THE MODERATOR: Joining us ahead of the 2026 Standard Portland Classic is Julia Lopez Ramirez. You got some exciting news last week that you will be playing on the European team for the 2026 Solheim Cup. Can you just talk a little bit about earning your spot on that team and then making your debut in the Solheim Cup this year?
JULIA LOPEZ RAMIREZ: Honestly, it's been quite a dream come true. It's obviously what you dream of as a kid, and having the news of being picked for the team, honestly, I'm very excited to get out there, playing with the big crowds, and honestly having a good experience. It will be very fun.
Q. You obviously know a lot of people on the team, and I'm sure you've watched some of them as you were growing up. What does it mean to you to have earned your place alongside those legends of Solheim Cups and also play for a captain like Anna?
JULIA LOPEZ RAMIREZ: Honestly, I think it's kind of funny to see that now I'm going to be myself the one on TV instead of me watching. I've watched all Solheims on TV, and it's quite -- honestly, quite an experience to have.
And having Anna as a captain, I have a lot of respect for her and everything she's done for the game. I think it's a highlight to look at someone like that and having the experience to it, honestly, I don't think there could be a better person for this job than her, and very excited to see what goes into it.
Q. This year's Solheim Cup will obviously be in Europe. What does that mean to you to be playing for the European team in Europe?
JULIA LOPEZ RAMIREZ: Honestly, I think it couldn't be a better scenario for me. I think playing in Europe is the best kind of first Solheim Cup experience that you can have, and having it in Europe with family, all the European people, I feel like we are great players, all of us, and I think just the environment that we have is going to be very fun, and I'm very excited for it.
Q. You went to college in the United States so you obviously have played a lot of team golf before. Can you talk a little bit about your experience playing team golf and any strengths that you think you might have with it specifically?
JULIA LOPEZ RAMIREZ: I think playing team golf is quite interesting as well. I think obviously it's not a team sport at all, and playing these kind of events, it's very exciting to see how players react to it.
Obviously playing in college, playing for Spain when I was younger, it's the best memories I have for sure because I feel like you get into it, and the energy is going. No matter how you're playing, you've got the support of your teammates. I feel I can bring a good energy to the team and bring all the positive that I have with me.
I feel like you're always kinder to other people than you are to yourself, so I think it's fun to see that part and show that to the team and kind of be like -- we call it like a pineapple because it kind of all goes together.
I'm excited to have that and bring the energy to it.
Q. Bringing it back to the regular LPGA Tour season and this event specifically, we've made it through the majors, about halfway through. Talk about your season so far and then also what you're looking forward to this week playing in Portland.
JULIA LOPEZ RAMIREZ: Yeah, honestly, the season has been quite -- like a lot of grinding, a lot of lessons I feel like I keep learning, and it's only my second year on Tour, and I feel like I keep learning all the lessons.
I think it's definitely been in an upright section. I feel like I'm going to keep going up and learning from my game, what I want, what I need, and I'm very excited for this week. I feel like it's a course that's quite tree-lined. I kind of focus on targets quite well, and I think I can do well hitting the shots to the right places, quite smart play out here, and kind of see how it goes.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports