And she became a legend?
Playing American star Nelly Korda in the penultimate match in Sunday singles, Ciganda battled, winning the 2nd, 3rd and 8th holes to go 3-up — then dropping the 9th, 10th and 15th to square things up. That 15th was wild. If you were watching Golf Channel coverage, you heard analyst Kay Cockerill say something about Carlota hitting “a cold shank” into the shrubbery. And she double-bogeyed.
On 16, Suzann Pettersen found Ciganda. She whispered to her. Pettersen has a fun story herself. She won the Solheim Cup four years earlier with a dagger — then retired. A walk-off. This year, she was the Euro captain. And at this point, other matches were ending. The math was saying Ciganda could clinch it, but she was spiraling. Her captain, though, had a question:
“Is this how you wanted it? It’s all yours.”
Korda then hit to 3 feet on the par-4 16th. But Ciganda wedged one to 3. She jogged up the fairway. She high-fived her caddie, Alvaro Alonso. She lifted her arms to the crowd. On the green, Korda missed. Ciganda made. She went 1-up. More fist-pumping.
Here, the Solheim was down to two matches. The score was 13-all. The Europeans, having won the previous Cup, could keep it if they just tied. (Yeah, that’s a little weird, but let’s continue.) The hole, the 17th, was a 145-yard, par-3. Ciganda took a 7-iron. She hit.
It dropped to a yard. Korda hit to the left of the green.
The faithful started their chant:
Car-lo-ta Ci-gan-da. Car-lo-ta Ci-gan-da. Car-lo-ta Ci-gan-da.
They eventually quieted. Korda chipped on. Her ball grazed the cup. Korda putted. Ciganda was off to the side, watching. Korda made. She had her par. But Ciganda’s birdie putt would seal it.
It fell.
Madness!
She dropped her putter. She saluted the crowd. She hugged Alonso. Her teammates came in. They hugged. They bounced. They celebrated on the green. One match remained, but it was over.
And then Golf Channel on-course analyst Karen Stupples found Ciganda amid the party afterward that included the Spanish monarchy and former hooper Pau Gasol.
“I mean, it’s amazing,” Ciganda said at the time. “It’s been an amazing week. I love the support of all my family, friends; I have a lot of people here. To play in Spain is always special. The Solheim Cup, it’s just been an unbelievable week. I love the captain; I love Suzanne. I just really wanted to play good for her. Very happy to win the four points.”
Thing is, though, these moments also tend to snowball. One shot gives rise to another shot, which gives rise to another shot — which gives rise to wins, plural. On that Solheim Sunday, analysts Judy Rankin and Juli Inkster wondered whether that would happen for Ciganda, a two-time LPGA winner.
“I do know she is the type of personality, and I think you’ve seen it as she played and as the crowd welcomed her and then as she won,” Rankin said, “she’s the kind of personality that can really love it, really enjoy it. I’ve said it before, she’s had so many chances to win in women’s golf and hasn’t taken advantage often enough. This might be the game-changer.
“She may be just a consistent winner from now on.”
You never know. Memories like these linger.
The songs, too.
Car-lo-ta Ci-gan-da.
Car-lo-ta Ci-gan-da.
Car-lo-ta Ci-gan-da.
“I mean, obviously an amazing week for me being in Spain,” Ciganda said at the time. “Very, very special to play here in front of my home crowd, family, lots of friends. It’s very special to hear my name so much on all the holes.
“I just can’t thank them enough.”
