Great Britain and Ireland have won the Curtis Cup for the first time since 2016 after a thrilling triumph over the United States at Sunningdale. Singles victories for Ireland’s Sara Byrne, who was unbeaten all week, Patience Rhodes and Lorna McClymont took the home side to the verge of a famous win before Mimi Rhodes saved par on the 17th to guarantee a decisive half point against Melanie Green. Rhodes went on to lose the 18th after pulling her second shot out of bounds, but was then mobbed by her joyous team-mates on the green as the celebrations began in earnest.

Rachael Kuehn’s victory over Ireland’s Aine Donegan in the anchor match meant a final score of 10.5 to 9.5 in favour of Catriona Matthew’s side, the Scot adding a Curtis Cup victory to her two successes as Europe’s Solheim Cup skipper.

The Americans, trailing 7-5 going into the eight singles matches, led early in five of the opening six matches and picked up its first point when 15-year-old Asterisk Talley took down Lottie Woad, the No. 1 player in the women's amateur ranking.

GB&I showed its resolve, particularly Rhodes. Her sister, Patience Rhodes, had given GB&I its first point with a 6-and-5 win over Zoe Campos. Sara Byrne completed an unbeaten week (2-0-3) with a 3-and-2 win over Catherine Park. Mimi Rhodes, 3 down after seven holes, rallied to take a 1-up lead with a birdie on the par-5 14th. Two matches behind her, Lorna McClymont had seized control over Megan Schofill, and it was clear the decisive point would come down to Rhodes and Green.

Rhodes pulled her tee shot well left on the par-4 17th and had no choice but to pitch back to the fairway. She hit her third to 18 feet below the cup. Green tugged her approach to about 40 feet and two-putted for par. Rhodes made the big putt to halve the hole and stay 1 up going to the 18th, assuring the half-point for GB&I.

That became the winner when moments later, McClymont tapped in for par on the 16th hole for a 3-and-2 victory.

The Rhodes sisters – Mimi and Patience – etched their names into Sunningdale history in dramatic scenes as Great Britain and Ireland beat the US to win the Curtis Cup for the first time in eight years and just the third time this century. With Catriona Matthew’s side staring at defeat after their loaded top order failed to bring home the required 3½ points from the eight singles, the siblings from Somerset shrugged off their indifferent form to uphold the Rhodes family name in emphatic style.

Patience, 20, did not live up to her first name as she hurried to a 6&4 triumph over Zoe Campos, bringing Great Britain and Ireland to within two points of the magic 10½ figure. The Scot Lorna McClymont took charge of her game against Megan Schofill at the turn and the pressure was all on Rhodes Snr in her match against Melanie Green.

Having been three down after seven holes, the former winner of the Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Championship reeled off four birdies in five holes to take a one-up lead with four remaining.

Green was not done and looked certain to win the 17th and make it all square going down the 18th, with the US knowing that they would retain the cup with a 10-10 . But with everything on the line, Mimi, 22, nervelessly holed a 15-footer on the penultimate green to send her team-mates, and the impressive Berkshire crowds, into dreamland.

It means that of the big four team events the mighty Americans hold only the Walker Cup, as the Curtis Cup joins the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup on this side of the pond. It surely also quietens talk that the 92-year-old women’s amateur team tournament should expand to include Europe after three consecutive US triumphs before this week.

Inspired by Matthew – the former Women’s Open winner who led Europe to Solheim Cup wins in 2019 and 2021 – GB&I belied the world amateur rankings and once again highlighted the appeal of team matchplay.

Lottie Woad, the world amateur No 1, was undefeated until she lost the first singles 3&2 to Asterisk Talley and Hannah Darling had won three out of three before succumbing 3&2. They contributed their points on the first two days and will be relieved that the lower order was able to rise to the challenge.

For Matthew, it was another entry on an already creaking CV. The Scot was the first professional to captain a Curtis Cup team and was clearly a huge success. “This is right up with the Solheim wins,” she said. “The girls were tremendous, knuckled down and fought every day. They are very talented, as are the Americans, and women’s golf has a great future.”

How the Curtis Cup Unfolded

The Curtis Cup, played every two years, is a match-play competition between the United States and Great Britain and Ireland. This year, the competition took place at Sunningdale Golf Club in England. The format consisted of three days of play, with fourball matches on Friday, foursomes matches on Saturday, and singles matches on Sunday.

Day 1: Fourballs

On Friday, the first day of competition, the teams were evenly matched in the fourball matches. GB&I won three of the four matches, while the USA took one. This gave GB&I a 3-1 lead heading into the second day.

Day 2: Foursomes

On Saturday, the USA fought back with a strong performance in the foursomes matches. The USA won three of the four matches to take a 5-4 lead into the final day.

Day 3: Singles

The singles matches on Sunday were the most exciting part of the competition. The USA started the day strong, but GB&I fought back to win the Curtis Cup in a dramatic finish.

The Key Players

Several players stood out during the Curtis Cup. Here are a few of the most notable performers:

• Mimi Rhodes – Rhodes was the hero of the day for GB&I, as she sank the crucial putt to clinch the victory in her match against Green. Rhodes showed remarkable resilience, coming back from a 3-down deficit to win the match.

• Patience Rhodes – Mimi's sister Patience also had a huge impact on the competition, dominating her match against Campos on Sunday.

• Sara Byrne – Byrne was unbeaten throughout the week, which was a key factor in GB&I’s victory. Byrne also had the distinction of being the top contributor for her team with three points.

• Lorna McClymont – McClymont had a solid performance throughout the week, and she also played a vital role in Sunday’s singles matches. McClymont capped off a stellar match against Schofill on Sunday with a birdie to secure the win.

• Rachel Kuehn – Kuehn was the most experienced player on the US team, and she played well throughout the competition. She is poised to move on to the professional game. Kuehn was the lone player on the U.S. team with experience in the biennial competition.

What’s Next for GB&I and the USA

The Curtis Cup is a great showcase for the future of women’s golf, and both GB&I and the USA have plenty of talented players to watch in the years to come. It will be fascinating to see how both teams evolve over the next few years and how the two teams will compete at the next Curtis Cup.

The Future of Women's Golf is Bright

The Curtis Cup 2024 demonstrated that the future of women's golf is in excellent hands. The competition was filled with exciting moments, and both the GB&I and USA teams showed incredible skill and talent. As the players gain experience, the competition will only get more intense and thrilling. The next Curtis Cup is sure to be a can't-miss event for fans of women's golf, and for anyone who enjoys watching exciting sports competitions.