Team Europe, Liselotte Neumann
THE MODERATOR: Delighted to have with us European team captain Liselotte Neumann. Obviously a fantastic afternoon, a clean sweep in the four‑balls.
CAPTAIN LISELOTTE NEUMANN: Yeah, I know. Of course it was just a wonderful afternoon to walk away with those four points. We could only have dreamt about that.
And I’m just extremely happy and just extremely proud of how they all handled them self and how good they played.
So just very happy.
THE MODERATOR: Take questions.
Q. Meg said she was in shock. How would you describe your emotion?
CAPTAIN LISELOTTE NEUMANN: Just happy.
(Laughter.)
Q. When ‑‑ would you have settled given the way the afternoon had gone, would you have been okay if that last match had ended in a halve and how much of a boost was it when that putt dropped into the cup?
CAPTAIN LISELOTTE NEUMANN: Oh, yeah, that was just absolutely amazing. With Cristie hitting such a great shot up there. I mean I think that, I mean obviously getting away with the four points in the afternoon, it was just over our expectations. I think I would have been pretty happy with a tie in the afternoon.
Q. The last match or for the whole afternoon?
CAPTAIN LISELOTTE NEUMANN: Talking about the afternoon matches. I mean if we would have come away with a tie, like a 2‑2 in the afternoon matches I think that would have been a pretty good goal for us, since I rested all our experienced players. We wanted to rest them for the sink he will matches, so I mean to come out with 4‑0 in the afternoon was just over our expectations.
Q. Did Suzann ask to be sit down?
CAPTAIN LISELOTTE NEUMANN: Suzann sat, Anna sat and Catriona Matthew sat out.
Q. Did Suzann ask?
CAPTAIN LISELOTTE NEUMANN: And Suzann. Yeah, she was sitting out.
Q. Did she ask to be sitting out?
CAPTAIN LISELOTTE NEUMANN: Yeah. But most of them were, I mean, most of them were like, if you really need us, yeah, we can go, but, yeah, we’ll, we would prefer to sit out and rest for tomorrow. Both Anna and Catriona and everybody. So I just figured that I it just feels like it’s really important to keep some energy for single matches. So that’s what we wanted to do. It’s a big day tomorrow, it’s 12 points out there, so it’s not over yet.
Q. Can you talk about the gutsy pairing of putting two rookies together and how did it just come to you like that that was a good idea?
CAPTAIN LISELOTTE NEUMANN: No. I had that dreamt up from the beginning since I picked Charley at the British, actually. I already then chatted with Jodi and was kind of checking how good of a friends are you, could you imagine playing with her in a best ball. And they were like, yeah, we’re good friends, I can totally see playing with Charley. And that actually came down to one of the captain’s picks that was already in the works way back in the British when I did my picks. I don’t know, it’s just, I just had this gut feeling and I went with it.
Q. It worked. So how many gut feelings did you have about tomorrow?
CAPTAIN LISELOTTE NEUMANN:
(Laughter.) I got some good ones.
Q. Talk about tomorrow. Your lineup and your setting.
CAPTAIN LISELOTTE NEUMANN: Yeah, you obviously have seen it, right, so, yeah, you know what it is.
I think that Anna has been in that first position before and we just figured, we call her numero uno now, since she had her hole‑in‑one, so we figure we’ll put her in the first spot.
And I like playing Charley early. She’s, she did so well today going out in that first pairing and I don’t know, she just has that about her. She just kind of pops around. And she asked me the other day, Lotta, when am I going to get nervous? And I was like, I don’t know, now?
(Laughter.) So I mean she’s, you know, she was so cute today. She’s just like, this is like the best day of my life today when she played so well. So we’re like, we’re sending her out early, she’s got good energy, she’s playing well.
Azahara, Carlota, the Spanish connection there. We’ll keep them close together. And they both wanted to go early, so it feels good.
Then Caroline Hedwall has played so well, she’s won all her matches so far. She feels like she’s in a good spot there, covered up with Catriona Matthew and Suzann Pettersen, just a really lot of strength in those three matches there.
Giulia sat out this afternoon, so she will have some good energy tomorrow. Caroline has played well. Jodi played well. And then coming down to the last matches in case it will come that far then putting Karine Icher in the end there she just really stepped up to the plate today and making that putt it just feels like a perfect finish there for us, so looking at the paper on our lineup, it looks really good, I think.
Q. Carlota Ciganda was so solid this afternoon and obviously there’s a reason why she won the money title last year. She struggled so much yesterday, was that an aberration of the way she plays?
CAPTAIN LISELOTTE NEUMANN: She struggled yesterday and up to just about an hour before we decided who was going to play this afternoon I wasn’t even quite sure we were going to play her, actually. But her coach/teacher is here and Annika, they actually went up on the driving range about 10, 10:30 today and had a little bit of a session and just worked on her setup and her tempo and the ball position. And they just figured out a couple little things that just made a difference I think. And after that session. I think they were up there for about 30 minutes and Annika called in and said, she’s ready to go. So that’s when we put her in. So, and she did really, really well.
Q. There was an incident on the 7th over conceding a putt, when Paula had a meaningless putt to give Lexi a read. Which I’m sure you’re aware of. But Meg had said that Annika had been the one to recommend that they concede and there was a discussion about assistants giving advice. Do you have any thoughts on that?
