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SOLHEIM CUP

August 19, 2017

Des Moines, Iowa, USA

THE MODERATOR: We'd like to welcome in, I don't know if you guys are calling yourselves this, but Juli is calling you this, The Princess Pod, who went an impressive 4-0 today in all of their matches. First off, just an impressive day all around by Team USA. Paula and Cristie, talk a little bit about what we saw out there. I don't think we've seen that number of birdies perhaps ever in a day by a team in the Solheim Cup.

PAULA CREAMER: Did you make a lot of birdies? We made a lot of birdies. But actually our team name is CLAP and LO. Where Princess Pod was last team. This one we're CLAP and LO, because all of our initials and in Lo is Nancy.

AUSTIN ERNST: I pushed it over the edge.

PAULA CREAMER: What was the question? About birdies? Yeah, you have to make birdies in match play. And this golf course, it's good to be aggressive. But you can't be overly aggressive, just because of where some of the pin placements are. But when your partner's playing well, it makes you feel good. So then you're a little bit more confident in what you're doing.

But the way they set it up today, you know yesterday morning's pin placements were really difficult for alternate shot. They were hard.

And then this morning as well, it was similar. They moved a couple of tees up, made it kind of fun for the par-5s, but it's a great match play course. So I still think that they're setting it up fairly difficult, but we're just playing well.

CRISTIE KERR: And Lexi and I also made a lot of birdies. We faced a very difficult team today who were playing really well. We said to each other today we might have to shoot 59 to beat these guys, and we almost made that.

You have to try to make as many birdies in four-ball as you can. And the pin placements this afternoon were a little bit more accessible and more exciting for the fans. And we were lucky to make the putts when we needed to and make a lot of birdies.

THE MODERATOR: We were asking Brittany and Brittany earlier about the pod system and how much fun it has created over the past two times and how it's kind of helped this team. As you look at what a lead you guys have gotten out to now into Sunday's singles, a rare feat for a U.S. team, what do you think this pod system has meant to helping create some of the dynamics as we saw between both of you pairs today kind of going out and really being successful. Lexi?

LEXI THOMPSON: Well, I think it's made a big difference. We all get along with each other very well. But I think setting us up based on personalities and we're all great players, it doesn't matter who we're paired with, but just getting along with each other, how we make a team out there is the most important part.

And we don't get team golf very often, golf being such an individual sport. It's all just being there for your partner, being there for your team, when you're down or when you're up and always pumping each other up. But the pod system has definitely helped it up a bit.

Q. Paula, you went from looking pretty angry to pretty happy on 15 after Austin chipped in. How clutch was that shot?
PAULA CREAMER: Right in front of you guys, we chipped in.

AUSTIN ERNST: We went crazy.

Q. How clutch was that shot considering it was right when it looked like Europe would get one back?
PAULA CREAMER: I was upset because it was horrible course management on my half as a partner. I probably should have laid it up down on the fairway. I'm good with my wedges. There's no reason why I should do that.

And on No. 9, I missed the fairway with a 5-iron. I was kind of reliving that again. We lost 9. And then she was in trouble and hit it in the rough, hit it over the green.

Here I am, I don't know what I was doing. I was so upset. And then that's just like the most amazing moment, I think -- I've seen Juli chip in in a Solheim moment, and it's pretty awesome when she dances around. But I've never thrown a glove before out on a golf course.

And I tomahawked my glove into the ground after that chip shot. It was one of the coolest things I've seen.

And it was an awesome feeling to have a partner, and that's why you have a partner. You know, when you're down she picks you up, and I mean it was so cool.

For a rookie, too, doing that, in that kind of pressure moment, that's pretty awesome. But like I keep saying, when you're good, you're good. And she showed it off right there.

Q. The sort of vague official number we're getting is 25,000 people were out there today. But following four groups, it looked like a million. Have any of you ever been associated with anything like that and what's the closest thing you can compare it to?
PAULA CREAMER: The Solheim.

CRISTIE KERR: Solheim Interlaken, my first, the crowds had to be at least that big or maybe they seemed bigger because I was a rookie. I don't know what the number was there.

But, yeah, definitely the U.S. Open at Pine Needles that year that I got that one was pretty big crowds on Sunday for the last nine holes, at least. So just a few times but not many.

Q. Cristie, not only were a lot of birdie putts holed today, but Lang holed out from the fairway, you holed out from the sand on 15. Could you describe that shot, please?
CRISTIE KERR: Well, Lexi hit a great pitch from the rough first and she was up there about four feet. And I just said, let me hit a good shot, try to send it to the hole, maybe it will go in. And it went in, it was perfect.

Q. Paula, couple of points today, obviously rising to the occasion again. What do you think this week already is going to do for you going forward? Do you feel different?
PAULA CREAMER: Like I've said the last couple of days since I've been here, I was playing really well coming up to this. I felt really in control. Kind of had a couple of weird practice days out here, but I'm starting to find my rhythm again. Hit a lot of really good shots, making some really good putts.

I love having a partner. I love being on a team. And Austin and I got along so well out on the golf course. It was a tough loss for us on our first match yesterday. And we played well.

I mean, anytime you're several under par in alternate shot and you lose, you're looking at each other, like -- but we were also very motivated, too. It wasn't like we were down because of that, because we did play well.

And I feed off of the energy from my partner. I feed off the energy from the crowd, from my team. The whole point of me even being here is crazy.

Like I keep saying, I feel it's a very weird situation with Jessica being hurt. And as being an alternate, you never know what's going to happen and here I am. So I felt like I have to kind of pull my own end of the weight once again in this situation. And I just feel like I can do that. And I hit some good shots at some good times.

Q. Austin, where does this rank for you for your golfing highlights?
AUSTIN ERNST: It's at the top, probably. I mean, some of the shots I hit kind of coming down the stretch were some of the best shots I've ever hit, especially under the circumstances. And it was just so much fun.

I mean Paula makes a putt, I go crazy. I make a putt, Paula goes crazy. That chip-in on 15 might have been the one of the best shots I've ever hit. I almost made a hole-in-one on 14. And then to have the chip-in where I'm not really in the hole to begin with, and then end up having a pretty difficult chip.

But I kind of got up there, I kind of saw the line. As soon as I hit it I knew it was going to be good. Just so much fun playing team golf again. But, yeah, it's probably towards the top as far as my day.

Q. What did you hit off the tee off of 14?
AUSTIN ERNST: 8-iron.

Q. Did you think about the car you almost won?
AUSTIN ERNST: No, not until after Drew told me. He said, you almost had a car. And then I got even more angry. That thing looked good the whole way.

Q. Austin and Paula, you two were doing sort of a handshake, special handshake today. Did you guys come up with that? How did you come up with that? What's the story behind it?
PAULA CREAMER: Took us about a day to come up with this. It's so elaborate.

AUSTIN ERNST: Yeah, but I have a bruise, though.

PAULA CREAMER: I kind of came at her hard a couple times.

AUSTIN ERNST: Got a little bit of bone here but it was worth it.

PAULA CREAMER: A little cross bow, and then on the bottom. Sometimes we miss, but we just keep going, doesn't matter.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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SOLHEIM CUP

August 19, 2017

Paula Creamer

Lexi Thompson

Cristie Kerr

Austin Ernst