Toronto Star
· collected 2026-09-15 · by Doug Ferguson The Associated Press
Carlota Ciganda, despite her modest individual career achievements, became a formidable player during the Solheim Cup in the Netherlands, contributing significantly to Europe's 15-13 victory over the United States. She emphasized the transformative power of playing for her team, stating that she loves beating American players and feels focused when competing for Team Europe. Ciganda secured a crucial final point by defeating Jennifer Kupcho in singles matches, highlighting the personal and competitive spirit that drives European success in these events.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-15,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event.
Carlota Ciganda doesn’t have the career resume to inspire any level of intimidation.
asserted
Ciganda → have → intimidation
She has only three wins in 15 seasons on the LPGA Tour, eight more on the Ladies European Tour.
asserted
She → have → Tour
Ciganda has never won or even finished runner-up in the 74 majors she has played.
asserted
she → win → majors
The 36-year-old Spaniard missed the cut in four of the five majors this year.
asserted
Spaniard → miss → majors
But dress her in blue and gold, put 11 teammates around her with nothing more than the Solheim Cup at stake and American players standing in her way, and Ciganda is a different player.
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Ciganda → dress → way
“I love beating the Americans,” Ciganda said after silencing Jennifer Kupcho in singles for the final point in a 15-13 victory in the Netherlands.
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Ciganda → beat → Netherlands
That’s not an original thought, but it is key to European success in both cups.
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it → ’ → cups
Some 20 years ago, Paul Casey caught some heat when he said he learned to “properly hate” the Americans in the Ryder Cup.
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he → catch → Cup
It’s just sport.
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It → ’ → ?
Americans love to win, but do they love beating Europe?
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they → love → Europe
Dottie Pepper did.
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Pepper → do → ?
She once said Europeans would be bagging groceries if not for the LPGA Tour.
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Europeans → say → Tour
“Just winning for Team Europe, it’s the best feeling,” Ciganda said.
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Ciganda → win → Europe
“Playing for something bigger than yourself, I guess my mind gets to be very focused and I love this week.
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I → play → week
This is why I play golf.”
asserted
I → play → golf
The lingering question about this U.S. loss was not about pairings or captain’s picks or lineups or even a lack of statistics.
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question → linger → statistics
Whose idea was it to post their beer-happy celebration on the bus — on Saturday?
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it → post → Saturday
The ultimate payback was Europe singing on the bus after leaving Bernardus Golf with the crystal trophy: “They drink on Saturday.
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They → sing → trophy
We drink on Sunday.”
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We → drink → Sunday
Kupcho delivered a big moment in an otherwise pedestrian performance Saturday when she made a 93-foot birdie putt — so long she didn’t even study the break before giving it a whack — and then won the match with a 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th.
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she → deliver → 18th
“Vamos!” Kupcho screamed on the 17th green, directed at the equally vocal Spaniard.
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Kupcho → scream → Spaniard
Imagine the delight when the blind draw for Sunday singles was announced, and Ciganda saw her name against Kupcho in the 11th spot on the card.
“I was really happy to see that I was playing against Kupcho,” Ciganda said.
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Ciganda → imagine → Kupcho
“She’s a fighter, I’m a fighter.
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I → ’ → ?
And I told her, ‘Look, great playing.’
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I → tell → her
But today I knew she had no chance.
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she → know → chance
I was like, ‘I want to kill you.’”
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I → want → you
Five holes into their singles match, Ciganda already was 4 up, and she closed out a 4-and-2 victory as the celebration was getting started.
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celebration → close → victory
Equally key for Europe was what Ciganda did on the 18th hole Friday afternoon, when the Americans were poised to take a one-point lead after the first day.
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Americans → poise → day
Nelly Korda and Lauren Coughlin each had good looks at birdie.
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Korda → have → birdie
Ciganda was playing a different hole.
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Ciganda → play → hole
She pitched that to 12 feet and, after both Americans missed their birdies, holed the putt to escape with a halve.
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Americans → pitch → halve
Ciganda dropped her putter and shook her arms after her unlikely par with a clutch putt.
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Ciganda → drop → putt
This from a player who ranks No. 155 in the key putting statistic (strokes gained) on the LPGA Tour.
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who → rank → Tour
For putts in green in regulation, her rank improves to No. 151.
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rank → improve → .
It’s the Solheim Cup.
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It → ’ → ?
“I don’t know what happens at Solheim Cup, but I make a lot of putts,” Ciganda said.
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Ciganda → know → putts
“I need to take this mentality into the regular tournaments.”
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I → need → tournaments
Too bad her play down the 18th in Friday fourballs didn’t include a shot from the car park.
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play → include → park
European men wear his image on their sleeves and in their hearts.
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men → wear → hearts
Ballesteros is why all of Europe was invited to the Ryder Cup, and it remains the best rivalry in golf.
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it → invite → golf
…and 10 more, not listed.
The Aporia
