Solheim Cup Wednesday, September 1, 2021 Toledo, Ohio, USA Inverness Club similar. Obviously it's been pretty windy today, but I think the greens here are pretty tricky with some kind of subtle little slopes, but the players are keen and they're out on the golf course getting to know it, so it's all going well.

Suzann Pettersen THE MODERATOR: Suzann, what's it like being a vice Press Conference captain this time in comparison to playing last time?

SUZANN PETTERSEN: Well, I'm happy to be back. It's a little bit weird walking by the driving range the first time and THE MODERATOR: We'll get started. How much are you not having to pull out your clubs, but I'm actually really looking forward to the week and how have the first few enjoying it. I think all four of us have not gotten to know days been for you? each other over the last four years, so to say, and, yeah, just happy to see everyone here. CATRIONA MATTHEW: Yeah, it's great to finally be here. Obviously a lot of preparation goes into it, so to actually be THE MODERATOR: Kathryn and Laura, are you happy to here and see all the stands up and the crowds beginning to be back again in this captaincy role alongside Catriona? come is, the excitement starting to build. It's great having the team here and the players, getting to see the golf KATHRYN IMRIE: For me, to be working alongside course the last couple of days. So, yeah, it's getting Catriona has always been great. I have fond memories of exciting. I can't wait for Saturday to come, to be honest. my LPGA win back in Toledo back in 1995 at Highland Meadows. So it's got fond memories for me and Catriona THE MODERATOR: As a team, you've got the same vice has done a great job picking all of us. Suzann and myself captains as last time. Obviously, Suzann was a player, but are doing our roles to make sure that it looks good at the she's back in as vice captain. How have you found the end of the week. process this time compared to Gleneagles in 2019? THE MODERATOR: Questions? CATRIONA MATTHEW: Yeah. I think this time really the focus has really just been on the team. I think last time Q. Suzann, you talked about walking past the driving with it being a home match and living only an hour and a range without your clubs. Did you want to have them? half from Gleneagles there was a lot more media kind of commitments you had to do promoting the event, so this SUZANN PETTERSEN: No. (Laughing) time obviously haven't been able to, with COVID, travel to the states last year, so this year really has been just Q. How often do you play now? completely just focused on the team and everything to do with that. So, yeah, in that respect it's been slightly SUZANN PETTERSEN: Zero. I really haven't played different. much golf since two years ago. I've really got my hands full, and having a second child hasn't given me any more THE MODERATOR: How have the first few days been time. So I do miss it, but at the same time, I'm really here at Inverness. I see the team's arrived and you've enjoying a different part of life. And, yeah, just enjoying been out on the course. How have you found it? motherhood, to be honest.

CATRIONA MATTHEW: Yeah. We played, obviously Q. What were the emotions like when you got the some of them played a few holes yesterday and they were uniforms and you put these clothes back on and know all out on the course today. So I think they all love it. you're back out here with this team? Quite a few of them played in the tournament last year, so they knew the golf course and I think it's playing fairly SUZANN PETTERSEN: It's kind of funny because it all

111998-1-1248 2021-09-01 17:26:00 GMT Page 1 of 3 feels like it was yesterday. Even though I had been away, won once in Colorado shows how difficult it is to win away you stay in touch, you talk to all these girls along the, I from home. Obviously this year it is going to be more mean, throughout the years, so it's not like you're difficult and be more of a challenge for us, but I think in a completely out of it. way we can nearly rise to that. Rather than just thinking we're going to have a few fans, we're kind of really But I must say, it's something that feels very natural. It's expecting very, I mean, basically about zero fans. been a part of our lives for so many years, so I have to say Obviously a few Europeans who perhaps are living in the like you pick it up pretty quickly. States can make it here, but it certainly won't be the same presence that we normally have at an away match. Q. What's it like having the gang back together? But I think the players are going to be mentally prepared, CATRIONA MATTHEW: It's great. We have gotten to so I think it just gives them another challenge and another know each other well over the last four years and we have thing to try and overcome and get that victory. great fun together. We all bring something different to the team and hopefully I think we all jell well together and we Q. Obviously it's only practice at the moment, but have great fun out there. have you seen any European fans dotted around the course? Q. How do you see Mel's experience as a vice captain in 2019 in forming her leadership role as a player on CATRIONA MATTHEW: I've seen the odd European flag, this year's squad? so there's going to be a few of us there.

CATRIONA MATTHEW: I think it really helps, actually. I Q. What sort of work you've got to do on the mean Mel, it was a tough situation really for her last year. Europeans over the next three days? Any sort of good She just missed out on this team. But I think she jumped ideas in your head about the bounce of the team? at the chance of being a vice captain, didn't need to think of it twice. I think that just really just shows the passion and CATRIONA MATTHEW: I think obviously between the four the desire she has for the team. She realizes it's not about of us we have got kind of good ideas about pairings for the the individual. It's about the team. first few days and the mixture of foursomes, four-balls, so just probably finalizing them in the next couple of days. I So I think having the experience of being behind the think we have got a pretty good idea of what we're looking scenes and seeing it from another kind of angle will really at. Not going to give any away, though. help her out there on the golf course and with the rookies and things. Q. Obviously has come to the team room as the Women's Open champion. Do you have Q. How do you see it helping her on the golf course? any sense of how that will help?