CAPTAIN LISELOTTE NEUMANN: I think Annika just sort of felt like this is sort of what you do in the game. You give someone a putt that was short enough. And I think putting out, Charley and Jodi, I think they weren’t quite sure, should we give this putt to them or not. And I think that it sounded like someone had turned around and said what do we do? And she said, yeah, you give the putt. It’s like don’t make them putt the short little putt or something.
I wasn’t there, so I’m not a hundred percent sure how it all worked out, but I guess she was sort of you know that’s something you do, you give them the putt. So I guess that’s what happened.
Q. How do you keep your team from celebrating too early?
CAPTAIN LISELOTTE NEUMANN: I don’t know. I don’t know where they are right now. They’re on the bus back going crazy probably. No, but no, it’s obviously a long ways to go, so just kidding. They are going back to the hotel now and obviously having some dinner and Annika and Karin is with them and as soon as we’re done here we’ll head back and I think we just really just got to realize that stranger things have happened. We watched the Ryder Cup last year, I have been part of the team back in ’96 when it didn’t go so well. I think that there’s been other times too. So I think now is the time to just really sit down and for everybody just to really look at their own match and everybody’s got to go out and try to win their point tomorrow and don’t spend a whole lot of time looking at that board and thinking that my teammate will get the point, so they need to go out and just focus on their game tomorrow and keep doing what they have been doing, just hitting the fairways and greens and just putting some pressure on the U.S. team.
Q. How meaningful would it be to be the first captain of a European victory in America?
CAPTAIN LISELOTTE NEUMANN: You know, it would just be amazing feeling. I know when I took on this job, I think I said it before, and it was our goal, it’s obviously my dream, to be able to win this cup over here for the first time. So to make some history it will be amazing.
Team Europe, Liselotte Neumann
Q. Lotta, try and sum up that day for me if you will.
CAPTAIN LISELOTTE NEUMANN: It’s a wonderful feeling. These girls played their hearts out. It’s awesome, it was a fantastic afternoon. I’m so proud of them.
Q. You’ve always been positive about your chances here, but did you ever envision this sort of score line?
CAPTAIN LISELOTTE NEUMANN: No, but you can only hope and wish. But, no, you’re right, I couldn’t imagine that it was going to look like this coming into the singles.
But I think that we did a pretty gutsy thing today, this afternoon, resting some of the girls, because I knew how important the singles were going to be tomorrow. And sitting out Catriona and Anna and Suzann, and I knew they really needed to be rested for the singles. But to think these girls were just going to step up to the plate like this and take all the matches in the afternoon? It’s unbelievable.
Q. You sent out two rookies in the first match. You basically gave them the job of getting the momentum. Could you believe how well they played?
CAPTAIN LISELOTTE NEUMANN: I saw that pairing when I picked Charley back in the British. I just had a feeling about them. I just wanted to play them and they didn’t figure yesterday being the two, but after they played yesterday, they got a match in there and they were the perfect one to just send out there in the morning. They were rested, they had time to practice and I just wanted them to go out there and put some blue only the board.
Q. There’s still work to do. What will your message be to your team tonight?
CAPTAIN LISELOTTE NEUMANN: Well, obviously now we’re just going to celebrate a little bit here, but then obviously starting up for tomorrow we’ll have to go back and just really focus in on the matches. Like you said, stranger things have happened. So we just really got to focus back and just try to do the same thing tomorrow. Go out and win every match.
Q. Does this situation affect your singles at all?
CAPTAIN LISELOTTE NEUMANN: It might. We haven’t really talked about it. Coming in with a big lead like this, we might need to discuss it some more though.
Team USA, Meg Mallon
THE MODERATOR: Like to welcome U.S. captain Meg Mallon to the interview room here at the 2013 Solheim Cup, following Saturday play. Meg, obviously not the day you were looking for. If you could just sum it up for us.
CAPTAIN MEG MALLON: Yeah, it’s funny, when you look at your lineups and you’re like, we have got a lineup to ‑‑ which I still feel good about. I mean it just came down to, obviously, a lot of putts were made on the European side. And I’m standing there on 17 tee, and looking at Anna Nordqvist shot in the air, and I’m thinking that’s going to go in the hole. And it did. Things like that just don’t happen. But today for the Europeans it was a magical day for that team.
And for us, it was one of those days that putts didn’t drop. We had matches in that turn of events at 15, 16 and 17, that could have gone our way and didn’t.
It’s literally shocking to see us lose all four matches in the afternoon.
THE MODERATOR: We’ll take questions for Meg.
Q. So I guess the question is, what do you tell the players to try to get over that?
CAPTAIN MEG MALLON: Well, I’ve been a part of two teams, one Solheim Cup team and one team that we represented the LPGA in Japan that we were behind and won. In Wales we won, I believe, 10 and a half points on Sunday.
So it can be done. And that’s when you go back and say to your team is, take care of your match, and it can be done. There’s 12 points to get out there tomorrow. I think that we are a stronger team and we can do it tomorrow. And that’s what I’m going to tell them.
But they have to take care of their match. And we have to win one match at a time. And it will be fun seeing this crowd get behind that.
