USA Wins The 44th Curtis Cup

The 44th Curtis Cup was shaping up to be a closely contested competition until the USA team produced a dominant display on the back nine, ultimately securing a 13-7 win at Bel-Air Country Club.

Although the final score may suggest a decisive victory, the singles matches on Sunday were evenly contested, with several matches going down to the wire.

Some of the key highlights from Sunday's action include:

Patience Rhodes recorded the first point for GB&I after coming from four down through seven holes against USA's Kelly Xu, who never fell more than one up over the back nine in a thrilling opening match. Rhodes had to make a long par putt to retain her lead and secure the first point, while Xu marked an unusual day in team match play history by receiving her diploma before Sunday's singles matches began.

Sophia Fullbrook fell one down early in her match against America's Avery Weed, only to build a 3-up lead deep into the back nine before having to hold on for a birdie at the last, tying the match score at 7-7.

USA's Jasmine Koo found herself four down through 11 holes but staged an incredible comeback, birdieing five of her next six holes before making par at the last to edge past Nellie Ong 1-up. The 20-year-old USC All-American from Cerritos, California, recorded USA's first and possibly most crucial point of the Singles, countering the sea of powder blue on the board.

Kiara Romero overcame a two-hole deficit in a thrilling back-and-forth match against GB&I's Isla McDonald-O'Brien, 1-up, securing the match-clinching half-point with other red on the board and GB&I out of mathematical comeback opportunities.

American Asterisk Talley cruised to a 2-up win over GB&I's Davina Xanh, ending the week 3-2.

USA's Farah O'Keefe fell two behind through 12 holes but mounted a remarkable comeback against Charlotte Naughton, ultimately winning 2 and 1 and finishing the week 5-0, joining the ranks of the select few to achieve this feat in Curtis Cup history.

When the 21-year-old NCAA champion and University of Texas standout holied her match-clinching 11th point at No. 17, the affable O'Keefe was met with congratulations from her teammates. 'I don't think I've shaken that much in my life,' said O'Keefe. 'I didn't shake that much when [I won] the national championship…Golly, I am just so pumped. It was an awesome, awesome match. It's a pretty incredible sight right here [with my teammates]. Definitely the highlight of my career so far.'

Three key performers on the day were Jasmine Koo (3-0), Kiara Romero (3-1), and Asterisk Talley (3-2).

The 45th Curtis Cup Match has been scheduled for 2028 at Royal Dornoch in Scotland.

Future Curtis Cups in the United States will be held at National Golf Links of America in Southampton, New York, in 2030; Pine Valley Golf Club in 1934; Bandon Dunes in Oregon in 2038; Cypress Point Club in 2042; and Seminole Golf Club in 2046.

Bel-Air Country Club and the USGA delivered a special week in the hills above Los Angeles, with the golf course conditioning provided by Justin DiPeppo's crew bringing out the best attributes of the 2017 restoration project. The USGA's team added fun setup touches and surprisingly tough hole locations, showcasing how match play can be elevated on a course that offers just the right level of challenge.