Alison Lee’s Remarkable Comeback at the 2026 Solheim Cup

Alison Lee began the 2026 LPGA Tour season differently, stepping into the broadcast booth during her maternity leave. She gave birth to her son in April last year. Her inclusion in the U.S. Solheim Cup team was impressive, and her performance against Europe in the Netherlands exceeded expectations.

Lee participated in three of the first four sessions of the biennial event. She secured victories in both of her foursome matches and one fourball match in the opening two days. On Sunday, she was the second American to start in the singles session. Despite initial struggles, she showcased resilience and strategic play.

In the singles match against Esther Henseleit at Bernardus Golf, Lee started 1-over par for the first 11 holes, trailing 4-down. Historically, no player had ever come back from such a deficit in singles. But Lee found her rhythm and rewrote history.

During the final seven holes, Henseleit’s performance at 2-over worked to Lee’s advantage. Lee finished strong, shooting 4-under and not only tied the match but secured a full point with birdies on two of her last three holes.

“Lee’s comeback defied expectations, setting a new standard for perseverance,”

Lee made history as the first player to automatically qualify for the U.S. team after childbirth since Juli Inkster in 2011. Her journey included three top-10 finishes in 12 LPGA Tour starts post-maternity leave, peaking with a T-5 at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in June.

Despite Lee’s stellar performance, Team Europe claimed victory thanks to Lottie Woad’s win over Auston Kim.

Reflecting on her career, Lee kept her 2024 Solheim Cup pregnancy private, known only to a few. Her single point during that event contributed to a 15.5-12.5 American victory.

Before Lee, Suzann Pettersen was the last mother to participate, playing for Europe in 2019. Pettersen famously won the cup and retired immediately afterward.