Q. So how does what happened today affect your lineup for tomorrow?
CAPTAIN MEG MALLON: Well, the good news about today is that the players that struggled a little bit yesterday played much better today. So I feel like, overall, my whole team’s playing better, they feel good about how they’re playing. You can call it front loading, but I feel like every player can win their match tomorrow. But I’m starting out with my strongest players and that’s what we have to do. We have to win one match at a time, starting with the first match.
Q. Can you say what happened on the 7th hole? Did a caddie from the European squad lodge the concession. That’s what triggered ‑‑
CAPTAIN MEG MALLON: Yeah what happened on the 7th hole from, and I got the story from the group itself. What happened, I was on the 11th tee and they told me what happened, but apparently Paula was going to show Lexi her line, which is a match play situation. And went to putt. And Annika had walked up to the group of players and caddies, European players and caddies, and said, give her the putt. So Jodi Shadoff’s caddie yells out, that’s good, as Paula is drawing her putter back. So Paula stopped her putt, and then because I heard it two or three times, you hear things, whatever, I wanted to make sure what had happened was true. I called in Sue Witters. I said I’ve heard it from more than three people, so there must be some validity as to what happened. And sue said we have already called the USGA and there is no breach of any rule whatsoever. And so I accepted that, if the USGA, obviously, knows their match play rules and so it’s a moot point, really. It wasn’t good etiquette, but it’s a moot point.
Q. Just to follow‑up, I would think a caddie in that situation would be part of the team, but I wonder about assistant captains. Does that fall under giving advice?
CAPTAIN MEG MALLON: Well that was the question. Was Annika giving advice. And they said it was not considered that, but they’re going to speak to the assistant captains, because they want to make sure that they do not intervene in any of the situations, like going forward.
And they probably need to be more specific on what the role of the assistant captain is. For example, I send the assistant captain out to the par‑3, caddies and players can tell them anything and then they tell me. They can’t give advice. But apparently under the USGA, this was not considered giving advice. So you can talk to the USGA about that.
Q. I would rather not. (Laughter.) Meg, going to ahead to tomorrow again, you said take care of your own match. Some golfers are scoreboard watchers regardless of ‑‑ in a normal situation. Do you tell them to ignore everything else? Is that something that you tell them in the morning?
CAPTAIN MEG MALLON: Yeah, obviously we have to get nine points. So there’s not much they can do about the scoreboard, can they? I mean they have got to take care of their own match. This a perfect situation where it doesn’t matter, looking at the scoreboard, all they need is three and a half points. So dig in, bury in, take care of your own match, don’t look up at the board. Definitely that will be a part of our talk to them.
Q. For the second day in a row, there was a lengthy ruling. What can, or needs to be done, to prevent this from happening with this regularity?
CAPTAIN MEG MALLON: Yeah, I think what was interesting about the whole thing is they said they had it on TV. And then all of a sudden they didn’t go with what they had on TV. Apparently, TV only caught part of the ball. So then they went back to the people on the ground.
You’re going to have to ask Brad Alexander, because I never got an explanation from him. I was under the assumption that when Beatriz went back behind the hazard that that was done. And then all of a sudden Cristie hits her shot, and I see Beatriz up by the ball over there. And Brad was gone. And I never got an explanation, except from the official that was there, who said that they went back to a person that was watching on the ground that said it hit on the ground and bounced into the hazard.
My question was, Beatriz Recari was on the tee box, and in mid‑air said get right. So if you were asking the ball to get right, where is your ball? And then I asked Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore, who were standing on the back of the tee box, and to their eye line they said it went straight down the middle of the hazard. But their opinion didn’t count. The opinion of the person that was, whoever they had asked, on the side, counted. Took precedents over TV, which was the first reason why Beatriz went back, because they said on TV that it went over the hazard and then all of a sudden it didn’t, because they didn’t catch the whole ball.
And then whoever it was on the ground said, no, it bounced and then went into the hazard. And that took precedence. And I’m not, I still haven’t gotten an explanation why, but it doesn’t matter, because we won the hole. So it doesn’t matter.
Q. Right, but it also took the final group to darkness because of the delay.
CAPTAIN MEG MALLON: Yeah, they could see the ball. It wasn’t dark. They could see the ball on 18, and we saw it very clearly going in on 18, unfortunately.
(Laughter.)
THE MODERATOR: I’ve just got handed the official pairings, and they will be available as you walk out, but I want you to comment on the the first two matches you put out Stacy Lewis first. Europe put out Anna Nordqvist who has played well this week. Second Paula Creamer, and they put out the youngster, Charley Hull. If you would just take a look at those and make a few comments.
CAPTAIN MEG MALLON: Yeah, I like it so far. I like my lineup. I’ve got a team ‑‑ I love my team. I know they’re upset and, I know they’re motivated and I’m looking at this lineup right now and I frankly I like it a lot. As I’m looking at ‑‑ looking down on it. Do you guys have it?
Q. No. Of course not.
CAPTAIN MEG MALLON: Come on, Mike, let’s go.
THE MODERATOR: We wanted to get you in here so we could get you back to your team. So match three, Brittany Lang versus Azahara Munoz. Match four Pressel versus Ciganda. I should actually say, match 21, Michelle Wie, Caroline Hedwall. That will be a good one.
CAPTAIN MEG MALLON: Um‑hum.
THE MODERATOR: 22, Piller, Matthew. 23, Salas, Pettersen. 24, Korda, Sergas. 25, Lexi Thompson, Caroline Masson. 26, Lincicome, Ewart Shadoff. 27, Stanford, Recari and the final match, Kerr versus Icher. Why put Cristie Kerr last?
