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SOLHEIM CUP

September 17, 2015

St. Leon-Rot, Germany

MODERATOR: Welcome to the 2015 Solheim Cup here in Germany. Joined by two members of Team USA, welcome in Morgan Pressel to my far right, making her fifth Solheim Cup appearance for the United States, and Paula Creamer to my immediate right, making her sixth Solheim Cup appearance. Thank you both for being in here.

The weather is absolutely outstanding. The obvious first question is how has it affected, if at all, preparation for this event based on other years, do you do less or what?

MORGAN PRESSEL: Yeah, I would say that I think sometimes in Solheim Cup, you almost feel like you're over-prepared, you're ready to play a little bit earlier. But we were talking about that this morning, how this one feels a little bit different. It's kind of a little bit less stress in that sense.

We only played two holes today, which is not normal. But we went out there and the course -- it's not even the conditions of the weather, itself, but it's also the golf course, which is extremely wet. They didn't mow the greens today. So it was a little bit more challenging to get a real practice out there. But we got in a good rain session, and we're still -- we're not going to lose our gym in one day.

MODERATOR: Any rhyme or reason to which holes?

PAULA CREAMER: That way and then came back.

MODERATOR: Out and in. Paula, what are your thoughts on the golf course and your preparation this week?

PAULA CREAMER: I think it's a great golf course. It's fun to play. Obviously it's playing a lot longer now. And I think they'll do some tee changes going into tomorrow.

However, it's unfortunate with all the rain, but it's going to be the same for everybody. My practice has been well. I played a lot of holes earlier in the week, and then the last couple of days just gone out and played with our team.

MODERATOR: Brittany loved it, Michelle loved it on the length side, Lexi will probably in here in 20 minutes saying she loves it. You guys play a totally different style of game. Will this course suit you, as well, in that regard, assuming they do move the tees around?

PAULA CREAMER: I think so. I think you have to be very good with your irons, where the pin placements are going to be. It puts a premium on hitting fairways. You're still good wedge players, even around the greens, bunkers, things like that. I definitely -- I can see both sides of how everybody's style of game would like this golf course.

MORGAN PRESSEL: Yeah, I mean, certainly the fairways are generous, but the rough is long. And alternate shot is such a unique format, as well, that anything can happen. And short game usually in match play, you've got to make the putts to win the holes. And so at the end of the day, it's probably going to come down to the best putters.

MODERATOR: Paula, one of two captain's picks for the United States. I know that was a really big deal for you to be a part of this team. My guess is that going from one of two to now one of 12, that was a transition you had to make mentally. Excited about being one of two captain's picks? You get here and you're one of 12. What's your thought about all that and being here?

PAULA CREAMER: There's three ways to make the team, and I made it in one of the ways to be here. I automatically am one of 12, and there's no little title next to my name or whatnot, I'm just a part of Team USA.

MODERATOR: Morgan, probably both sides, I think, would be fair to say. You might be coming in among the very most consistent and playing the best golf. How much does that matter going in? When you step to the first tee on Friday and it's match play, is your history or your play coming in kind of thrown out the window and it's just here we go, or does it matter if a confidence standpoint for you?

MORGAN PRESSEL: Certainly confidence is important. I definitely feel like I've played well this year. But it's match play. The whole style of game changes. Be more aggressive, which I like to play that way. I like to play aggressively, and especially with the wetness out on the golf course. I think everybody is going to play fairly aggressive out there.

But it's just a little bit of a mindset change and different than stroke pray, where you maybe take a couple more risks here and there. So at the end of the day, it's the next three days that matter. It doesn't matter how anybody's played the rest of the year, got to go out there and get it done.

Q. Paula, one of the reasons Juli picked you was because of your experience and all the great shows you've had in years past at the Solheim. Can you talk about how you'll share some of those with the team in rallying the groups and how much you do that in the team room?
PAULA CREAMER: Quite truthfully, we don't need any rallying going on right now. Juli has done a good job of having team dinners. We get a couple of quotes a night. Honestly, we're not trying to single out anybody with experience.

