KROGER QUEEN CITY CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY P&G

September 6, 2023

Cheyenne Knight

Kenwood Country Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right, I'm here with Cheyenne Knight at the Kroger Queen City Championship. You just wrapped up your time in the pro-am. Had a few days on the course. What are your first thoughts of Kenwood Country Club?

CHEYENNE KNIGHT: Yeah, it's a great course. I wasn't here last year but I know they got a lot of rain. The fairways are firm, so if you can hit the fairway your ball can roll a decent amount and have a short club in.

The greens are pretty soft, so I think scores might be pretty low. I think just as the week goes on I know they're kind of redoing the greens after we're done, so I think they'll get a little bit firmer.

I think people are going to go kind of low, so I think you can just expect maybe close to 18-, 15-under will probably win.

Q. And you claimed your second tour victory this year at Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational alongside Elizabeth. Can you just talk through what this did for your confidence?

CHEYENNE KNIGHT: Yeah, I think I was kind of -- I was probably playing like some of the best golf of my career at the beginning of the year, in March, April, May, that stretch.

Never got it done, but was in some final groupings and, yeah, just didn't get it done. So winning with Elizabeth, I always tell me like I was really excited -- I mean, I was excited for myself, but just for her. She's battled a lot with injuries, and getting to experience that with her was very unique.

Golf is an individual sport, but yeah, it was great for my confidence, and, yeah, like a different type of win. Yeah, doing it with someone else was really special. Yeah, it was great.

Q. On top of that, some exciting news. You were chosen to represent the U.S. in the Solheim Cup. Can you just walk us through some of those emotions before receiving the call and what that meant to you?

CHEYENNE KNIGHT: Yeah, it's always been a goal. I watched the Solheim Cup growing up. I never have been on like Junior Solheim Cup or Curtis Cup in my amateur career, so this will be the first time representing my country, which I'm super excited about.

Yeah, I knew I was kind of on the bubble or I would have to be a pick, but I wasn't really thinking too much about it. In Canada it was like very in your face and doing all the fittings and pictures and stuff, so relieved to have made it.

Feel like I'm playing a little bit better than I have kind of the last month or so right now. Yeah, it's like a long year, so I'm super excited to hopefully kind of be in good form going into the Solheim Cup, and just getting to represent my country is a huge honor.

Q. And as a rookie is there any advice you've received going into it?

CHEYENNE KNIGHT: Oh, yeah, I think -- I haven't gotten advice yet. I mean, a little bit of advice here and there. Like when I did the media day with Angel and Ally they was giving me some pointers and stuff.

Next week at home I'll be Angela Stanford a good bit and pick her brain. Austin Ernst doesn't know it yet, but I'm going to give her a call. (Laughing.)

I know it's nothing like anything I've ever experienced, just like the first tee and just kind of match play and the craziness of it. And just like, you know, you're competing on foreign soil so people are rooting against you. I've never really had that before.

So, yeah, just take all the advice I can get. There are a lot of rookies on the team, so I think just really coming together and just learning all that we can from the other girls.

Q. So at that pics announcement, I think you had one of the -- maybe not the cooler names, a bunch of celebrities did the announcement. Pretty floored to see Nick Saban talk to you and congratulate you making the team and announce that you made the team. Just tell me about those emotions that you felt when you saw him pop up on the screen?

CHEYENNE KNIGHT: Yeah, I was sitting on the couch like waiting for my name and Nick Saban -- I thought I was about to cry. The girls were like, are you okay? I met him before at my time at Alabama. He would come out to the golf facility.

But just for him to like, I don't know, pronounce my name correctly and know about the Solheim Cup was really cool, and it's something I'll keep forever because everyone knows Nick Saban. He's the GOAT. Roll Tide.

Q. Speaking of all the rookies on that team, it is one of the younger Solheim experience-wise teams I feel like the U.S. has had, and struggled the last couple Cups. Do you think that's a benefit to have some younger, hungrier players on a team that has struggled last couple cups?