CAPTAIN MEG MALLON: Because she can handle it. You saw it today. Cristie was going to make that putt on 18 today. So she can handle being there. I needed to have someone in the back. And I knew Cristie could handle being in that situation.
It’s totally different than anywhere we have been. We have to win nine points. So I had to leave someone in the back to take care of our business, if we need it.
Q. How did you feel after the morning session, and I’m assuming you felt pretty good, and at what point did your feelings change in the afternoon?
CAPTAIN MEG MALLON: Even ‑‑ I still had, I still felt like we could get a half out that have last match. And I talked about that and I talked to you about that. Every Solheim Cup, it seems, comes down to that Saturday afternoon last match and momentum that happens after that.
I’m hoping, in this case, that it’s a momentum of my team turning it around tomorrow. So it’s, obviously it’s daunting. I’m not being Pollyanna about this, but I really feel like the lineup I have, and this team, can do it.
I love this team. They are all engaged. They all played their hearts out today. No one gave up on me today. Not one player. And I know they’re not going to give up on me tomorrow.
Q. Have you thought about bringing Crenshaw in here to wag his finger?
CAPTAIN MEG MALLON: I talked to Ben about that. I said, you know, sounds like we’re going to need one of your speeches tonight, Ben, so.
Q. Someone compared Caroline to the Ian Poulter of Solheim Cup. What do you think?
CAPTAIN MEG MALLON: She dresses better.
(Laughter.)
THE MODERATOR: Should we leave it at that?
CAPTAIN MEG MALLON: Yeah, let’s do it.
Q. (No Microphone.)
Meg Mallon: Obviously a very disappointing afternoon. We got our work cut out for us tomorrow.
It can be done. It’s daunting right now, but it can be done.
Team USA, Paula Creamer & Lexi Thompson
Q. Just take me through the match.
PAULA CREAMER: I didn’t really show up until like the fourth or fifth hole. Lexi played great. She made a lot of birdies on the front.
We had some chances on the back nine to make some birdies, but they played really well. And the birdie on 17 was a big one that Charley made. Jodi hit a great shot into it, and we had to make birdie and we knew that. But overall it’s ‑‑ that’s what it is. It’s match play. It’s unfortunate, we had some good chances and made some good shots, but we just didn’t make enough.
Q. The winning 16, did you feel like that swung the momentum and then they sort of stole it back with the birdie on 17?
PAULA CREAMER: Winning 16 was big. We both hit good shots and then Charley hit a great shot in there to three feet and we both missed and she makes it and they win.
But that’s golf, and that’s what we kind of went through pretty much today.
Q. Just talk me through the 7th hole. What happened with the concession?
PAULA CREAMER: Yeah, things happen out here. It’s an unfortunate thing. I think you should kind of know the rules of match play for sure when you’re out here, but at the same time Jodi and Charley apologized for what happened. It’s just not ‑‑ it’s obviously, it’s not right, but Lexi made the putt and that kind of put an end to that.
Q. Lexi, you made some nice birdies today. Take me through how you feel you guys played.
LEXI THOMPSON: I thought we played really well. I sort of slowed down on the back. I had my chances. I hit some good putts, just little misreads, but overall they played great.
We probably shot like 5‑ or 6‑under each of us, so it wasn’t from bad play, that’s for sure. It was just maybe a few missed putts here and there.
Q. Sum up how you feel right now after this match.
LEXI THOMPSON: Well, I’m a little upset that we lost obviously, but I’m happy with where my game’s at overall. I think that it’s the best I’ve ever hit the ball. It’s all a matter of just dropping the putts that matter. So, but I hit a lot of good shots today on the front nine, so I have to take a lot of positives out of it.
Q. That birdie at 7, how sweet did it feel to roll that in after the controversy?
LEXI THOMPSON: It felt really good. There was a lot going on on the green. Unfortunately, I had some other things on my mind, but I just tried to keep my focus on the putt and my read and it just went up to it confidently.
Team USA, Michelle Wie
Q. Talk to me about it, what was the scoop of this match today?
MICHELLE WIE: We played good, but they played better. It was one of those matches where birdies won the hole, not par.
I would birdie, Korda would birdie, and then they would just make everything. And it’s one of those rounds where we both played really well, but they played better. And as frustrating as it is, there’s a lot of good golf today and we just got to get it tomorrow.
Q. Do you feel confident as heck though about your game? That was a big, big putt at 16.
MICHELLE WIE: For sure. I feel I’ve been playing good. Like I said, we didn’t lose because we played bad, they won. They played awesome today, they played lights out.
We just got to bring ‑‑ I just got to bring my A‑plus game tomorrow and just really step it up and get that point.
Team USA, Cristie Kerr & Morgan Pressel
Q. Obviously it’s not the way you guys wanted it to end. Just tell me your thoughts about the match and how you just couldn’t get things going there at the end.
MORGAN PRESSEL: I don’t think either of us certainly had our A game today. When we both missed wedges to greens on 14 and 15, coming towards the end of the match, he know, we –
CRISTIE KERR: Yeah, we handed them some holes for sure.
MORGAN PRESSEL: We did. Karine played great, and we just weren’t able to capitalize on some of the early opportunities we did have.