Alison, we've obviously had to talk to her and help her with what to expect. But we've all been here, and we know what it feels like to win and we know what it feels like to lose. And we've done that altogether. And I really feel that right now we're just all basically on the same page, which is, I think, great. When people have questions, they ask; and when they don't, we just keep on going.

Q. Have you given an impassioned speech in the past, by chance?
PAULA CREAMER: I think I've given one, and it was on a bus. I think that's my one speech.

Q. When was it and what did you say?
PAULA CREAMER: I don't remember what year it was, might have been last one. It was like a two-second one. Go team, kind of thing (laughter).

No, I'm not that one. I think I'm kind of the one in the corner that they'll come and ask me questions and what do you feel like. When I need to speak, I'll know my place. Right now we don't need that. And I don't want to -- I don't need to step up to that plate at this moment. I think Juli can do that and she has done that and that's the role. And I'm one of 12.

Q. Paula, I think just a lot of curiosity about how you feel about the state of your game, and what your confidence is at right now?
PAULA CREAMER: I feel great. I had some really good practice in Evian. I took it right back to here. Played on Monday. Played Tuesday. Played Wednesday. I'm really focusing on my pre-shot routine and just taking one shot at a time. There's things that people have got to go through. And quite truthfully, I feel like I'm in a really good place mentally.

This week is so much fun for me. I love having partners. I love match play. It's that format that brings out that fighter, that grinder that I have inside of me. Getting here, wearing these colors, it's so motivating and there's nothing better than that. We need to go out and hit good golf shots.

Q. And Morgan, could you share the importance of Paula being on this team?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Yeah, I think we all wanted her on this team, there's no question. And she has a presence in the locker room. Like she said, neither of us are really vocal leaders in that sense. But she leads by example, and the girls follow. They follow her example and her lead. I think it's very important to have her on this team. I'm certainly excited she's here. She's one of my best friends.

MODERATOR: Follow-up to something Paula said a couple of moments ago, you don't need anything to be said this week. This is essentially the same exact team as last time, put on Alison Lee. Is that a positive or how would you say that, you win together or you lose together, and nobody really does need to say anything perhaps because you guys all lived it together. What's that been like to have the same group back together?

MORGAN PRESSEL: Like you said, there hasn't been a whole lot -- there's just as much said in the unspoken, right? We were all there in Colorado during defeat, and many of us in Ireland, as well. And we know what we've got to do. We know we've got to go out there and get it done. I think the girls are ready.

PAULA CREAMER: Like you said, there's nothing that you can really say. We've wanted to go back out on Monday last time and get out and play some more matches. And that continues. You don't need to boost anybody up. We already have a lot of confidence. We feel really good. We just want to go out and play golf and represent our country.

MODERATOR: Two years can't come soon enough?

PAULA CREAMER: Definitely.

Q. Paula, Stacy said yesterday or day before, I forget, that in the highlight reels that you made a lot of putts at this event. She's asking, how do you do that? What is it that brings that out in you? Are you hoping you find something with the putter this week in this format?
PAULA CREAMER: Quite truthfully, my putting has been great. Everybody keeps talking about my putting. But I like putting, so I'm confused with that. You have to make big putts at big moments. You're not going to make them all. But when you give yourself a lot of opportunities, you can do that. And once -- these greens are really good. You can see putts go in. These greens you can make a lot of putts, which is good.

Some of the putts I've made in Solheim, yeah, they're some crazy ones, but I've also made some super clutch 10-, 12-footers to halve a hole, that is actually more impactful than it is making a birdie putt.

Putting yourself in those moments and realizing that your partner is standing right next to you, that gives you a lot of confidence, as well. Just trying to find that will and trying to find that inside of you. If you miss it, it's all right, you're going to get another one. But if you make it, keep it going. That's all you can do, especially in match play.

Q. You two have been paired together, I think, twice in Solheim Cups, does that sound right, as teammates? What do you remember about your pairings together? What stands out about it?
PAULA CREAMER: I think the fact that we're such good friends. We have very similar games. There is never, "I'm sorry," or any of that. It's just, all right, here we are. You go in and we can definitely -- we thrive off of each other. There's a lot of confidence in one another. It doesn't matter where you put the person, we're going to figure out a way and we're both grinders.

