Great Britain and Ireland defeated the Continent of Europe to seal a first Vagliano Trophy victory since 2005.
Following the Curtis Cup win over the United States last September, the GB&I women again held their nerve in the biennial match, winning 12½-11½ at the Royal Hague Golf & Country Club in the Netherlands.
Led by non-playing captain Maria Dunne, GB&I found themselves trailing by one heading into the singles with Europe claiming two early wins.
However, the GB&I team fought back with the English trio of Patience Rhodes, Nellie Ong and Isla McDonald-O’Brien all scoring wins before Ireland’s Aine Donegan and another England player, Sophia Fullbrook, took GB&I over the winning line in a remarkable finish to claim a first win in 20 years.
“It’s been an unbelievable day,” said Dunne.
“I said to the team early this morning that I had a really good feeling about today. They did the job in the foursomes, momentum went our way and they just fought. I told them last night ‘just keep fighting, keep fighting for every single point or half point’ and that’s exactly what they did.”
Rhodes, Donegan, Beth Coulter, Lottie Woad and Hannah Darling were all part of the team which won the Curtis Cup and all played their part once again.
Woad and Coulter lost to Paula Martin Sampedro and Carolina Lopez-Chacarra Coto respectively, but things began to turn GB&I’s way with Ong’s 6&5 victory, and McDonald-O’Brien edged out Camille Min-Gaultier 2&1 to pull the visitors closer, before Rhodes delivered another crucial point with a two-hole triumph over France’s Sara Brentcheneff.
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