CRISTIE KERR: We had a chance to get the momentum early in the match and just couldn’t do it. And obviously it was their match. You saw what happened on 18. So we’ve got some work to do tomorrow.
Q. Talk about the ruling that was on 16. What was the deal there?
MORGAN PRESSEL: It was a bit of a mess again. Kind of like yesterday. We don’t necessarily agree with the ruling, but.
Q. What was the ruling?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Just where her ball crossed the hazard. I mean it didn’t matter, we won the hole, but it just took forever.
CRISTIE KERR: It took forever, it was a mess, and it made everybody a little frazzled. And I mean, really, where my ball crossed, it kind of wasn’t a question. But we were just trying to get it right. And we had to go to TV, and that took forever. And then the fans got anxious and it was weird.
MORGAN PRESSEL: It was a little rowdy.
Q. Like you said, you won the hole though, do you feel like that got your fire going a little bit?
MORGAN PRESSEL: We were very distracted. So for me to be able to make birdie from where I was, was just unbelievable. And I was really proud of myself for that.
Team Europe, Charley Hull & Jodi Ewart Shadoff
Q. That was flat out unbelievable. Charley, you’re the youngest player ever to win a Solheim Cup point. Describe how you’re feeling right now.
CHARLEY HULL: Feels very good. I don’t really feel like I get that nervous on the first tee, which is pretty good.
But we both played pretty well. I made six birdies and I think Jodi made four. So I think we made a really good team.
Q. Pretty well is a bit of an understatement. It was an incredible match to watch. What was it like to be a part of it?
JODI EWART: Both teams played really well. We birdied pretty much every hole, so it was a great match to be a part of. It was nice to get a point on the board for Europe.
Q. There’s always a crucial shot or turning point. Your tee shot on 17, Charley, what’s going through your mind as that’s going through the air, because obviously they had knocked one in really close.
CHARLEY HULL: Well, I never had a hole‑in‑one before. So I thought when it pitched on the ground, I thought, well, this could be my chance to get one. But it rolled up to about four feet. And then I was quite nervous over that 4‑footer, 6 you about then I rolled it in. It was just great.
Q. Speaking of nerves, how much pressure were you feeling on the second shot at the last, because it was then in your hands.
JODI EWART: Absolutely. I’ve been there before and I just kind of used the experience to kind of judge what iron to hit, and the wind and everything. So I made some good decisions out there and I’m really happy.
Q. You’ve just given your father the best birthday present he’s ever had.
CHARLEY HULL: Thank you.
Q. I’ve seen quite a lot of golf in my time, but the standard of golf there was just outstanding, wasn’t it?
JODI EWART: Both teams were making birdies practically every hole. So it was really cool to be a part of it.
Q. Do you think it’s unusual you two being put together, two rookies?
JODI EWART: No, I think we have very different games. Charley is pretty aggressive and I’m down the middle, on the green, so it was a great pairing for me. I could tee off first on the hole and Charley could go ahead and be aggressive, and it just worked out really well.
Q. It certainly did. And Charley, we just can’t believe you’re 17 years old. When Lexi Thompson hit that shot into 17 and then you came through and birdied that.
CHARLEY HULL: Well, that was a really good shot. It was amazing because in the air I thought, that’s got a good chance of getting in the hole. I never had a hole‑in‑one before. But, I don’t know, probably because we’re young, we don’t have much fear.
Q. Well, I tell you what, it is your dad’s birthday today and I’m sure you’ve given him the best birthday present he could ever have.
CHARLEY HULL: Thank you.
Q. (No Microphone.)
CHARLEY HULL: When you get nervous you tend to swing a little fast. So I took a nice easy swing and I managed to get 10 yards more out of it than I usually do, so it really made the hole. I only had 9‑iron in when the hole is as long as it is. So it was a huge advantage for me to be up there.
Q. What does it mean to this team that you guys, your team in this position, with Anna, Suzann and Catriona, cheering you on.
CHARLEY HULL: Well, it was a very surreal experience, actually. And two rookies together, nobody expects us to win, but we played so well, we really did. Both teams did. It would have been hard to pick a winner out of it, because we were birdieing pretty much every hole.
Q. You guys went out in 30.
JODI EWART: I don’t know, I don’t really keep count, but I know that birdies were having to win every hole. So this was not a kind of course where a birdie usually wins, it’s usually a par, so I know it was a great standard of golf and I’m really happy.
Q. A lot of different little rumors, reports on what happened on 7. What did happen? Did you try to concede or what?
JODI EWART: Well I had made three, I hit it to a couple of inches already, and Paula chipped up, and Paula’s ball was in the line of Lexi’s putt, so they wanted to putt it and to be honest, I wasn’t involved in anything, so I can’t comment. I really can’t. It was out of me and Charley’s hands, and in the end Lexi holed the putt. So nothing really matters, so it’s nothing else to say on that.
Q. Change any of the emotions of the match at all?
JODI EWART: Well, maybe going to 8, but I holed a good putt on 8 for birdie. So I think that that settled us all down.
Q. Jodi, was there any moment out there where Charley seemed like a 17 year old?
JODI EWART: No, not at all. She’s so fearless and she’s just ‑‑ she says that she doesn’t really get nervous on the first tee. I was, I could barely stand up.
(Laughter.)