MORGAN PRESSEL: We both definitely have a similar mentality on the golf course. In the matches that we've played, you know, we've just really done pretty well. And it's -- I think it's a comfort level. I think, like Paula said, very similar games. We can club off each other, we can play almost together out there, really, in a togetherness form. And we've always enjoyed playing together.

Q. Twice together, you kind of expect you guys to play together a little more, considering what you've just said, Morgan. How come it hasn't happened in many of the previous Solheims, four times on the same team together?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Captain's choice. That's just what the captain has set up together. I think we may have played three times. I think last year was maybe the only time we didn't play, but I'm not positive on that. But that's just captain's choice.

Q. And given the fact that you've been doing this kind of pod system, how have you found that in the buildup, being put together in groups out on the course, albeit you haven't had too much of a chance the last few days?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Well, we've all been getting wet together. We've all been soaked. We've just enjoyed our practice sessions and getting our work done and just really trying to prepare for the next few days. As a team, we all get along really well. And there's just a comfort level in the team room and on the golf course, as well.

MODERATOR: Juli kind of comes across and she has the last couple of days sitting up here that she's just kind of having fun and letting this whole thing go, but somehow I don't believe she's unorganized. Can you give us a little sense of what she's been like? You first, Paula.

PAULA CREAMER: Unorganized, it's pretty on the spot. Because she's been here. She knows. I mean, how many Solheims has she played on? And she knows what it's like to have this week. She knows you want to see your family. You also want to practice. Do what you want to do. It's pouring rain, it's your decision. You're a golfer, there's a reason why you're here.

And I think she's really done a great job of also being the captain and a leader, but remembering what it's like to be a team member. She's done a really good job with just our time. We've been able to really do what we've wanted to do. I think that's a big thing.

Juli, like I said, we don't need a lot of things right now, just because when you look at her, you know she's just a competitor as it is, and her body language and everything speaks for itself.

MORGAN PRESSEL: Yesterday she had the wrong undershirt on and the wrong hat. She said, I'm the captain, I just wanted to look a little different. She didn't realize that it was -- so she's organized on the important things, on the things that really matter. And I think she understands that you can't plan for everything.

Like Paula said, with our time, I think this is probably the most rest I've gotten. It's unusual. Coming off a major, I feel like we've really had the opportunity to catch up on our sleep, as it is such a long week and there are so many demands on our time. And right now, after tonight, here it goes. Let's get started.

MODERATOR: Paula, 12-6-5 in your Solheim Cup history. Morgan, 8-5-2. That's 23 and a half points combined between the two of you sitting up here. That's really impressive in match play. No matter how you found your way on to this team, I don't know that any of that matters to most anymore. One could argue, though, in looking at those statistics or those numbers that you two hold a big key to the success or potential nonsuccess of Team USA. Are you guys pretty good with that? Something tells me you're good with that. Juli is the captain, but you guys are the leaders.

PAULA CREAMER: Everybody likes to look back and know that you've done well. I've had a lot of great matches. I've hit a lot of the best shots of my life in Solheim Cup, especially under the pressure. But I think playing for your captain, playing for your country -- I mean, everybody knows Juli Inkster is my role model and somebody I've always looked up to since I started playing golf.

Nancy Lopez was my first captain. It's so exciting to be on a team with 12 girls, and when you're out in that moment and things aren't going great and you see the board and you look up there and getting a half point is just as big as grinding out a match.

And I think that growing up we've played a lot of match play, as well. We played on the Junior Solheim Cup teams. We've been around this. And I think you have to remember that match play, some people don't get to play it that often. And we've had the opportunity to do that. Women's Ams, things like that.

MODERATOR: Do you embrace that sense of pressure, if there is some, based on past history with you?

MORGAN PRESSEL: Our job is to go out and put points on the board. Everybody wants to put as many points up as they can. Paula and I are no different.

Past history, yes, we've certainly had success, but we've got to go forward. Past history won't determine who wins this week. Just got to win every hole that we can, that's our job.

MODERATOR: I wish you guys the best of luck. Thanks so much for coming in here.

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