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SOLHEIM CUP ANNOUNCEMENT

August 12, 2019

Gleneagles, Scotland, United Kingdom

THE MODERATOR: We would like to welcome to the 2019 European Solheim Cup team announcement here at the beautiful Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland, the Home of Golf.

In just 33 days' time, the first tee shot will be struck in the biggest event in women's golf and we'd like to thank visit Scotland for enabling this fantastic tournament to take place.

Now it's my great pleasure to it hand over to the European Solheim Cup captain, Scotland's very own Catriona Matthew, who will reveal her four captain's picks.

CATRIONA MATTHEW: I'm delighted and honored to announce my four picks as Celine Boutier from France; Bronte Law, England; Suzann Pettersen, Norway; and Jodi Ewart Shadoff, who, unfortunately, was unable to be here today, as the fourth pick.

THE MODERATOR: It's been a very stressful 48 hours for you, I'm sure. Can you give us your initial thoughts on the shape of the team, and why you selected the four players you did.

CATRIONA MATTHEW: Yeah, I think the team is looking fantastic, actually. We have a lot of experienced players. We've got obviously Carlotta, Anna, who are all playing great. Charley has been great. Aza has been playing well this year. It's really complemented, Suzann, Celine and Bronte being the three rookies coming into the team, and Suzann with some more experience coming in.

All in all, we have a fantastic 12 players and we can't wait to get here in September.

THE MODERATOR: Bit of a twist in the story this time. Perhaps you can elaborate?

CATRIONA MATTHEW: Yeah, obviously Suzann has come in as a pick, so she's going to step down as her vice captain role, and delighted to say that Mel Reid is taking that up, which I think just shows the spirit of The European Team.

Obviously she was disappointed not to get a pick into the team, but you know, when I mentioned it to her just without a break, she said, yes, we'd be delighted to come and be vice captain. So a great addition to the team.

THE MODERATOR: Suzann, this is going to be your ninth appearance as a player. Obviously you were vice captain until this point. How special is this moment to you?

SUZANN PETTERSEN: I'm extremely happy to make the team. It's been a long two months for me to make it. But you know, what it's been an honor to be a part of the captaincy alongside with Beany, Laura and Kathy, but I would rather play. Much rather play. I'm really excited.

This is another great team. I think this is a good winning team. The spirit is good. A lot of great young players. So just really happy to be a part of the team as a player.

THE MODERATOR: Bronte, obviously this is your Solheim Cup debut, but you've had a lot of experience already as a winner. How excited are you to play for Team Europe?

BRONTE LAW: Yeah, I'm really excited, honestly, from two years ago, I really made this a goal of mine, and the reality of being picked and being here and going to be representing Team Europe is something that I'm really honoured and really excited and to be a part of the team that has so much talent and so much experience is something that I'm really looking forward to.

THE MODERATOR: Celine, you're also making your Solheim Cup debut. How did you learn that you had received a pick from Catriona and how did you feel?

CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, I was playing in The Scottish Open last week, and I met up with Catriona at the golf course and kind of didn't really know what to expect. I thought it was going to be a good sign, obviously, but once they let me know I was going to be a pick, I was super relieved and super excited, because you know, coming in, I didn't really know if -- you never really know unless it's done, but yeah, very excited and relieved.

THE MODERATOR: Suzann, you have a one-year-old baby, Herman, and just returned to competition. So how fit do you feel and ready to play, and how hungry are you to win this trophy back?

SUZANN PETTERSEN: You know what, it's been a little different road for me for the last two years. Obviously the last one, I had to pull out. I was -- I took my back out the weekend prior to, and we swapped spots. That was two years ago.

Now, it's a very different story for me. My life has changed a lot, obviously for the better. But I've missed golf over the last half a year and very happy to be back in competition. I don't know what I can say. I mean, I'm delightful that I get the credit and the -- I mean, good thumb's up from Beany that she wanted me on the team, and once she kind of told me I should just keep practicing and keep playing, I figured, maybe I could actually make this team.

Like I said, it's a massive honour for me to be here. This is what I love. I feel like I'm literally born for this, like a few others on the team.

But it's just different. At the end of the day, it's just golf. But I think we have a really good team. I think Beany has done a great job so far and we've just tried to assist her, trying to bring the best team we could to the table.

THE MODERATOR: Bronte, you're a rookie on the team but you have a lot of experience and you're known as a great team player. What is it about you that makes you such a good team player?

BRONTE LAW: That's a loaded question. Well, I think I just really enjoy being part of a team. The camaraderie and support that everyone shows for each other is really special and we don't get to experience a lot, with golf being such an individual sport.

So I think the times that we do get to play on a team, I rely cherish that and I just enjoy being part of it, and, you know, sharing like the success of -- you know, with others, is something that's really special and playing for England golf growing up and then in the Curtis Cup, and we're lucky enough to have a lot of success, and each time, it made me more and more hungry to play well in those team environments, and I think that's just grown over the years.

THE MODERATOR: You had a chance to play the PGA Centenary Course this morning and put on the team jersey. How did that feel and what can you tell us about the course?

CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, it was a great course. I didn't really know what to expect coming in, but I think my first couple of holes, I was super nervous. But then I just tried to, you know, relax a little bit and take it in and try to have some fun. It was a great day.

THE MODERATOR: Do you how do you feel the mood is in the team camp and what sort of team room can you expect this year?

CATRIONA MATTHEW: I think we have a fantastic mood in the camp already. We had a great dinner last night. Everyone knows each other, but they are just getting to know each other a little bit better.

I think everyone, really, is just happy to know what the team is and who is in it. It's been a long process for them all, and obviously the ones who have qualified automatically, and it's obviously more stressful for the picks.

But we all gathered with the caddies, and we had a great day this morning playing, perfect weather. Be nice if we had that in September. I think we all enjoyed the golf course and it's looking in fantastic shape. So we are all very excited and can't wait to get back here in September.

THE MODERATOR: It all leads to this moment, and looking forward to seeing you back here at Gleneagles in a month's time. Thank you, everybody.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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