And, no, she’s a great golfer. She strikes the ball great and she holes a lot of match‑turning putts. And both of us made a huge amount of birdies. And Paula and Lexi played great too, and it was ‑‑ it would have been hard to pick a winner out of that match.
But I think we played really intelligently around this golf course. We had a strategy, because Lexi tends to be ‑‑ I mean Charley tends to be a more aggressive player, and I tend to be just knock it down the middle, knock it on the green and usually I can 2‑putt every hole. So just I was teeing off first to get it in the fairway and then she could go ahead and be aggressive and it just allowed her to play her regular game and I managed to get some birdies out of it too.
Q. She sounded maybe 14 instead of 17 back there.
JODI EWART: No, not at all. She seems like she’s been doing this for a very long time. The whole emotions and importance of the Solheim Cup really doesn’t seem to phase her at all.
Q. (No Microphone.)
JODI EWART: It had to be, both Lexi and Paula hit some good shots in there and Lexi was only six feet away, so, yeah, we both had to be aggressive.
Q. I mean at 17 years old being as fearless.
JODI EWART: Oh, 17 years old? Oh, God. I can’t even imagine being here being 17. No, I really can’t. I can only just manage it being 25.
(Laughter.) I’ve had a lot of experience.
(Laughter.)
Q. You say that you played in the NCAA in team games.
JODI EWART: It’s different being an individual and playing yourself, but the pressure that you feel from playing for your teammates and playing for your whole continent is just a whole different level.
Team Europe, Azahara Munoz & Carlota Ciganda
Q. That was truly one of the most fantastic things I’ve ever witnessed. How do you guys feel about it?
AZAHARA MUNOZ: I don’t even know how I feel. I was so tired and after nine I told her I got blisters on my feet. I’m so exhausted, and she said, come on, let’s keep it going. It’s really close, so let’s just get our point.
And Carlota was really, at the end, she made a lot of really good putts and we got it done. Birdieing the 18th is not easy, it’s a tough hole.
Q. You admit it wasn’t your best nine holes of golf, you were a little bit off form. Suddenly you hit an amazing shot on 10 and it just seemed to revitalize you, is that what happened?
CARLOTA CIGANDA: I wasn’t feeling very comfortable, but I just tried to fight until the end. To give it all. I love Europe, I love winning, and I love beating the Americans. And we’re going to win tomorrow. I’m so happy to play with her and it was so great to win on the last hole. And it looks like we’re going to win all the points today, so let’s go.
Q. There was very little noise out there this afternoon. Obviously all the blue, that must have inspired you.
AZAHARA MUNOZ: Yeah, for sure, that’s what we have been saying all week. The better we play, the quieter the crowds are. Actually at the beginning we were losing 2‑down and the crowds were really loud. So then we made a couple birdies on 8, I chipped in on 9, and then she made an amazing birdie on 10 and 11 and 12. Well, yeah, both of us.
And we played so great. But we’re so proud of everybody. Everybody played amazing and I think that we’re in really good shape for tomorrow.
Q. I can’t remember, but I don’t think we ever won an entire afternoon, but it’s not over yet. How do you approach the singles tomorrow?
CARLOTA CIGANDA: We want to try and focus on our game and do what we do and just try to win every point so we can win by 10 or 12, that would be much better.
AZAHARA MUNOZ: We just need to win. Everybody needs to win their point. It doesn’t matter that we’re winning by ‑‑ I don’t even know what the score is right now ‑‑ but if everybody wins their point, then we get this done and it will be really good.
Q. What a comeback. Can you explain what happened out there to you today?
CARLOTA CIGANDA: It was definitely a tough day. But we won the point and that’s the most important. I was a bit nervous and I wasn’t hitting very well. But I did some work on the range with the coaches. And she is my best friend and we just tried to fight until the end. And I said I know we can do this thing. And even though we had to wait until the end, we still won the point.
Q. You said that just getting a point was all that mattered. You didn’t look at the board, you weren’t studying that, you were just trying to do your job and keep it in your favor.
AZAHARA MUNOZ: We knew that the other three matches were winning and we were all squared coming to the 18th. And we said, at least we need to get half of a point, but obviously, if we could make the leaderboard all blue, that would be amazing. As someone just said, that’s never been done before. And we’re just so happy, the whole team is, we get along really well. Lotta is amazing and we just wanted this for her. She’s the best.
THE MODERATOR: Azahara, Carlota, congratulations. That was absolutely stunning out there. How do you feel right now?
AZAHARA MUNOZ: Thank you, guys. As you can imagine we feel it’s unbelievable. I can’t even tell you how we’re feeling. It was so tough out there and we made a lot of birdies. It was such a good fight, and then finishing with a birdie, Carlota birdied the last, it was amazing.
THE MODERATOR: Carlota, can you talk about that last hole. What emotions you were going through?
AZAHARA MUNOZ: Very happy to win the point for Europe. On the last hole I had ‑‑ I can’t even remember ‑‑ I hit a 7‑iron and I just tried to hit it as close as possible. And I was a bit lucky with the bounces and then I made the putt to win the match. So I was so happy to win the point for Europe and to play with my friend Aza, because I love her and I mean we love playing together, so very, very happy.
THE MODERATOR: You guys have played a lot of foursomes together as amateurs, can you just tell us about that and the chemistry that you have.
