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THE SOLHEIM CUP

September 11, 2005

Laura Davies

Catrin Nilsmark

Gwladys Nocera

Suzann Pettersen

Annika Sorenstam

Karen Stupples

CARMEL, INDIANA

Q. Welcome, Team Europe is here. Catrin Nilsmark, the team Captain, unfortunately the losing side, Catrin, it was a great fight back today from your team, but it wasn't quite enough to take the Cup.

You still must be very, very proud of your team and the way they played today.

CATRIN NILSMARK: There is no doubt I'm extremely proud, and I think every player should be that as well. I think the Americans played unbelievable golf today. They were just hitting the irons so close and really didn't make many mistakes out there, and if you got behind, it was virtually impossible to catch them.

Q. There has been much said about the Europeans having more fun than the Americans. What will you guys do tonight?

CATRIN NILSMARK: Freewheeling from here on. That's true, though.

Q. Take some questions.

Is there anything you would have done differently if you could?

CATRIN NILSMARK: No. No, absolutely not. I think we had a good order today, and like I said, I just there is always someone who plays slightly better or whatever, and it was them today.

Q. How would you rate the overall strength of this American team compared to some of the others you played.

Was this American team stronger or about the same as some others?

CATRIN NILSMARK: I think it was their strongest team. We keep saying that when we play, but I do, because they had some rookies in there that actually, beforehand, we were hoping they might not play at their very best, but unfortunately for us, I think they did today.

I think their strength was in the fact that even the veterans played really well, and then the rookies got off to an extremely good start today.

Q. I'll ask this to Laura: Do you think that Nancy actually made rather a good job of uniting the rookies and its veterans, who could have resented the rookies?

LAURA DAVIES: They did obviously have fun together. They played very well, and that's why they won. They have good team spirit. I still maintain that this team has more fun off the course. We didn't have quite as much fun on the course because we lost. That's the nature of the business, we didn't win.

Q. Were they obviously closer than usual?

LAURA DAVIES: Probably they were. They did seem to be having a lot of fun, and Christina pulls everyone together because she's just crazy, obviously, Paula and Natalie. She was really annoying for us with those galleries, though.

Q. What's your assessment of Paula Creamer if you were to look at the overall week?

LAURA DAVIES: She's very good. I've played with her three or four times this year, she's very composed, hits a lot of good shots, never seems to miss a putt. That's very good.

Q. This question for Karen Stupples. Can you sort of talk about your match with Meg. It all came down to that match and you kept battling and battling. It was such a tough grueling match. Can you talk about that?

KAREN STUPPLES: Obviously I feel a little responsibility for the team here that, yes, it did come down to me. I kind of feel that I did hang in there. I kept fighting right to the bitter end. I feel like I gave her a good match. Meg really didn't give me any openings at all. She played very solid.

As always Meg Mallon is a classy lady, and it was an honor for me to play against her today, but as I said, I do feel a little bit of responsibility for that, and I would have hoped that I would have risen to the occasion a little better than I did on the Front 9, but certainly on the back 9 I gave it my best shot and did the best I could.

Q. Overall, how would you rate the crowds this week? Were they pretty good, sportsman like? What did you think of the crowds?

CATRIN NILSMARK: Loud.

KAREN STUPPLES: They were really loud. They were very, obviously, pro USA as you would expect. There was the odd moment in one or two matches where it was a little unsportsman like, but on the whole, everything was as we expected, but otherwise, obviously, they're going to root for their team, and that's the way we all thought they would be.

Q. Catrin, will you be Captain in two years in Sweden?

CATRIN NILSMARK: I have no idea.

Q. Would you want to?

CATRIN NILSMARK: I don't know. I mean, it's so soon. It's nothing I even really gave a thought before this week, so I really don't know.

Q. Catrin, how difficult was it to lose so many matches going down so early, to say the right things to those who had still to start?

CATRIN NILSMARK: It is difficult. Like I think we've said this before, it is difficult when it gets red on the board very early, but I think we did a really good job, we actually turned things around there in the middle for quite some time, and I think everyone was prepared to just hang in there to do whatever they could, and they did, everyone, but it is a little hard, especially hard when it's not your home crowds.

Q. Suzann, how shocked were you with the tee shot on 18?

SUZANN PETTERSEN: I've seen that a few times this week, but it was I tried just to get my point to make it look a little bit better on the paper. Obviously, I didn't do that. I made a half, but it's also difficult when you see, like on the 17th green, everyone storming the green. We agreed we would finish all the matches.

You have to try to resort yourself and get focused. I tried to hang in there and get my point to make it look a bit better. It was very close, so I think we had a pretty good chance.

Q. This is for Laura: Obviously, when you started your pro career, along with several of the American veterans, there wasn't the Solheim cup. Now that's come to define the careers of many of you, Rosie Jones and you. People will think of you guys in reference to a Solheim cup.

Can you put into perspective what that event has meant to you, and also what you veterans have meant to the Cup?

LAURA DAVIES: I'm already starting to think I want to be on the next team. I want to get some points together. Winning or losing, you want to be part of the team. You want the chance to do it. There is a lot of us who have played in quite a few of them, obviously. It's good fun. How it reflects on your career, I don't know what other people say about that. If you don't play Solheim golf, you probably didn't reach a very high level.

Q. Gwladys, congratulations on your win today. Can I ask you how nervous you were today, and what you think this might do for your career?

GWLADYS NOCERA: I don't know. I didn't come here to compete and perform for my career. I came here to do it for the team. I was very proud, and I'm still very proud of this team. I just keep giving everything I had today. I saw a couple of reds on the board and I said to myself, this is the chance you have to make Europe win in the US. I gave everything. I'm just very sad, but it's okay.

Q. Catrin, so much has been made over the last four or five years in these matches that Europe seems to play better in the team matches and the US seems to do well in the singles. If that's the case, and there's been a lot said about why you guys played so well together, why do you think the US does so well in singles? Is there a simple explanation for it?

CATRIN NILSMARK: No, I think it's not such a big difference anymore, really. I think today, I mean playing here in America, it's just really such a big difference. I would have to say now it went USA's way today, but my feeling is still it could have gone our way, too. I think the difference has really been evened out. I don't know. Anyone else might have a different opinion.

Q. Annika, what is your opinion on that, if that's the case, or Laura, either one, did you feel that changing in Interlachen compared to others, et cetera? Have you sensed a closing, even though the scores don't always show that way?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I thought today was very, very close. I really think it could have gone either way. You know, you came down to the last few holes and a lot of the matches, and you've seen a lot all week. A lot of matches went to the 18th. I don't think in the past they have.

It proves, first of all, that both teams are getting better, but we're also getting better playing over here. I think it's just a matter of time we will do it. I don't think we can talk about the US being better in the singles anymore.

If you look at the scores you might say so, but you all were out there you saw how close it really was. Once we really get it in our heads, we can do it, we're going to do it over and over again. It was so exciting today, I'm just looking forward to two years, we're going to get that Cup back. That's all I can say.

Q. Anyone have any more questions?

For Laura, will we see you in two years for your tenth?

LAURA DAVIES: Absolutely, yeah. I'm playing well, I think I'll get enough points. If I don't, I'll have to beg the Captain for a pick. I'm not beyond begging, I guarantee you.

Q. Any more? Well, it was well played. Hope to see you all again in two years' time. Thank you.

End of FastScripts.

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