Spanish golfers Carlota Ciganda and Marta Silva have made a decisive contribution to the victory of the European team over the American team in the prestigious PING Junior Solheim Cup, a duel that precedes the professional event of the same name and which, on this occasion, has been held in Baastad (Sweden).

The Old Continent squad lived up to tradition, with the home team always winning 14-10 in an intense match that was decided in the singles matches of the second day.

Under the guidance of Sweden's Catrin Nilsmark and Madrid's Marta Figueras-Dotti, Europe finished the first day with a 7-5 lead, a victory in which the Spanish golfers played a key role, as both Carlota Ciganda and Marta Silva won their respective matches. In the foursomes, Ciganda and Germany's Nicola Rössler narrowly defeated their opponents 1-up, while Silva and England's Florentyna Parker won more comfortably (5-4). In the fourballs, the two Spaniards teamed up to defeat their American opponents 4-2.

Europe definitively tipped the scales in its favor on the second and final day, when 12 points were at stake in the singles matches. Carlota Ciganda defeated Allie White by a decisive 5/3 to clinch the PING Junior Solheim Cup and level the score in the winners' record of this young, biennial tournament. Marta Silva lost to Stephanie Kono by 1 up, although her defeat was inconsequential.

This fourth edition of the transatlantic tournament marked Europe's second victory, following the United States' decisive 16-8 win in 2005 at the Bridgewater Club in Indiana. On that occasion, Carlota Ciganda and Marta Silva were joined by Beatriz Recari from Navarre, Belén Mozo from Cádiz, and Azahara Muñoz from Málaga.

FOURSOMES (first day)
Europe, 3 – USA, 3
FOURBALLS (first day)
Europe, 4 – USA, 2
INDIVIDUALS (second day)
Europe, 7 – USA, 5

BOTTOM LINE
Europe, 14 – USA, 10