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SOLHEIM CUPSeptember 15, 2019Catriona MatthewAnne Van DamJodi Ewart ShadoffSuzann PettersenAnna NordqvistAzahara MunozCaroline MassonBronte LawGleneagles, Scotland, United Kingdom THE MODERATOR: It's an absolute pleasure to introduce the victorious 2019 Solheim Cup champions. Catriona, describe this moment and a few words about your team. CATRIONA MATTHEW: A fantastic moment. A dream come true. Twelve of these players, they played their hearts out. We knew it was going to be close today, but to come down to that last putt and for Suzann to hole it -- fantastic team performance. They all contributed a lot. We never would have won it if it wasn't all of us. Well done. THE MODERATOR: Suzann, couldn't be tighter and it came down to you in the end. How did it feel and do you feel you justified your pick? CATRIONA MATTHEW: By a little bit. SUZANN PETTERSEN: Thank you, Beany. It's a dream come true to pull this off here in Scotland, in front of these crowds, for Beany, here at Gleneagles. It doesn't get any better. That it came down to the final putt -- I thought Bronte was in behind me in the fairway, but she's so good, she closes it out on 17. And I actually didn't know that it was the putt. But I knew I was just -- I knew it was so close because Beany came up on the 18th tee, and I'm, like, okay, I understand; you don't have to say much. But it was fun. THE MODERATOR: Questions. Q. Beany and Suzann, there are a lot of people on Twitter right now who are making the argument that this might be the best women's sporting event in the world. And I wondered if you agree with that, and what are your thoughts on it? CATRIONA MATTHEW: Yes. I would say so. Sitting here right now, absolutely. I think it is one of the biggest women sporting events in the world. Obviously the Women's World Cup is huge. But this -- like the Ryder Cup has grown hugely probably over the last 30 years since it first started. It's such a spectacle of women's golf. The Americans played great as well. For it to come down to that last game, that last putt, the crowds -- you just can't get anything more exciting. Q. Suzann, does the fact that you've been away from golf for two years and that you actually had the hardships of the Solheim Cup in Germany, does all of that make this moment even better? SUZANN PETTERSEN: No, because I just love my teammates. And if it wasn't for all of these girls, I mean, it wouldn't have even mattered, my putt coming down to the end. It's an absolute team effort. That it ended up coming down to the 18th, last putt, last shot, that's it -- ultimate scenario for both teams, really. I mean, when Marina's ball missed, I thought to myself: at least we have a chance for a point. And that's all I remember. Q. Suzann, is this really it for you? SUZANN PETTERSEN: Yeah, I think this is a perfect closure -- the end for my at least Solheim career, and also a nice "the end" for professional career. It doesn't get any better. (Applause.) And to do it with these girls, I never thought I was going to be here four months ago until I met Beany this summer. And to have the confidence from Beany to give me the go, yeah, this is it. I'm completely done. Q. Did you know coming into the week that this was going to be it, or is this -- in terms of your professional career, or -- SUZANN PETTERSEN: My professional career, I'm done. Q. Did you know before this week? SUZANN PETTERSEN: Before this week, I mean, I don't have any plans from tomorrow starting. I'm pretty much -- AZAHARA MUNOZ: Did you know you were going to retire before this week? SUZANN PETTERSEN: I'm closing it down tomorrow, and what more can I say? I'm done. AZAHARA MUNOZ: Did you know before you came into this week that you were going to retire? SUZANN PETTERSEN: I was going to see, but -- (laughter). Q. Catriona, can you just describe the emotions you were going through as you were watching Suzann putt and what you were feeling at the end? CATRIONA MATTHEW: I could barely watch, actually. It's far worse watching. When you're playing you're kind of in the zone and in the moment, and you've got control over things. But watching you just have to faith in the player that's there, and they're all good players. And I had confidence they were going to do it. But it comes down to that -- what was it, about 10 feet? SUZANN PETTERSEN: I don't know. CATRIONA MATTHEW: Certainly wasn't a gimme, but a fantastic putt. But it's just been a great week. We've had great performances from everyone. So everyone remembers the last putt but we had to get there. So, well done everyone. Q. Did you know they were going to carry you shoulder high across? CATRIONA MATTHEW: I did not know, no. Q. Did you enjoy it? CATRIONA MATTHEW: It was not bad. (Laughter). Q. One of