THE MODERATOR: Welcome back inside the media center here at the Solheim Cup. I'm pleased to be joined by the U.S. captain, Stacy Lewis, alongside Megan Khang, Allisen Corpuz, and Lexi Thompson. I know they want to talk to you in here, but Stacy, just the overall feeling after this morning and this afternoon for Team USA.
STACY LEWIS: It was a great day. Obviously, the start this morning was somewhat, I think, unexpected, but it was a great, great start. The level of golf this afternoon was really, really good. Just proud of the girls that fought and the number of matches that came down to 18 and, you know, half points are really, really important come Sunday. So those two halves this afternoon were really big for us.
THE MODERATOR: Megan, what were some of the most memorable moments for your first day here in 2023?
MEGAN KHANG: I mean, just being out there first off with Lexi, it's a huge honor. And Lexi stripes it down the middle and, you know, it was a pretty good feeling getting the first hole win, and then I think we went on to win the next two? So it was a nice refreshing start.
Then, again, with, like, Rose, I was first off in the afternoon and I hadn't hit a ball since the previous match and I was, like, running around everywhere. Stacy called me asking like, Are you here? And I was like, Oh, yeah, I'm coming. I'm just changing the shirts.
Then Rose, again, stripes it onto the green and it just gave me, like, the freedom to go for it as well. So winning the first hole again, it's just -- it's a good start to the day.
THE MODERATOR: Allisen, your first Solheim Cup and we saw you in both the morning and the afternoon. How did it feel to be able to represent your country in both sessions today and just overall how you felt in conserving that energy for both those sessions.
ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, it's always such an honor just to play for your country and, I mean, all the entire team is great as well. So it just means a lot to know that I'm out there playing for me, playing for them. Yeah, I mean, it's really special that I got to go out in both matches and got the win in and the good halve in the second match.
THE MODERATOR: Lexi, what did it mean, the veteran on this team, to see these rookies rise and also to play some outstanding golf yourself?
LEXI THOMPSON: It's amazing. It's not only an honor just to be on the team, but just to see the play that all these girls are playing. I mean, you say rookies, but at the same time, they have so much experience and they're so talented. So it's just great to be alongside them and, I mean, if they want advice, I'm here for them, but I'm just -- I'm their No. 1 supporter as well, and we all just want to play our best for our country and alongside our teammate and partners.
THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up to questions.
Q. Stacy, I know you and Suzann have both said that the rookies this week are that really only in name only, but I'm curious what you made of the five debuts on your side today, especially what Allisen was able to do, putting up a point and a half on the board?
STACY LEWIS: Yeah, I think we all learned why Allisen won the U.S. Open today. Just those putts that she made under pressure today, it was really, really cool to see. I think being out there with Nelly just kind of maybe helped settle her down and just made it feel like a pretty normal day.
Staying with Rose on that first tee, I don't think Rose even realized where she was. She was as calm as could be and striped it onto the green.
I can't even think. Andrea and Danielle, I mean, they were having a blast out there today, and they complemented each other's games so well. Yeah, I mean, all the rookies, I mean, I knew they were going to have to play well and that's why they played. Ally and Cheyenne getting out there and playing well. So I wasn't surprised by anything I saw today.
Q. Lexi, I know this is far from your first Solheim Cup, but you were first shot out today in front of a very lively crowd on that first tee. What was the atmosphere like for you and did you feel any nerves, even though I know you've done this a time or two before?
LEXI THOMPSON: I mean, I feel like if you don't feel nerves, you're not really living, especially on that first tee. There is absolutely nothing like it. I think I was warming up and one of my friends that's here, he's like, First tee's already packed, and I'm like, Yes. Like, that's what we want. We want all the fans. Of course we're over in Europe, so it's not as many U.S. fans. But just fans for the game and out there supporting us and women's golf, that's what we want to see. So of course I had a little bit of nerves, but it's the highest honor and it's an adrenaline rush and that's what we play for.
Q. Lexi, just talking, again, about that first tee, but to be able to go out there, do what you did on the first tee, and then win that match, how much did that kind of hearten you, tell you where your game's at, and give you really that courage to go fight as hard as you did in the afternoon?
LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, it definitely helped a lot being alongside Megan this morning. We had a lot of fun out there and just really fed off each others' energies. She played some amazing golf and I hit some good shots as well, made some putts, and kind of just ham-and-egged it out there, and that's what alternate shot's all about, just being there for one another and supporting each other. So it was definitely nice to get the win, but we knew we had to take our A game against the Europeans.
Q. Megan, obviously you and Allisen are really good friends. How cool was it to see her do what she did today and put a point and a half on the board, and that final putt just to secure that half point for the U.S.
MEGAN KHANG: No, definitely. I think we all knew coming down the stretch that two matches behind us were coming into 18 and, I mean, Allisen, I screamed, like, ice in her veins, guys. I mean, you wonder why she's won a major, that's it, as Stacy said. It's super cool. Like, we've known each other since we were about like 7, and you would never believe it because I'm from Massachusetts and obviously Hawaii, so it's pretty cool to see how far we've come just friendship-wise, and we're playing on the biggest stage. And here representing our country being one of 12, or two of 12, it's incredible. It's going to be memories that last a lifetime.
Q. Lexi, how would you assess your ball striking day and how do you feel, given how many hours you were out there today?
LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, I felt like my ball striking was very good today. I came out in the morning, hit a lot of good shots, and really just tried to build on that. A lot of positives to take from it. I know that I've been putting in the work. That's all that matters. To see it paying off and moving in the right direction is definitely a good sign for me.
What was the second part of that question?
Q. How do you feel? You were out there a long time today.
LEXI THOMPSON: Oh. No, I felt fine. Yeah, it's a hilly golf course, but I didn't get a workout in, so that was perfect. I got in 36 holes, basically. So basically it equals out.
MEGAN KHANG: He she's the last one you got to worry about fitness on, so...
Q. Stacy, first, could you tell me what your thoughts are going into what your pairings are going to be tomorrow morning since we haven't seen them yet, and how could you change them from what you did this morning?
STACY LEWIS: Well, I think what I learned this morning was our little theory and kind of the way we did our pairings, it works. So what you're going to see is really going to be pretty similar. Yeah, it's really going to be pretty similar. But this morning was really just -- I mean, for me, I've been working on these pairings for so long and just the theories of why you put certain players together and it just showed that it worked.
That was a huge relief for me this morning. So you won't see a whole lot different. It will be pretty similar.
Q. Lexi, could you talk about the third shot at 18. There was some question on what you were trying to do and what you actually did do on the third shot. Could you just go through it for us.
LEXI THOMPSON: I don't need to comment on that.
Q. Excuse me?
LEXI THOMPSON: I don't need to comment on the chip. It was a bad lie, and I didn't hit a good chip, but it was pretty much impossible, so...
Q. Okay. Thank you.
THE MODERATOR: All right. To Amy and then down front.
Q. Stacy, with all the planning that you put in, it sounds like you were still surprised at the outcome. What were you worried might happen this morning?
STACY LEWIS: Oh, you just never know. It's match play. I mean, you just don't know. You don't know who you're going to get on the opposing side, how they're going to be playing. I mean, there's just so many unknown variables from the other side.
I knew our girls were going to play well, but that we were going to win four? I mean, it takes some good bounces for things like that to happen. So, yeah, just more that my theory worked and the girls believed in it.
Then this afternoon, I mean, they fought like crazy. I know it looks one-sided, but I don't think it was, by any means. All those matches were close all day long. We were probably a hole-in-one and a chip-in from being 6-2. So to me, I mean, this was a really good day for us.
Q. To those that were surprised at some of the parings that you put out when you released them ahead of yesterday, what would you say to them now?
STACY LEWIS: It doesn't matter. As long as my team -- as long as this team trusts me and believes in what we're doing, that's all that matters. You guys just keep giving them motivation, so keep on a writing.
Q. Stacy, five of the eight matches today go to the 18th hole. I'm curious what it else for a like watching as a captain a match and how that compares to being a player on the 18th hole.
STACY LEWIS: Oh, man, it's hard. It's really hard watching. I'm the kind of person I would rather have the club in my hand and hitting it myself. But, yeah, it's pretty nerve-racking watching. My heart was racing at times today.
But where I'm at in my career, I'm glad it's not me hitting those putts.
Q. Megan, I'm wondering what you learned about Rose from playing with her today.
MEGAN KHANG: Rose is a very cool 20-year-old. No, she's great. We were just kind of out there, you would think it was not her first Solheim. We kind of just fed off each other and I was telling her like, Hey, we're here to have a good time, as Stacy says, play hard, play to win and most importantly have fun. So I think that's what we did. We're just keeping it light, keeping it fun and trying to do our best. She is just so clutch. I mean, I've used that word so many times for her and she's like, No, we're both clutch. And I was like, no -- like, when I hit a bad shot, on No. 16, I hit it left to that pin and I actually went up to Morgan in the fairway and I was like, Oh, I got total confidence, and she's like, What do you mean? And I said, Every time I have hit not the greatest shot, Rose has stepped up to the plate and more. So, like, she's going to stick it. She's good. And sure enough, she did what she did.
Then Gemma hit an amazing chip. Right on top of it Rose sank it and I was like, ice in the veins. She's clutch.
Q. You keep referring to certain theories of why you put certain players together. Without divulging state secrets, obviously, what are some of those theories, I guess, generally?
STACY LEWIS: I can't give them to you. That would help the opponent. So I can't give them to you. Sorry.
Q. What sort of attributes go into that?
STACY LEWIS: I mean, it's about the way they play golf. Everybody's got a way they go about things that make them successful. They have strengths, they have weaknesses. So it's how do you, how do you pair them up to make those work together. That's really all it is. I mean, it's learning their games. I know their games probably better than they do right now. It's just crazy. You watch stats, I mean, somebody that is a little wild off the tee, they're going to be great putters. Somebody that is very consistent off the tee, they're probably going to be average putters. Everybody has a different little way they go about things to make them successful. It's just really breaking that down.
THE MODERATOR: That will do it. Thank you guys for joining us.
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