THE MODERATOR: We'll get started here with our 1:00 p.m. presser. Welcome to the 2024 Solheim Cup. As mentioned before, I'll ask each of our players and assistant.
I'm pleased to be joined by Allisen Corpuz, Lauren Coughlin, Lauren Thompson, and Assistant Captain Brittany Lincicome.
Allisen, you're making your second appearance in the Solheim Cup. Talk about last year and what you're looking forward to most this year.
ALLISEN CORPUZ: I had so much fun last year at Finca Cortesin, and I'm so excited to be playing the Solheim Cup on home soil, and just to see the turnout and, yeah, represent my country one more time.
THE MODERATOR: Lauren, I'll move to you. You're making your Solheim Cup debut. You just won your first two PGA victories, competing in your home state. A very busy week and year for you. What are you most excited for this week and how exciting has this year been leading up to this week?
LAUREN COUGHLIN: Just to echo what Allisen said, I'm excited to see all the fans. I don't know if I've ever played in a crowd that big before, and I'm very excited. I'm excited for my friends and family that are coming, some of whom have never gotten to see me play golf in person. So I would say that's what I'm most excited for.
Q. Lexi, you announced earlier this year your retirement; this is your seventh Solheim Cup experience. Just talk about how important this event has been to you over your career.
LEXI THOMPSON: It's been very important to me. Some of my best memories are at Solheim Cup. It's important to represent my country. I did it as a junior and amateur at Junior Solheim. To tee it up and represent my country alongside my teammates, there's nothing like it. To be on U.S. soil, it's a huge honor to be part of it.
Q. Brittany, we'll move on to you. Your first time back at a Solheim Cup since 2017. A little different role last time. Just talk about what you're looking forward to most taking this side of things?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: I think just wearing the earpiece. I see myself being super cool, like a CIA agent. We're having so much fun just talking together on the mic.
Just being inside of the ropes again. It's been a long time since I've been part of one of these teams, and to be able to wear this red, white, and blue gear and be out there to help even a little bit is really cool.
Q. Lexi, if I could ask you, how much has the prospect of competing in the Solheim Cup this year sustained you after announcing your decision to scale back?
LEXI THOMPSON: Coming into the year, I always tell everybody, every time there's a chance to represent my country, I want to be on that team. That's my number one goal.
Coming into the year, even though I had my announcement on my mind, I wanted to be here on U.S. soil being able to represent my country. That was my number one goal. Of course I wanted to make it through ranking or points, but just able -- just being able to be part of this team and being able to represent my country, it's a huge honor. So I'm happy to be able to do so this week.
Q. Lauren, if I could just ask you, how obviously any debut anywhere would be amazing, but the fact that it's in your home state is just extraordinary, isn't it?
LAUREN COUGHLIN: Yeah, like I said, it's pretty awesome that a bunch of my friends who always want to come watch, but, you know, it's not easy to drive or get out and take off work. So the fact that I'm going to have quite a few friends, family.
Then also just an hour and ten minutes from my house. You go to that light and turn left and go about 65 miles, and there's my house. So that's pretty awesome.
Yeah, just also being so close to our nation's capital. This is my first time getting to represent my country, not in junior golf, amateur career, nothing.
So the fact that my first one is kind of so close to home but also so close to D.C., our nation's capital, is pretty special.
Q. What's the best advice you've received so far as a rookie coming into this for the first time?
LAUREN COUGHLIN: How busy I was going to be this week. I thought I was pretty prepared for it, but I wasn't. It's been awesome, and I'm just excited to get Friday going.
Q. What's your favorite thing you've had to do so far?
LAUREN COUGHLIN: We got to go to The Pentagon on Monday and got a tour of that. We met a four-star and two three-star generals. So that was pretty incredible.
Q. Lexi, if this is, in fact, your last Solheim Cup, what do you see as your future role or involvement with the U.S. Team?
LEXI THOMPSON: I haven't thought too much ahead, but of course I'd love to be still a part of it in any way just because I know how special it's meant to me and how many memories and relationships and friendships I've made throughout the Solheim Cup. So I'd love to be a part of it.
Kind of learning off the assistants and Stacy of course, and I know there's a lot that goes into it. So I'll have to make sure I'm ready for that. I'm focusing on the golf part of it right now.
Q. Lauren, can you put a number on how many people you might know in the gallery and how many tickets you've requested?
LAUREN COUGHLIN: Ticket-wise, it was actually a lot of my friends just bought tickets; didn't even ask me. So I think I'm going to have about 15 a day, so nothing too crazy. But I've had a lot of people reach out saying that they were going to be here in one form or another. So I don't know, a lot.
Q. And how many trips did you make here in advance to play the course?
LAUREN COUGHLIN: I've seen it four times before this week. I came in March. I came the week before Evian, the week before Scottish, and the week before Canada.
Q. Lexi, I'm just curious, you looked emotional at The Old Course in what could have been your final British Open. Have you been emotional yet this week? Are you anticipating that that's coming?
LEXI THOMPSON: I haven't been emotional this week. I've just been having a lot of fun alongside my teammates and assistant captains and captain.
