MATT JESUS: Very pleased to be joined by Carlota Ciganda here ahead of the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P & G. We'll start with a couple weeks ago obviously earned another Cup for Team Europe. What is it about that event that brings out the best of your game?
CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, I just love playing for Europe, for my teammates, for the captain. It's something that I really enjoy. I've been lucky enough to be part of eight now, and since the first one in 2013, it's just great memories with your teammates playing match play, four-ball, foursomes, singles.
For me just feels like a Sunday when you're out there to win because it's just match play. But, yeah, I just love the atmosphere. The bus rides, the team room. I love that week.
MATT JESUS: Obviously a lot of great contributions from some of the young captain's picks, Julia and Mimi, and Nastasia. What does that say about the future of Team Europe for Solheim Cup?
CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, I think we have a great team on the rookies they did amazing. Mimi and Nas winning those two matches in the four-ball and foursomes and Julia was unbeatable for her first Solheim; Lottie played really good as well. I think she just had really tough opponents and did amazing and won her point on Sunday.
They're just fearless. They are just happy to be there and they bring these excitement to the team. Just very young energy which is always nice to see.
And, yeah, I think Europe is in good hands, and, yeah, very happy and pleased to see how well they did.
MATT JESUS: Bringing it to this week in Pinnacle Country Club, this is the 20th anniversary of this event. You played in this tournament numerous times. What is it about this event, the course, the week, what is it that keeps bringing you back here?
CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, I love coming here. I think it's a great community. Everything is about Walmart here and I think it's just nice to see how supportive they've been of the LPGA. It's a three-day event. It's pretty easy.
Yeah, always enjoy coming here. I remember my first year probably in 2012 or '13, I can't remember, but there wasn't much outside the gates and now coming and to see how much it's grown, Rogers, the whole town.
And even yesterday going to the pro-am party at Top Golf and then the concert. There is a lot going on. I think it's just nice to see. Yeah, I always enjoy the golf course. It's low-scoring week so you can be aggressive and try to make some birdies.
Yeah, I enjoy coming here. Yeah, it's always a fun week.
MATT JESUS: Coming off Solheim making your first individual start as a player again, what is it about your game that suits this course really well or the course suits your game and what are you looking to take advantage of?
CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, I think this week it's important obviously to hit greens. I think it's not a long golf course. You have to be, yeah, good off the tee, in play, and then try to hit as many greens to have birdie opportunities.
But, yeah, I think just have to make putts and it's almost like a sprint. It's a three-day event so hopefully get to a good start and start making lots of birdies.
MATT JESUS: Does that change the aggressiveness or game plan you would have as opposed to a normal four-day event?
CARLOTA CIGANDA: I think because this week you know it's a low scoring so I think you do try to be a bit more aggressive.
You have shorter clubs so with a wedge you're going to go, yeah, more to the pin than with a 7-iron. So I think this course you have a lot of those short clubs that allow you to be more aggressive and also make more birdies.
Yeah, you have to be patient out there and, yeah, try to make good swings, good putts. Hopefully the putts drop in and, yeah, good low scores.
MATT JESUS: Any questions in the media center?
Q. You touched on this briefly about the 20th anniversary and returning to this event for so many years. As an LPGA player playing all over the country, the Tour goes to big markets, medium markets, and small markets like up in Michigan. What is it for you guys where you come to communities like this where the communities just embrace the event and starting on the first tee on Friday you see fans that are just coming out to support you guys all throughout the tournament?
CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, it's great. It's a great event. Lots of players stay in housing and everyone is nice and welcoming here. I think just excited to have the tournament. I mean, you see a lot of people every day, even the kids that they have on the left of 16, it's great. Everything they do, yeah, for kids, families, for everyone in this tournament, it's very nice to see.
And I always enjoy coming here and supporting this event.
Q. You were staying with a host family as well this week?
CARLOTA CIGANDA: Not this week. I have in the past but not this week.
Q. Okay. In the past and in other tournaments, staying with host families, how does that help you as a player off the course in addition to on the course when you do stay with host families on the LPGA Tour?
CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, it's always nice. I have a couple host families that I really enjoy and I've been staying with them for many years. I mean, they're like family so it's nice to go and have dinners and I mean, yeah, we don't really talk much about golf.
I think we just want to relax and enjoy. It's always nice to -- we're on the road so much it's nice to stay in a house instead of staying in hotels all the time. So it just feels a bit more like you're at home.
Q. Last one from me: Coming off Solheim it was a week off last week. I guess your preparation, so preparation for Solheim and Solheim week, what preparation is different this week getting back into just a week in, week out playing as an individual on the LPGA Tour?
CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, I mean, I think at the end the golf is the same. It's 18 holes. You play the golf course. Obviously the format is different. Three days as opposed to match play. I'm going to try to take that energy from Solheim that I played really good, made some good putts into this week and hopefully to the end of the year and I can have a good finish to this 2026.
MATT JESUS: Best of luck this week, Carlota.
CARLOTA CIGANDA: Thanks.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports