganda and Celine Boutier going to the 18th.
Ciganda had been the hero of the opening day for Europe when she emerged from the rough to somehow secure a half on the final hole and ensure the two teams would be locked at 4-4 overnight.
But she failed to repeat the feat on Saturday, missing a birdie putt to keep Europe’s hard-earned lead intact, before Kupcho produced another mighty putt from the edge of the green to snatch an improbable victory for the US pair.
Questions may be asked about European captain Anna Nordqvist’s persistence with Charley Hull and Lottie Woad as a partnership after they also fell in the fourballs, losing 1UP to Yealimi Noh and Andrea Lee, after also losing in the foursomes.
Europe’s only point of the afternoon session was carved out by Maja Stark and Lin Grant, who beat Americans Megan Khang and Coughlin 2&1.
In the morning session, Maguire and Henseleit’s late surge in their foursomes match ensured Europe had led USA 7-5 after play had finished.
After splitting both sessions on Friday, there was once again little between the sides.
Stark and Grant got the hosts off to the perfect start, defeating Allisen Corpuz and Nelly Korda 3&2.
Rhodes and Nadaud got the better of Andrea Lee and Kim 4&3, while the biggest winning margin on Saturday morning came with Alison Lee and Coughlin (6&5) utterly dominant against an out-of-sorts English pair Hull and Woad.
It meant that Kupcho and Zhang were bidding to take the point for USA that would make it 6-6 going into the afternoon fourballs.
Heading to the 16th they were on course for that, 1UP on Maguire and Henseleit, but the European pair delivered coming down the stretch to put daylight between the teams for the first time.
Henseleit and Maguire delivered a crucial point for Team Europe in the morning foursomes
Kupcho and Zhang, who lost their foursomes match on Friday morning to Linn Grant and Maja Stark, were on the backfoot immediately against Maguire and Henseleit as the Europeans seized the initiative at the opening hole.
The American pair however soon found their rhythm, levelling matters at the third with Zhang putting from 20 feet before taking the lead at the next hole.
At the sixth, Maguire’s chip was overhit and ended up rolling 10 feet past the flag. Henseleit failed to make par, with Kupcho taking advantage to go 2UP.
Europe had the chance to halve the deficit at nine, but Henseleit’s miss from three feet sucked some energy from the boisterous crowd.
That miss was quickly forgotten at the 10th as Maguire showed her putting nous, knocking in from 15 feet to apply pressure on Zhang, who failed to hole out from around half that distance.
The Cavan woman followed that with a superb tee shot at 11, but Henseleit’s difficulties on the green continued, stabbing her short putt to the right.
Arguably Maguire’s standout moment of the round came with her bunker shot at 12, a majestic effort that dropped to within three feet, with her German playing partner levelling up matters.
“Just listen to the crowd!”@leona_maguire 😎😎😎#TeamEurope | #SolheimCup pic.twitter.com/wIrLdcuYNG
— Solheim Cup Team Europe (@SolheimCupEuro) September 12, 2026
Maguire held her nerve at 13 to reclaim the lead in the match, fist-pumping to the gallery as Europe moved ahead.
The 14th was something of a rollercoaster. Henseleit found the bunker from her drive, with Maguire hacking out into clumpy heather. Their opponents also found the going tough, but Zhang’s 20-footer ensured Henseleit had no margin for error. Her five-footer tailed to the left.
The US pair made it two in a row at the 15th. With tension rising in the closest foursomes game in the morning session, Maguire found water from the tee.
With a small amount of the ball visible, Henseleit, half standing on with her left leg with her right foot submerged, tried to work her way out, but her effort bounced back into the water, and Europe found themselves one down with three to play.
A decent approach from Henseleit at 16 provided her playing partner with a chance to level matters once again.
The 31-year-old took her time to assess her four footer up the hill, before delivering yet again at a crucial time, to the delirium of the crowd.
The penultimate hole was relatively drama free – Maguire’s timid putt never looked likely to succeed – and it was on to the last with all eyes on the final match of the morning.
Zhang’s error from the sand opened the door and Europe took advantage. Maguire’s approach skipped into the roll-off area, but Henseleit saved some of her best for last, a delicious chip that looks to be heading in, but with only six inches to go, US conceded the par.
Zhang had to pitch in to halve the match, but it was too tall an order as Europe prevailed, winning two of the final three holes.