Alison Lee’s Remarkable Comeback at the 2026 Solheim Cup

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Alison Lee started her 2026 LPGA Tour season from the broadcast booth. She was on maternity leave after giving birth in April 2025. Her return to golf led her to earn a spot on the U.S. Solheim Cup team. Competing against Europe in the Netherlands, Lee’s performance was exceptional.

During the biennial event, she played in three of the first four sessions. Lee won both her foursome matches and her fourball match across the first two days. On Sunday, she was the second American player in the singles session. Although it seemed she was running out of energy, she surprised everyone with her resilience.

Lee struggled through the first 11 holes, playing 1-over par. By the 12th hole, she was 4-down against Europe’s Esther Henseleit at Bernardus Golf. In the competition’s 36-year history, no player had overcome such a deficit in a singles match. Yet, Alison found another gear and made history.

Henseleit struggled, playing her last seven holes at 2-over. Lee seized this opportunity, playing those holes at 4-under. Her performance allowed her to not only tie the match but secure a full point for the U.S. She achieved this with birdies on two of her final three holes.

Lee’s comeback made her the first player to qualify for the U.S. Solheim Cup team after giving birth, following Hall of Famer Juli Inkster’s similar milestone in 2011. After her maternity leave, Lee returned to the LPGA Tour in mid-April. She had limited time to earn points and captivate U.S. captain Angela Stanford’s attention.

Lee participated in 12 LPGA events before the Solheim Cup. She achieved three top-10 finishes, including a T-5 at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in June. Despite her effort, Team Europe emerged victorious, with England’s Lottie Woad defeating Auston Kim 2&1, sealing the win for Europe.

Alison was in the early stages of her pregnancy during the 2024 Solheim Cup. At that time, only U.S. captain Stacy Lewis, teammate Megan Khang, and her caddie knew of her personal news. She earned a point for the Americans in their 15.5-12.5 victory.

Before Lee’s participation in 2026, the last mother to play in the event was Suzann Pettersen for Team Europe in 2019. She famously secured the cup for Europe before retiring immediately afterward.