Seven members of Team USA secured their position before the teams were finalized for the 2019 Solheim Cup. Lexi Thompson, Nelly Korda, Danielle Kang, Lizette Salas, Jessica Korda, Megan Khang and Marina Alex sat down with LPGA.com’s Amy Rogers during the Canadian Pacific Women's Open to talk about the matches at Gleneagles in Scotland. Below are a few notable quotes from each player.
Lexi Thompson
2:32 On The Most Nervous She’s Been in a Solheim Cup
“I would say the first tee shot every time. But probably the most in the States, I would say in Iowa and Colorado. I just remember my whole body was shaking, it wasn’t just my hands. It was like my whole body. I was standing over the shot like uh, I don’t know what to do. Like I was trying to breathe, and you know trying to relax myself, but it wasn’t quite working.”
4:14 On Her 2017 Sunday Singles Match With Anna Nordqvist
“I try not to remember any of the front nine. The front nine was so bad. I had a great warm up on the range and I just went on the front nine and I was like what happened? Who is this? I was 4-over or something and I was four or five down going into 10. But Anna was playing great on top of me playing terrible.”
Lizette Salas
6:54 On Playing a Solheim Cup in Europe
“Obviously, when you go over there you’re not the favorite to win. You don’t have that home crowd advantage, but if you look at it as far as a challenge, to maybe silence the crowd as much as you can or convert them, bring them to the other side. It’s not that bad, trust me! It’s how you view it.”
9:57 On How Her 2019 Major Success Can Help Her At the Solheim Cup
“The whole majors this year have really helped me in preparation for the Solheim Cup this year. There’s no pressure like that anywhere else. I’ve had that putt to retain the cup two years ago, and so being able to perform under those conditions, under those stakes, I’m really confident going into this one and I just feel bad for whoever has to play me. I’m just kidding!”
Jessica Korda
14:12 On Having Her Sister, Nelly, on the Team
“Oh we’re super excited. We played the Dow team event together to have some experience playing in that format together. I think we figured out a couple things which have been really positive coming into Solheim Cup. Hopefully we get to play together, that would be a huge goal of ours. There’s not going to be two players out there more comfortable than the two of us are out there together. We’re just really excited for that week to roll around.”
17:06 On Missing the 2017 Solheim Cup
“When I wasn’t able to go healthy, you know that was a tough call for me and it just really sucked. I definitely don’t want to be on the sidelines. Especially earning a spot. It’s one thing not earning your spot, but earning your spot and having to give it up, I don’t think many people have done that.”
Danielle Kang
20:36 On Having A Young Team
“I know our team is new, and I know there are a lot of players that are not as experienced as before in previous years. But I think having Juli there with the same assistant captains, Pat Hurst, Wendy and Nancy all being there helps because they know what it was like being on the team. They know what it’s like and they know all of us. They know who we are, how we are and what our games are like and I think that itself will make us difficult to beat. And just because they’re rookies they’re excited, they’re really, really excited. Which means they want to play well, they’re happy to be there, they’re excited to be there and they want to win. Which, I can’t ask for more from a team.”
Marina Alex
27:56 On Team Europe
“They really all individually are playing well and they like playing these formats. They really come together, and you think on paper it might not be that even of a match up. We definitely have to go in expecting they’re going to be firing on all cylinders, too. So I think it’ll be motivating for us to bring the heat early because that’s what it's all about.”
Nelly Korda
28:55 On Playing Her First Solheim Cup
“It was definitely one of my goals coming into this year. I was disappointed not to make it two years ago as a rookie, but it gave me more motivation to play well and to make it this year.”
31:26 On Watching Her Sister Play the Solheim Cup in 2013
“I was actually there and it was really cool to see and also made me think, ok I want to be out here one day and representing my country and playing alongside these girls.”
Megan Khang
37:48 On Facing Suzann Pettersen in Sunday Singles
“I wouldn’t mind it. I think I’d annoy her by talking her ear off actually.”
38:28 On Playing in Europe
“We’re away, so there’s that aspect of not necessarily being the underdogs, but the less rooted for… for me it drives me a little more to be like, 'oh I’ll beat you on your soil' kind of situation. May happen, may not happen, but that’s the kind of confidence I want to go into the week with.”
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