CHEYENNE KNIGHT: Some people have asked me about the team and what's going to make it different. I haven't been on one so I don't really know what didn't work or what hasn't worked. I think Stacy kind of has an idea like what we can change.

But I think we are the underdogs like going over there. Europe has a great record and we haven't won on foreign soil in a little bit or just won the Cup in general.

I think we're really a strong team. Like three major winners on the team with Lilia with two, and yeah, I think like just the younger girls, like I think -- I mean, all the teams have been good. They never got -- it was always down to the like the last few matches or a point or half a point.

I think the girls have been close in the past, and I don't know if the rookies necessarily bring anything fresh to the team, but I think I have a lot of confidence in Stacy because she's been a player and kind of on the other side at Inverness and she has an idea of what to do differently.

So, yeah, and I'm like -- I just want to contribute. I can't wait for the team aspect and just be there for everyone.

Q. What's the mindset when it comes to match play? Won that event with Elizabeth in team play, but not match play. You seem very calm, cool, and collected, but I could also see you being pretty ferocious out there.

CHEYENNE KNIGHT: Yeah, match play is different. You feel like you always see it. You know, it's kind of like cutthroat a little bit. I don't know if like pettiness is the right word, but you see it. You see it all over the board.

I think it's just like I feel like you just have to have respect for everyone. Sometimes maybe like our emotions get a little bit too much into it.

But just how my personality is with match play, like I have respect for the other team, the other people I'm competing against. I am kind of like, if I do my job, it'll take care of itself.

I mean, yeah, me and Elizabeth played really well on alternate shot, but it's not match play. Golf is an individual sport, but with match play you're definitely taking into what they're doing and where their shots are ending up.

Yeah, again, I've never experienced the emotions that come into the Solheim Cup, but it's just, you know, you're competitors. You're always competitors out here, but there is more camaraderie week in and week out than what I think is going to be at the Solheim Cup.

I mean, just like I have a lot of respect for Team Europe and all those girls. They played great to make the team. I think it boils down to respect. Yeah, I think I'll get a little bit pumped up or excited but not pettiness.

Q. I like that. Final one from me. You said this earlier this year, I mean, you were playing some incredible golf. It just felt like the other show needed to drop. What's been the key for you? Obviously won at Dow and have been steady since Dow. What's been the key for you?

CHEYENNE KNIGHT: I think my ball striking has improved a lot this year. Hit a lot of fairways and greens. I have always hit enough greens and had enough birdie opportunities to score, and I think just playing really consistent, not making a lot of mistakes.

Yeah, and I think the last few weeks I just have been off. Short game hasn't really been there to save me, so, you know, not much you can do.

So, yeah, and I think now -- like at the beginning of the year it was a lot being in all those situations kind of like back to back and back, and, you know, not capitalizing or getting the win.

It takes a lot mentally and emotionally. Being in contention, there is nothing like it. The pressure, it is hard to win out here, and I think I got a little impatient and frustrated, a little emotionally like zapped from it.

But I feel a lot better now. Learned a lot. You win or you learn or you kind of do both, you know? I definitely played some great golf, and feel like I'm not that far off.

Hopefully it can all come together kind of right now I guess. It's never on your timetable but just keep doing the right things.

Q. Going back to Solheim, any talks with Stacy afterwards, and what can you say about what she said about your qualities that will help you the best with this team?

CHEYENNE KNIGHT: Yeah, I think I don't have the personality to kind of like just say all the things that I do well, but I think I talked to Stacy a little bit kind of like throughout the year. She's like, your game, you don't make a lot of mistakes. There is nothing -- in my game there is nothing that really stands out, but there is not anything I just do wrong. I'm overall pretty solid.

Just her saying that I could match up with anyone, and my personality would be a good team player, I think Stacy having that faith in me -- I've looked up to her for a really long time, and for her to believe in me and think I'm a good fit for the team is just really special.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you so much. Good luck this week.

CHEYENNE KNIGHT: Thank you.