But just really embracing the moment. This is my favorite event that I've ever played in my career. So enjoying the fans out there, signing the autographs, hearing the slow chants out there right now building up. So just enjoying every step along the way.
Q. Just curious what you've been working on, how you feel about your game right now coming into this week?
LEXI THOMPSON: Been working on the same thing: everything in my game really. Only had about five days at home after Boston, so just working on getting everything more and more consistent and just getting here and really just learning the golf course and what suits my eye off the tee and really how we play with each other as partners out there.
Q. Allisen and Lexi, team motto this week is "unfinished business." What is the pressure like to get that business finished this week?
ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, I always try to go into every tournament like it's just another golf tournament. Obviously stakes are higher, but I think it's more of a general sense of excitement. Like this is our chance to really go out there and prove ourselves. I know the team is more than good enough to do it.
So it's just really how we end up playing throughout the week. I mean, there's always going to be pressure, and I just think it's learning to play through that and learning how to manage it. Yeah, hopefully we win.
LEXI THOMPSON: Like Allisen said, there's pressure every time we tee it up. It might be a little bit more representing our country, but it's learning to embrace it. You're not alone out there. You have your teammates by your side pumping you up.
Of course there's a little bit of unfinished business, but we know what we have to do. We have to go out there and play some great golf, and we're willing to do so and bring some positive energy.
Q. Brittany, I know it's early in the week, but how would you compare Stacy's approach to being captain versus some of the other captains you've been around?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: She's fantastic. Even from day one, it was incredible to see -- I mean, she obviously did it in Spain, how organized and on top of things she is. You ask her at any question at any time and she knows the answer right away. You're like, gosh, she's really, really on top of it and truly cares about this team and representing her country.
She's been a great leader so far. It's really cool to see.
Q. One for each of you. Allisen, I feel like it's been a little bit of a quieter year for you, but you talked after FM how that really gave you confidence. What clicked in Boston that really propelled you to this week and how you're feeling good about your game?
ALLISEN CORPUZ: I think it felt like I've been playing really well all year; just haven't really been scoring. It felt like everything clicked at FM. Just made a ton more birdies than I have been all year; saw a lot of putts going in.
Sometimes it feels like you're putting really well and just nothing drops, and I was finally starting to see putts go in the hole.
Q. Lauren, having Terry Mack on your bag, I think is obviously an advantage for any player, but in this experience, not knowing really what to expect out of a Solheim Cup, have you leaned on him a lot this week just to get yourself mentally ready for what the pressure is going to be like?
LAUREN COUGHLIN: Yeah, it's his tenth Solheim, so yeah, we've been talking about it a lot, especially leading up to it. There's not really a moment that he's never been in, so he's very easy to lean on.
Yeah, I mean, just little things. Again, just how busy this week was going to be outside of golf and just try to embrace it as much as you can and enjoy it because it's the best week of the year, best event you'll play in ever in your career.
Q. Lexi, I know you've talked in the past about some of the low points, but Solheim has always been a high for you. What have you really learned about yourself through this event and pulling out those big moments and being part of a team. Is there anything that you've kind of taken and internalized from your performance as a Solheim Cup team member maybe when times got tough?
LEXI THOMPSON: I think Solheim Cups bring a different pressure that we're not used to week in and week out. I feel like, not only myself, but all of us players have pulled off shots or made putts under extreme pressure when we needed to, and I think that's kind of what we build off of this week, that we can perform any type of shot under that type of circumstance.
That's what I've really learned about myself, that I can do anything I put my mind to on the golf course as long as I'm in the right mindset. You're not going to get any higher pressure than being able to represent your country at a Solheim Cup, so that's probably what I've learned the most.
Q. Lexi, you had mentioned that this was one of the most special events that you've ever played really in your career. I'm just curious, for the other girls, the younger players you're around, what have you done to make this special for them, whether it's giving advice or spending time with them? How are you doing that?
LEXI THOMPSON: I think it's really about spending time with each other and really building those relationships. We all know each other very well week in and week out, but like Lauren said, this is a super busy week. We have a lot going on. So it's a matter of getting that down time to yourself.
But when we're together, really just building that relationship and getting that energy in a good way going starting Friday. So just being there with each other and building that relationship and pumping each other up.
It's not a matter of -- I'll give them advice, if they want it, but it's just a matter of building those friendships together.
Q. Lauren, I believe you said earlier this year that making this team was your top goal for the season. Not only, of course, did you make the team, but you played so well that you've become one of the top players on the U.S. Team, someone of whom a lot is expected. Are you comfortable with that role?
LAUREN COUGHLIN: Yeah, I think, again, something that I've talked with Terry, my caddie, about, just embracing it but also doing my best to kind of stay in our bubble when we can because that's what we do really, really well is stay in our bubble and our process and play good golf and communicate and work really well together.
So just trying to do that while also being a good teammate is kind of the only things that I'm really trying to focus on.
Q. And having been to this course so many times over this year and put so much focus on this event, are you worried about being too amped up by the time Friday morning comes?
LAUREN COUGHLIN: I'm sure I'm going to be pretty excited come Friday morning, but again, that's something I've been thinking about and trying to mentally prepare myself for all year.
