USA dominates 40th Curtis Cup to win in record fashion

Team USA wins Curtis Cup

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 11 June 2018

The United States produced a commanding performance to defeat GB&I by a record score of 17-3 in the 40th Curtis Cup match at Quaker Ridge in New York.

USA dominates 40th Curtis Cup to win in record fashion

Team USA led the 40th Curtis Cup, contested between the leading women amateur players from the USA and GB&I, by 9-3 going into Sunday’s singles at Quaker Ridge. The home side won every match on the final day to complete the biggest ever victory in the biennial competition.

Needing just one and a half point to win the Cup, Sophia Schubert got the home side off to the perfect start by beating Olivia Mehaffey 2&1 in the first match.

Moments later it was all over when Kristen Gillman secured the winning point after a comprehensive 5&4 win over Annabell Fuller. In doing so, Gillman became only the third player after Stacey Lewis (2008) and Bronte Law (2016) to go 5-0-0 in a single Curtis Cup match since the new three-day format was introduced.

15-year-old Lucy Li added a 5&4 victory against India Clyburn before Jennifer Kupcho’s 2&1 success over Lily May Humphreys made it 13-3 to the United States.

A long-range birdie from the world's leading woman amateur golfer Lilia Vu made sure of a win against Sophie Lamb by two holes. Andrea Lee closed her match out against Alice Hewson on the 17th hole to win 2&1 and give her side a 15-3 lead.

Lauren Stephenson sealed her match against Shannon McWilliam in style with a fantastic birdie putt which dropped from around 12 feet to give the 20-year-old a 2&1 victory. Mariel Galdiano defeated Paula Grant by one hole in the last match out on the course to give the United States a 17-3 win.

“It’s a great feeling and of course I've never been on a losing side. It's good to see the team get to experience that winning feeling,” said USA captain Virginia Derby Grimes.

“Last night we just talked a little bit and I just told them to enjoy the moment and be patient on the greens. The whole week has been phenomenal and I can't say any one moment has stood out. There have been so many great moments.”

GB&I captain Elaine Farquharson-Black, who had also captained the GB&I side to victory two years ago in Ireland, looked to put the result in perspective.

“We have a very young team and the players will have learned lots from this experience which will stand them in good stead for the future,” she said. “They have given it their all this in this match and I’m very proud of them.”

The USA now leads the overall Curtis Cup series 29-8-3. The 41st Curtis Cup match will be played at Conwy (Caernarvonshire) Golf Club in Wales from 12-14 June 2020.

The USA is now in possesion of the Ryder Cup, the Solheim Cup, the Walker Cup and the Curtis Cup.

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Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?

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