your other captain's picks played very well. I wondered if you could speak to Celine Boutier's success this week. (Applause.) CATRIONA MATTHEW: Yeah, obviously Celine and Georgia winning, four from four -- to come and do that in your first Solheim Cup, hats off and a tremendous performance, Celine. Well done. Q. What made that pairing so powerful? CATRIONA MATTHEW: That was one I suppose just myself and the vice captains we thought Celine's got a great short game, great putter; Georgia loves hitting her longer irons and similar-ish personalities. We felt it was a natural fit. BRONTE LAW: Georgia is a legend. Q. Can you talk a little bit winning for Catriona in Scotland given what she's given to the Solheim Cup and her career? SUZANN PETTERSEN: Doesn't get better. With the home of golf, Scotland, the big crowds, as big as it's ever been. Beany being here, just up the street. Doesn't get any better. This is a ultimate scenario for winning the Solheim Cup back. Q. Bronte, can you take us through closing your match and turning around and watching Suzann -- we got to watch it on video -- your reaction to Suzann's putt? Just take us through the emotions of that few minutes. BRONTE LAW: Well, I was pretty nervous -- well, I was pretty nervous. I'm not going to lie. I had a couple three-putts out there, so I was just trying to get back on track. I made a birdie on -- I don't know what hole it was -- 14 -- CATRIONA MATTHEW: 16. BRONTE LAW: 14 -- and then we had a situation on 15 in the bunker. I managed to make a really good putt there. From that point, when I made that putt, I knew that I could do it. And from then I just told myself: Hit a good drive on 16, put it in play. And if you make a birdie, you'll win the hole. Obviously made birdie there. And it was kind of a blur after that, really. Watching Suzann on 18, I could hear the crowd cheer before the putt went in. So I actually reacted before she even made it on the TV. So it's a good job it went in because I was already celebrating. But just amazing -- like, I've never experienced anything like this in my life. And I don't know whether I ever will again. Q. Anna or Catriona both, can you speak to what Suzann has meant to European golf? CATRIONA MATTHEW: Over the last, I don't know how long, 20 years maybe -- maybe 15 only -- she's been one of the trailblazers in European women's golf. I think we've played on maybe seven, eight Solheim Cups together. So, just been a huge part of women's golf and the Solheim Cup. It's such a special moment for her. If this happens to be her last moment in professional golf, well, may as well go out at the top. ANNA NORDQVIST: I think I'm speaking to everyone on this team. Suzann has been a big role model for all of us the last couple of years, more than that. I remember my first Solheim Cup in 2009, I got to play alongside a lot of my idols growing up. It was Laura Davies, Helen Alfredsson, it was Beany, it was Mimmi Hjorth and Suzann Pettersen -- I got to be paired with Suzann my second match and it was really cool. It was definitely one of my best highlights of my career. She's going to be missed. But she's such a rock star. And me and Hedwall getting paired with Beany and Suzann in July, I knew that was maybe one of the last times I would play with both of them. So it was a pretty incredible experience. But she's just such a great character and a big role model for all of us. Q. Carlota, the first point of the day, three incredible last holes, your feelings there? The good feelings beginning there? CARLOTA CIGANDA: I was obviously very happy to help the team. For me, it's not about me; it's the team. I prefer to lose my point but the team to win. I think it was really important to get that blue point on the board. I fought hard. I wasn't comfortable out there playing against Danielle Kang, but I played my best. I won the two holes out of the last three. So very happy to win that point for the European team. And as Suzann said, I think it's so special to win here for Beany in Scotland. I think we're all very happy. Q. Suzann, what was it like to have Herman out there, and how much is he a part of this decision also? SUZANN PETTERSEN: Obviously life has changed for me. To be honest, once I stepped on that tee box, you kind of forget about everything behind you. Things are just taken care of. I can't really walk out on the course thinking of him even though he's with me in heart. But to see him afterwards, it's just surreal. I mean life's changed so much for me over the last year. He's obviously the biggest thing that's ever happened for me. But now I know what it feels like to win as a mom. I'm going to leave it like that. THE MODERATOR: Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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