Jennifer Kupcho shushes European crowd with late heroics Saturday at 2026 Solheim Cup

Jennifer Kupcho shushes European crowd with late heroics Saturday at 2026 Solheim Cup.

Key points

• Stanford informed her assistant captains that something just flipped inside Kupcho, a major champion who won the NCAA Championship and inaugural Augusta National Women's Amateur.
• More: 2026 Solheim Cup is tied entering Sunday singles.
• The Americans haven't won overseas since 2015 and only three times in total in the history of the competition.
• Kupcho shouted "Vamos!" at the top of her lungs after the putt went in, a nod to the animated Spaniard she beat, Carlota Ciganda.
• "I mean, how many times out of 10 do you make that putt?" asked European captain Anna Nordqvist.

CROMVOIRT, Netherlands – American Jennifer Kupcho barely read the putt that will become part of the highlight reel of her career. The 29-year-old stepped up to a 90-footer from off the 17th green, one that Golf Channel analyst Morgan Pressel remarked produced her head hurt, and completely shifted the complexion of the 20th Solheim Cup.

This, U.S. Captain Angela Stanford remarked, will free up her team.

"That's what that felt like in Germany on the Sunday, " remarked Stanford of the greatest comeback in U.S. Team history 11 years ago. "Like, all of a sudden they now believe that they can get it done."

More: 2026 Solheim Cup is tied entering Sunday singles. Here are the matchups.

Kupcho shouted "Vamos!" at the top of her lungs after the putt went in, a nod to the animated Spaniard she beat, Carlota Ciganda. The steely American had additionally shushed the crowd after a birdie on the eighth hole and then afterwards cupped a hand over her ear. "Carlota's loud, " Kupcho remarked smiling, "So I can be loud back."

Of course, it wasn't simply that Kupcho created the 90-footer to extend the last match of the day. She then turned around and drained a 25-footer at No. 18 to clinch it, 1 up, and bring the overall tally to 8-8 heading into singles play Sunday.

Meanwhile, the American team erupted after Kupcho's heroics, sending a jolt of energy through a visiting team that had battled what might be the loudest crowd in Solheim Cup history.

"I think the coolest thing is having pretty much the entire team directly behind me and then, obviously, everyone in the fairway, but everybody screaming, " remarked Kupcho. "It was insane. I mean, I don't know how to explain what I felt inside, but pure excitement and joy."

"This will change her, " remarked Stanford. "I think she's always been particularly confident, but she doesn't ― I'm not sure she fully believes in herself at times. So I think something flipped."

For context, the Americans haven't won overseas since 2015 and only three times in total in the history of the competition. U.S. Team stats guru Justin Ray informed Stanford that the Americans have never led going into singles when playing overseas.

"This is hard, " remarked Stanford. "So to be tied going into singles? I'm really excited."

In her singles lineup, Stanford put Kupcho in the penultimate match, where she'll face Ciganda. This person had her own epic putt to end play on the first day. Tonight, they'll ready themselves for an encore.

Beth Ann Nichols is a senior writer for Golfweek covering the LPGA and all things women's golf. Follow her on X/Twitter (@GolfweekNichols). SMS Facebook Twitter Email.

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