TOLEDO, OHIO — Matilda Castren glanced at the rapidly expanding sea of red on the video board next to the 18th green, took a deep breath and tried to block everything out.
Her long road to the Solheim Cup. Europe’s rapidly dwindling lead over the host Americans. A record crowd filled with unfamiliar faces after COVID-19 travel restrictions basically forced the visitors to go it alone at breezy, sun-splashed Inverness.
The 26-year-old knew the 10-footer for par would move right to left. She just needed to get the speed right. When it poured into the heart to give her a 1-up win over Lizette Salas and assure Europe of a second straight Solheim Cup victory, there was no explosion of joy.