It's been four years since Annika Sorenstam was a part of The Solheim Cup. She's in a different role this year as an Assistant Captain of the European Team instead of a playing member of the team.
Q. So Annika, it's great to have you here. How different is it this time being an assistant captain to being a player?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: First of all, it's great to be here. I've missed the Solheim the last time, so certainly great to be back in this atmosphere. It is different to be ‑‑ not to bring the clubs and not to be playing. Kind of been dealing with that the last two days, but I'm certainly happy to be here and just be part of it.
I was so honored when Alison asked me to be the assistant captain. So I'm doing everything from making sure the food is ready and warm, to looking at the pairings, to the golf course, so it's been a really busy week so far.
Q. It must be a wonderful feeling for you to be back in the team environment. Had you forgotten how good it was? And do you see this being a training session for you being a captain some day in the near future?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I must say I'm really enjoying myself this week. I've been away from competition, and I've been away from kind of the whole atmosphere for 24 months or something like that. It brings back some wonderful memories. There is no doubt about it. Especially walking here and talking to some of the players that I played with like Suzann or Catriona, or Sophie, and Laura. I mean, the conversation that they're having between themselves is the one that I used to have with them.
So I'm in a funny position, but I also think that I can add some value to that because I've been in that situation. Yes, it's fun to be part of the team again.
As far as the captaincy, time will tell. What the organization wants and what the players want. I've always felt like it was a great honor to represent Europe as a player and as a captain, so we'll see, I guess, is my answer.
Q. In terms of your playing ability, obviously, you've been there, you've done it all yourself, a wonderful player. How difficult is it as a vice‑captain to watch these players and give them advice without actually sort of giving them too much advice, if you understand what I'm saying? You know how to experience the experiences that they've experienced, you know how to play the shots under pressure, and you see some of these rookies, to give them advice without overloading them with too much advice, if you understand what I'm saying.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, you're kind of reading my mind or maybe seen how I've acted out there. I'm extremely competitive. You want to be there, you want to support them, and you want to help them. But as a previous player, it's so easy to say, well, this is what I would have done. Not that it really matters to them.
But then again, you want to help them as much as you can because you know what it takes. As a rookie, I made a lot of mistakes, and later in my career, I didn't make them. So you want to share with them, hey, don't make the same mistakes I did. If you do this, then you get this outcome instead.
I have to admit I have to juggle that back and forth and step away a little bit and look at it more from another perspective.
It's a good test for me. It certainly is. It just makes me think about being a mom and my kids playing sports down the road, that I've got to let them do it. Support them, but not do it for them.
Topics: Sorenstam, Annika