All I've ever heard is the nerves that you feel and the adrenaline that you feel on that 1st tee shot Opening Day on Friday. So it's something that I've been thinking about and preparing for.
Again, that's all I can do is control myself and my process, and that's all I'm going to focus on.
Q. You said you played here the week before Evian, the week before Canada, and the week before Scottish.
LAUREN COUGHLIN: Yeah.
Q. Do you like the course? Does it bring out your best golf?
LAUREN COUGHLIN: Yeah, I do like the golf course. It just so happened one of my friends wanted to come play. So I was like -- he had never played, so I was like, all right, I need to go see it, so I'll come play. That's what I did before Evian.
Then Terry wanted to come see it, so before Canada he came up and spent a day with me in Charlottesville and came up here.
Then Allisen was coming before Scotland, so I just kind of was like, just so she didn't have to kind of play by herself, I came up as well and played again.
Yeah, it's a great golf course. I feel like I know it pretty well now at this point. So a lot of what I'm focusing on is just getting used to the green speeds and the firmness and all that type stuff; whereas I feel like I already know my lines and everything that I want.
Getting ready for alt shot if I get called on there, and that's what I've been focusing on.
Q. Lauren, it's been quite the run for Virginia athletics recently, not just your win, but Navarro going to the semis of the U.S. Open, the football team rallying to beat Wake, and the men's golf team came from eight shots down to win at Inverness. How much of that Cavaliers mojo can you summon to help the team this week?
LAUREN COUGHLIN: The women's golf team won in Japan too. UVA athletics is something that I love and something that I follow very, very closely. So, yeah, I'm hoping that I can kind of keep the momentum going.
Q. Brittany, just a little bit different having the next generation with you. What's it like having your kids here and Paula with her daughter and Stacy with her daughter? Just a different vibe?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Yeah, totally. We eat dinner, and it's like, okay, I've got to go to bed at 7:00. So I've definitely left the team room early every night to make sure we get her in bed on time. She's only two, so we've got to stick to that schedule. It's cool. Emery's flying out today.
So just to have them be a part of it, part of an event that I have loved for so long. Any time you can represent your country, wear the red, white, and blue, get all these little bracelets, it's just so cool.
To have them come out tomorrow and experience it, they're going to come to opening ceremony and maybe walk with us. It's just such a cool thing of seeing it go full circle being a player back in the day to now being on this side, to have my family come out, it's very cool.
Q. So much has changed in women's golf since you joined the tour. Did you ever imagine the changes with regard to purses, TV coverage, and popularity? How much pride do you take in being a part of that since you've been one of the most popular players the last 12 years or so?
LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, it's truly amazing to see just how far the women's game has come. I turned pro in 2010, and seeing the amount of coverage we get, the increase in purses and all the sponsors we've gained and the relationships we've built with some of these sponsors, it's really incredible to watch over the years.
But it's because of players that are up here who helped build the game and signed the autographs and just really get a club in young girls' hands at a younger age. There's so many golf programs that are great for these little girls to get started in the game, and I think it's moving in the right direction.
I've seen it over the years. I just hope it continues to do so, and I'm pretty sure it will.
Q. What has been the most rewarding part of your Solheim Cup experience?
LEXI THOMPSON: That's a good question. I would say the most rewarding part -- I mean, representing your country is one thing. That's the highest honor that you'll possibly get on the golf course. But to be alongside all these teammates and to play under the captains that I have that are women that I've looked up to throughout my whole career, it's been a dream of mine that I've always imagined growing up, being able to represent my country and play golf.
So to be able to do that and be alongside these amazing women that have the same dream, it's pretty amazing to be a part of, and I'm just grateful for that.
Q. For Lexi and Brittany, you've been a part of a lot of Solheim Cups. We've heard a lot already about how much fun this team is having this week. Is there a difference in this year's team than the others you've been a part of? If so, what is it?
LEXI THOMPSON: I feel like that we've had fun every year for Solheim Cup. It's a matter of coming together and having friendships that you build that week that you necessarily aren't as close with that person the other weeks. I think that's what really brings us all together.
I don't think this year is more than other years. It's just an incredible week every time we tee it up at Solheim Cup, and we build relationships that we never thought that we would get close to. So I think we're all pretty grateful for that, and we just make the most of it.
BRITTANY LINCICOME: For sure. It's great that we come in -- it seems that you come in really early and it's just a lot of days of practice before. It's really just getting ing to know a player who you might not have known as well before. Having Megan Khang and her speaker on the karaoke machine, how fun is that? There's never a dull moment in our team room or in our cottage.
It's cool that we play individual golf all year, and every two years we come together and play on a team. Just to build these relationships so quickly, it's just cool to see everyone come together.
Q. Lexi, what's your schedule like for the rest of 2024? And then when you get in retirement, are you not going to play at all, or are you going to do like four or five tournaments a year? Have you looked that far ahead?
LEXI THOMPSON: For the rest of this year, I plan to play the following two weeks in Cincinnati and then in Arkansas. Then I'll play the Florida swing at the end of the year. That's my plans as of now.
As of next year, I'm just going to take it day by day, take some time for myself, and see how I feel after that.
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