AZAHARA MUNOZ: Yeah, we are best friends and since we were really little. I met Carlota whether she was eight and I was 11. And every time, in the Spanish team, we always play the foursomes together. And I don’t know, ever since I remember we are best friends. So it’s really nice to have your best friend out there and you can trust her. And I think that was really nice for Carlota too, because she said she was a bit nervous and I don’t know, I think that’s why she played so well coming at the end too. Because she feels comfortable having me around and it just is really cool to play together. We just love it.
THE MODERATOR: Questions?
Q. Carlota, what was the difference between yesterday and today?
CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yesterday was my first day, first Solheim Cup, so when I went to the first tee I was like, oh my God, this is crazy. And then playing with Suzann, I mean it was great because she’s so competitive and you play better. It’s nice to play with her because she plays so solid all the time.
But, at the same time, I felt a little bit nervous. And today it was like playing just a normal event like we used to do in Spain or even in Europe. So I trust her and I think she trusts me too. So we just tried so hard and we said let’s fight until the end, because I knew that we could win this match. And it was so important for Europe.
So I thought at least half a point or just something. And we fought until the end very, very hard. And she was very tired, because she played in the morning, 18 holes. She played 18 in the afternoon. So I mean she was unbelievable. Always positive, always happy, I just love her. It’s so unbelievable.
Q. Playing in front of the gallery that wasn’t always cheering for you, or often cheering against you, was it even more important that you have this relationship, that she can lean on you and you can look after her and that kind of stuff?
AZAHARA MUNOZ: I think so. We have always said that the better we play, the quieter the crowds are. So we were just saying, let’s try to make putts and quiet the crowd. And, to be honest, every time I hear, “USA”, I sing in my head, “Europe.” So I’m thinking that they’re always cheering for me. I swear. That’s all I’ve been do you think this week. And so far it’s working.
So it’s been tough, but we had so many people out there supporting us, my parents were here, her parents are here, her brother, a few of our friends from back home. So it was really good. They were singing to us the whole time. So I think that our match was the one that had the most Europeans. So it was really nice for us to have them out there.
Q. As you mentioned, you have a lot of history in the foursomes together. Did you put a particular request to your captain to play together in the beginning of the week or did you know that you would play together?
AZAHARA MUNOZ: You never know what’s going to happen, but the captains ‑‑ well the captain ‑‑ I don’t know what the Americans do, but they ask you who you want to play with. Obviously they don’t want to pair you with someone you don’t feel comfortable. I don’t think that’s the case on this team.
So I think everybody threw a few names out there. And Carlota was, I don’t think she was ever going to play the foursomes, because she’s so much better ‑‑ I mean her game is so different. Like the birdie she made on 10. If I was there, I probably would have bogeyed. But she birdied.
So for foursome, she might not be the best player. But for four‑ball, she’s awesome. So I knew if I played with her it was going to be in the foursomes. And yesterday Lotta told me that I was going to play all 36. And I told her, I wanted to play with Carlota. So she paired us together.
Q. When you see Europe winning basically every match on the scoreboard, does that make things easier in your match?
AZAHARA MUNOZ: I think it does. Especially you want to fight even more, because you know everybody’s doing so well and you want to be, you don’t want to let them behind. And I think it just brings you confidence when you see so much blue on the leaderboard. Even ‑‑ I don’t know what it is, but it is. And obviously the crowds are quieter, that makes a big difference too, because even though we probably shouldn’t, we are paying attention to every match. And you just can’t help it.
So I think it does. Seeing all the blue and we were all square and we said let’s get another blue on the leaderboard.
Q. Carlota, a big story yesterday was about the ruling on 15. And we all heard later that it was an incorrect ruling. So I’m just curious at what point you got that information and how you kind of rallied to come back and have a good day today.
CARLOTA CIGANDA: Excuse me, what was the question? (Munoz translated the question.)
CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yesterday I just told the referee what my options were and he told me the options and I just took one of the options. And then I played the hole and I made a par and I kept playing.
And today I was just focusing on my game, trying to stay in the present all the time, and tried to enjoy this an amazing week and I just love playing for the team and that’s it.
AZAHARA MUNOZ: It was very unfortunate what happened, but, I mean, you cannot blame Carlota, she’s not going to feel bad because the rules official was there and she did what she was told.
So if someone had a problem, it has to be done before the next hole. So it wasn’t the case and she’s not going to feel bad, because it was, I mean, she didn’t do anything wrong.
Q. With you having, Europe having a pretty substantial lead going into tomorrow, do you, is it much more comfortable going out there? Can you be more relaxed or how do you approach it?
AZAHARA MUNOZ: I think that it is more comfortable, but I wouldn’t say that. The Americans are 12 amazing players. They could all beat us and win the cup.
So, I mean, it’s so much nicer to have a big advantage and I don’t know exactly what the scores are right now, but I think we all have to play tomorrow as if we were losing, as if we were tied, as if we were winning, it doesn’t matter. We’re all going to try to win a point and hopefully we can keep the cup.
Team Europe, Caroline Hedwall
Q. Talk to me about that match.
CAROLINE HEDWALL: It was really important. Obviously if we can have as big a lead as possible tomorrow, that’s important.
Q. You’re playing unbelievable golf for Europe right now. What’s the key for you right now?
CAROLINE HEDWALL: Well, it’s just unbelievable to play under these circumstances. I love the atmosphere and it’s just, it pumps me up, I guess.