CATRIONA MATTHEW: I think she will be a big help with CATRIONA MATTHEW: Yeah. I think for Anna, obviously, the rookies. I think, and the less experienced players. I coming in winning a major you're going to come in with a think you're looking at probably her, Anna, Carlota, the huge amount of confidence and just that whole ones who have played in a few different Solheims, just to, leaderboard at Carnoustie for us with obviously, Nanna, just playing practice rounds, chatting together, and they will Madelene, Georgia all being up there, I think was a boost just be talking about their different experiences in Solheim for them individually and a boost for the whole team to see Cups and what the rookies can expect in an away match so many of the European players and they're teammates and, you know, what the first tee's going to be like and just up there last week or two weeks ago at Carnoustie. different perhaps strategies on the golf course. And for Anna, yeah, I think anytime you win a golf So I think it's great to have those experienced players in tournament, especially a major, it gives you a real boost of there to, it's not like a formal thing, but just as they're confidence. chatting on their way around in the practice rounds. Q. I was just wondering, Leona Maguire has a lot of Q. How difficult is it to win in America in normal match play experience as an amateur. What do you circumstances and how much harder is it going to be expect from her on her debut? Would without so many European fans able to attend? you be relying heavily on her given her form or would you be easing her into it? CATRIONA MATTHEW: Well, I think the fact we have only

111998-1-1248 2021-09-01 17:26:00 GMT Page 2 of 3 CATRIONA MATTHEW: As you say, she's got a finished and I hit a bunker shot out to about six feet and tremendous record in amateur golf, amateur match play in Lotta's probably one of the best putters ever and although Curtis Cup and things and has been playing well the last she did put her first putt on the first hole 10 feet past, I did year and a half. I think we have a tricky problem this year remind her about that, but she asked me, it was six feet in that so many of our players are playing well, but she will away and I had never read a putt all day and then all of a certainly be featuring there in some of the games. sudden she said, Can you take a look at this putt? And I went, Okay. Came over and I just said to her, What do you Q. Could you share what you remember about your see? And she said, Right lip. And I said, Perfect, go and rookie experience and what sort of advice you shared do it. But the whole message there was that even the top with the first-timers on your team. players get nervous too. But she was great to play with and really helped me and that was something that we'll CATRIONA MATTHEW: Well, for me, my first one was probably do get the rookies paired with more experienced Muirfield Village in '98, very much a rookie. I remember I players. was in the first foursomes, fortunate enough to get a pretty good partner in Annika. I remember, I don't know whether SUZANN PETTERSEN: Well, my first one was 2002, it was good or bad, but I was playing the odd holes, so I Minnesota. I guess that's where I dropped the famous F had the first tee shot being the away team. So, yeah, I word on live TV, NBC. But I think I was paired with Alfie think you walk on to that tee and yeah, I think it is the most the first match of my first match and when it came down to nervous you are. who was going to hit the tee ball there was no discussion, I had to do it. So it just was kind of thrown right into it and But I think when you're playing and you're playing your never looked back. It's a great experience, it's a great kind best, that's what you've worked for your whole career is for of atmosphere and what I enjoyed the most is probably the these moments. So I think obviously you're nervous on the Solheim is so much more than golf into my career into all of first tee, but you quickly get over it and settle into the our careers and you kind of build and bond with the players match. on your same team across the other team and you share moments that will last forever. So I think that's kind of what Obviously the event has grown hugely since then back in I've enjoyed the most with the Solheims and been able to '98. The first tee here looks amazing and I'm sure the play with a lot of icons in women's golf through all the rookies, not even the rookies, all the players, are going to years. be, you walk down on, as you come down through the stands here on to the first tee, it's going to be, you know, Q. I would like to know how the European captains are it's a real mixture of emotions. You're nervous. You're chosen and how many you think you need as far as excited. So, I mean, it's just getting off that first tee and assistants, how do you decide that? then they will get going. CATRIONA MATTHEW: I don't know how I was chosen, I LAURA DAVIES: Mine was 1990, so we were all rookies. was just asked and I wasn't in the choosing process, We'd never played in it before, so we were all terrified at obviously, so, yeah, they asked me to do it and obviously the same time, the European team. I think the Americans was delighted. As for the vice captains, I think that's just a had a lot of experience. And it was just, yeah, it was really kind of standard thing in the Solheim that each team, I nerve wracking. I remember the first tee like it was think, as the event's evolved, we come to the kind of three yesterday. Lopez and Bradley walked on the tee and they vice captains and that's kind of what both teams do. So I were our opponents for that first foursomes. But it was think these things just kind of change perhaps over the also excitement and just enjoying it and that's, what, 15, 16 years, but for me personally I think three vice captains is Solheims ago and even as a, there's no pressure of being just perfect. a vice captain, but you feel nervous for the players because you know what they're going to experience and if THE MODERATOR: All right. Thank you very much. they ask any questions, give them a bit of advice maybe, if Thank you very much for attending. you can, and but the main thing we were talking last night, just enjoy it, because it is nerve wracking but you've FastScripts by ASAP Sports worked so hard to get here, don't let the nerves overtake you.

KATHRYN IMRIE: My rookie year was in '96 and I'll never forget playing with Lotta Neumann and our foursomes game was coming down the last, all the other matches had

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