How Carlota Ciganda arrived at Solheim’s most fiery quote

Tick. Tick. Tick.  

That feeling is always there, Carlota Ciganda explains. It always has been. Because, well …  

“Yeah, I mean I think Spanish people, we are very passionate,” Ciganda said, “lots of heart, lots of fight, and that’s what I tried to do. 

“And you guys can see it, I mean, how crazy I go.”

That’s come mostly at the Solheim Cup. Oh, the Solheim Cup. A team event in a singular game. Eleven mates. But a dozen foes, too. Your side’s colors. Against theirs. May the best women win. 

Tick. Tick. Tick.   

“I mean, I love this week,” Ciganda said. “As I said, I love playing for the team, for my teammates, for everyone here. Yeah, I just don’t know what happened, but I just love it. I mean, I love beating the Americans. And then, yeah, just winning for Team Europe, it’s the best feeling. 

“And I think, yeah, playing for something bigger than yourself, I guess my mind gets to be very focused and I love this week. This is why I play golf.”

Ahead of last week’s Solheim, Ciganda had been a lot — a (Car)lot(a)? — for the Americans. Seven straight appearances. A 12-11-4 record. Four cup wins. In 2023, at home in Spain, she earned the point that retained the Cup for the Euros. 

Then came what went down at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands. Last Friday afternoon, she somehow scratched out a par on the 18th hole, giving her and fellow Spaniard Julia Lopez Ramirez a half-point in their four-ball match against Americans Nelly Korda and Lauren Coughlin, and the sides finished day one with four points apiece. On the par-4, Ciganda went right off the tee and right with her second shot, only to pitch to about 10 feet and drop the ensuing putt. And a putter drop followed.  

“I love this week,” Ciganda said on Golf Channel afterward. “I just love playing for the team, for my teammates. Anna [captain Anna Nordqvist] is a good friend of mine, so I just want to win for her. So I’ve been playing alongside Julia, my good Spanish friend. It’s been amazing. 

“We had a tough match against Nelly and Lauren, very consistent, but we fought hard and at least we got half a point, which I think is really important.”

Saturday, Ciganda played once. She and Celine Boutier met Americans Jennifer Kupcho and Lindy Duncan in the day’s final four-balls match, and the Euros were two-up after 14. Then the Americans won the 15th. 

Then, on 17, Kupcho rammed in a 90-footer. A 90-freaking footer. And they were tied. And they were freaking tied. 

Tick. Tick. Tick. 

And those on site could hear Kupcho, playing Ciganda, speaking some Spanish. “Vamos! Let’s go!”

Tick. Tick. Tick. 

Then on 18, Kupcho dropped a 25-footer to win the hole and the match. The Americans and Europeans were again even. 

Tick. 

Saturday night, videos were also posted of the Americans drinking Heinekens on the team bus. 

Tick. 

But Sunday, Nordqvist put Ciganda in the penultimate group in singles play. Where she’d face U.S. captain Angela Stanford’s pick. 

Kupcho. 

Boom.  

Ciganda won the second hole. And the third. And the fourth. And the fifth. She won the match on 16, 4 and 2. It was the Europeans’ final point in a 15-13 win. 

And afterward, Ciganda put into words what had been taking shape, and the Solheim Cup got one of its best-ever quotes, and quite possibly its most ruthless. 

“I was really happy to see that I was playing against Kupcho,” she said. “She’s a fighter, I’m a fighter, and I told her, ‘Look, great playing.’ I mean, even yesterday what she did was amazing on 17 and 18. 

“But today I knew she had no chance. I was like, I want to kill you.”

Booooom. 

“So I had it very clear in my mind, and I was, like, I’m just going to do this for the team, for Anna, for all the captains,” Ciganda continued. “I mean, it’s been an amazing week. But yeah, this week, I just love it. I think playing for something bigger than yourself, it’s very special, and it’s been a very special group, great team. I think this week just make friendships forever and I’m just so happy for everyone on Team Europe. 

“We’ve been a team, and I think Anna has done an amazing job and just very happy. I’m very proud of all of them.”

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