From the booth to the team

Lee started the 2026 LPGA season on maternity leave, calling golf on TV after giving birth to her son in April of last year. Making the U.S. Solheim squad at 31 was the first surprise.

A very tight window

Her first start back came in mid-April, leaving barely any time to earn points. She got three top-10s in 12 starts, including a T-5 at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship.

Three sessions, three wins

Lee played three of the first four sessions in the Netherlands and won all of them: two foursomes matches and one fourball, across the opening two days.

Four down with seven to play

Against Esther Henseleit at Bernardus Golf, Lee played her first 11 holes in 1-over and walked to the 12th tee four down. In 36 years of Solheim Cups, nobody had come back from that in singles.

“things are not always as they appear”

Four under to finish

Henseleit went 2-over on the closing seven, but Lee had to make the putts. She played those seven holes in 4-under and birdied two of her last three to win outright, not just halve.

First since Inkster

Lee is the first player to automatically qualify for the U.S. team after giving birth since Hall of Famer Juli Inkster did it in 2011. Suzann Pettersen, in 2019, was the last mom to play for either side.

Europe still took the cup

Lee's early point was one of few American bright spots on Sunday. Lottie Woad beat Auston Kim 2&1 in the eighth afternoon match to clinch it for Europe.