SOLHEIM CUP

September 22, 2023

Stacy Lewis

Finca Cortesin

Team USA

Quick Quotes

Q. Stacy, congratulations. What a start for Team USA. 4-0. You couldn't really ask for much more.

STACY LEWIS: No, you could not ask for much more. We knew just seeing the pairings, those middle two matches were going to be tough. We saw a ton of fight in our girls and fortunately we were on the right side of it.

Q. What did you say to them this morning? Because it clearly worked.

STACY LEWIS: It's been the talk all week. It's just been the vibe we've had all week. Just letting these girls be themselves. Just, thankfully, they have trusted in all my crazy talk of stats and just all my ideas, and they believed in me. That's why I just told them when they got done, Thank you for believing in me.

Q. Lexi Thompson had the honor of hitting that opening tee shot this morning. Talk us behind the strategy there.

STACY LEWIS: I just had a feeling yesterday. She wasn't in my lineup that I've had for a couple weeks, and just the way the last four days have gone, just the way she seemed mentally, it just -- I had a good feeling about it.

Megan's been playing amazing obviously the last month or so. So I literally went to them with about three holes left in their practice round and said, Hey, can you figure out some golf balls, and fortunately, they managed it and got the win.

Q. The strategy for this afternoon?

STACY LEWIS: Really sticking to what we got. We were looking at how people were playing this morning and getting those that didn't play out, so I love this afternoon too.

Q. Couldn't have envisioned a more perfect start to the Solheim Cup?

STACY LEWIS: No, that was just a bonus. I loved our pairings. I loved what we put out. Just, I knew those middle two matches were going to be tough. Just proud of the fight that we saw there.

Q. You've played in a lot of these events yourself. How important is momentum?

STACY LEWIS: It's massive. We've never even -- not only have we never gone 4-0, I don't think, but we've never led after this session since -- I mean, it's been a long time. So that was a key for me, is I wanted to get four really good pairings out this morning and get the momentum and get off to a good start.

Q. You also know that nothing is won in the first session, so what is the message?

STACY LEWIS. Yes. No, as soon as that putt went in, I got on the radio and just said, Look, it's 2-2. Let's go back out. Let's go back to work.

Q. Amazing job.

STACY LEWIS: Thank you.

Q. There might have been some second guessing out there. How do you think this team showed 'em up?

STACY LEWIS: There was second guessing outside of this team room, I can tell you that much. I think the way the girls have bought into the process and that's what you saw today, they saw the proof of that. They believed in me and then they went and played some unbelievable golf.

Those middle two matches were, I knew they were going to be tough, just based on who they were playing. So to get those halves on both of those on 18 was really, really big.

Q. What were some of the biggest moments that you thought went on out there today?

STACY LEWIS: I thought the start by Lexi and Megan set the tone.

Ally, Cheyenne just wrecked it. I think that was, it's nice to have one match just kind of in your back pocket.

The birdies on 17 or the birdie -- I guess it was one birdie, but Allisen, I didn't see the putt, but Allisen making that putt to halve that hole was massive. She walked that 6-footer in on that last, on 18, too.

So, I mean, it was a team effort, but I mean, there were some moments that the girls could have given them some opportunities to get back in and they finished 'em out.

Q. It's been a big story line going into the week, USA hadn't led after the first round in a long time. You went 4-0. First time ever. How awesome a feeling is that and how do you ride off that for the afternoon, without getting too big for your head?

STACY LEWIS: Yeah, I was just trying to get a lead, to be honest. I didn't care what it was. So to go 4-0 is a little bit unexpected. But I'll take it and run. Now I just, as -- everybody I've seen, it's like, Let's get back to work. It's 2-2, let's go get back to work.