Q. Do you feel no lead is safe going into tomorrow though?
CAROLINE HEDWALL: No, well definitely not. We need to play well tomorrow. The Americans are really strong in the singles, so we just have to focus on getting all the points we can.
Team Europe, Caroline Hedwall, Caroline Masson, Jodi Ewart Shadoff
THE MODERATOR: Okay. I would like to welcome Caroline Hedwall, Jodi Ewart Shadoff, Charley Hull and Caroline Masson, who all won their matches today. Part of an amazing afternoon for Europe. A clean sweep and a five point lead going into the final day. How does it feel?
CHARLEY HULL: Feels pretty awesome. I second that.
THE MODERATOR: And Caroline, what a fantastic tournament for you so far.
CAROLINE HEDWALL: It’s just been great fun and I played with great partners. With Anna in the morning, and then Caroline in the afternoon and we played great golf. So it’s been incredible.
THE MODERATOR: And obviously, could you have dreamed for a better debut in the Solheim Cup both of you? Caroline to start.
CAROLINE MASSON: I don’t think so. I got a point yesterday, got the half point this morning, which kind of felt like one hole point, and then another point this afternoon.
So just a great start. And everyone’s playing so well, it’s been amazing and we’re really pumped right now. We got to focus on tomorrow, but right now it feels pretty good.
THE MODERATOR: Take some questions, please.
Q. Jodi, can you talk us through your shots at the last.
JODI EWART: On the last? Well, I had a pretty huge drive there. I think I was a little pumped up. I just told myself on the tee to get a good tempo because sometimes when you’re nervous, you tend to swing it a little fast. And then I had like 152 to the pin, and I knew that I was still pumped up, so I went with the lower club. And just the idea was to get it on the green and try to force them to make birdie. And I hit a great shot and I couldn’t have asked for anything better, really.
Q. Charley and Jodi, what was your mindset going into this afternoon? Yesterday you both of you, you had the best day in your rookie matches, and today you were in the first match against a good, good opponent. So what was your mind set going into it?
CHARLEY HULL: I don’t know. I just went to it and just played golf. Just like normal. We started with an opening birdie, which was good. And then me and Jodi made quite a few birdies on the way around. I think she made four and I made six. And we just kind of nearly birdied about every hole in that match, like between the whole four‑ball. So it was awesome.
JODI EWART: Yeah, some of the best golf I’ve ever been a part of today was played in that group. It was hard to pick a winner. But we had a good strategy, and Charley’s aggressive player and I tend to just be middle of the fairway, middle of the green, that type of player. And I teed off first on all the holes and just to get us in play, and then that allowed Charley to play her normal game and be aggressive and it worked out really well.
Q. Charley, can you take us through your shot on 17 after Lexi had hit it in there close, and then when she missed, you made your putt. Your reaction and everything that went on on that hole.
CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, well it was a tricky little pin, to be honest, to get it as close as we did. And she hit it close and I think because we are both young, we had no fear, so we just went straight at the pin. And I just hit a good shot and then when it was in the air it looked like it was going in. It rolled to about four feet left.
Lexi hit it about eight feet, six feet away. And it was a tricky putt that she had and it just didn’t break. And then I was actually pretty nervous on that putt, to be honest. And I holed it. And it was just really a good feeling. Yeah, I liked it.
Q. What happened at the 7th hole with the putt conceded. Could you talk us through that?
JODI EWART: Well, Paula chipped it up close. I had already, I hit it to about two inches, and our birdie was conceded. And there was a lot of, a bit of, we both didn’t know what was really going on. Her ball was in Lexi’s line, so they decided that Paula was going to putt out, even though I had already made birdie. And we kind of were really unsure about what the rule was about playing out, when we had already made birdie and stuff.
And by that time ‑‑ at the end of the day, they still, they made the putt and there’s nothing really else to say about it.
Q. For Miss Hedwall, you’re 4‑0. Could you have imagined going 4‑0 and you’re going to play in all five matches. How does that feel?
CAROLINE HEDWALL: Well, it feels great to win, obviously. I’m a really bad loser, so I just need to keep on winning. I would be pretty pissed otherwise. But, no, it’s been a great two days so far and I’m just enjoying it. It will be fun to play the singles tomorrow as well.
Q. Caroline, can each of you say which would be your dream opponent for tomorrow?
CAROLINE HEDWALL: I don’t know, there’s so many you want to beat, you know. Well probably Paula Creamer or Cristie Kerr.
JODI EWART: Again, you want to beat everyone, so whoever I get I want to beat. So at the end of the day it really doesn’t matter who I draw.
CHARLEY HULL: All of them. I don’t know.
CAROLINE MASSON: Yeah, I think that obviously you want to, if you can beat one of the, one of their top players, like Paula or Cristie, or Angela maybe, that would be huge. But we just got to take whatever comes tomorrow. So whoever we get, I guess we’re all going to be focused and we all want to get our points, so it doesn’t matter who it is, we just have to play really well and get as many points as possible tomorrow.
Team Europe, Karine Icher & Beatriz Recari
THE MODERATOR: Like to welcome Beatriz Recari from Spain Karine Icher from France who won their match today. An amazing result, which resulted in a clean sweep for the afternoon. Four‑balls for European, a five point lead going into the final
