CURTIS CUP

June 10, 2022

Elaine Ratcliffe

Merion Golf Club

Press Conference

Q. Not exactly the situation you were hoping for after day one.

ELAINE RATCLIFFE: No, I'd say that's -- yeah, that's correct. I can't add much to that, other than yes.

Q. Not necessarily what went wrong, but what can you do to kind of change the situation going into tomorrow?

ELAINE RATCLIFFE: Praise them for the good golf that they executed and then look at anything that we could do slightly differently. I felt this morning and a little bit this afternoon, we certainly didn't hole putts. We were unfortunate on quite a number of lip-outs and then we had a flag that was hit. So it's really execute the game plan better.

We've not got off to good starts in either this morning or this afternoon, and we did in one of the matches hand over a lot of holes early, which in this match you can't do. I always witnessed a lot of good golf from the U.S. Team.

Q. I heard something about Fooch talking about the places where you can really make the difference here is between 7 and 12, shorter par-4s, places you can take advantage. But you're suggesting that early on you guys put yourselves behind the 8-ball?

ELAINE RATCLIFFE: Yes. Well, I feel one match did. But we were down early doors.

However, I did feel that they could fight back. I certainly don't make him wrong; that's what I believe, as well, between 7 and 12 is crucial.

Q. A lot can change after day one. We saw that last year. Is that kind of what the team is feeling right now?

ELAINE RATCLIFFE: Oh, completely, because I don't think we executed the game plan that well on certain numbers -- I can't say between 7 and 12 because I saw some not good shots on 15, as well.

But again, 7 and 12 you've got to hit fairways, and then all of a sudden those greens become approachable, and then you can suddenly get to the place you want to and then you can start making birdies. I don't feel we've made many birdies today. I don't feel -- at times the golf has not warranted them making birdies, but at times the golf has warranted them making birdies, and that hasn't happened.

We need to focus on the fact that they can make birdies and that we need to now hole out better and make more.

The Americans played some great golf today. I don't feel that they left anything out there. Everything went in. They holed out beautifully. We saw chip-ins, we saw a number of things. But all credit to them; they're world-class golfers. We need to do the same thing tomorrow. We need to hole out well, execute our game plan, and actually, you know what, I wouldn't mind a few chip-ins.