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RICOH WOMEN'S BRITISH OPENAugust 5, 2007Betsy KingST. ANDREWS, SCOTLAND PAM WARNER: Good morning, everyone. We are pleased to have Solheim Cup Captain Betsy King here to talk about the U.S. Solheim Cup Team. She will be making her team announcement on August 26 following the Safeway Classic in Portland, Oregon. Following this week that brings us to two tournaments remaining for players to earn points towards the two thousand receive U.S. Solheim Cup team. Betsy is also going to being taking a number of players to Halmstad tomorrow in Sweden for a practice session, giving them an opportunity to play the golf course. So Betsy I'll turn it over to you to get some general comments about the team as it's come together, and a little about your practice session tomorrow and we'll open up for some questions. BETSY KING: Obviously this is a big honor for me to be chosen as the captain, and I think it's a great kind of end to my career. I haven't played since 2005, and it's been a lot of fun. It's been fun for me to get to know some of the younger players. I can't tell you how impressed I am with them. They are all very competitive, and yet they all are very gracious. And I think it's helped the LPGA a lot because they are accessible to the fans and to you, I think. So I'm just excited and feel very honored to be a part of it. And I can't say enough, too, to Beth Daniel, my assistant who has been a great help and Jodie, a paid helper, have made all the difference. This Solheim Cup has grown quite a bit. I was fortunate to play in the first five, and just the two years of preparation in itself is I'm sure so much bigger than -- for the first Solheim. I look toward to playing in Sweden. I know it's going to be a great challenge. The European Team will be strong and I think everyone knows the challenge of playing in Europe. You know, the home side has won all but one of the Solheim Cups; so I think that speaks for itself. But I think it will be an interesting challenge and hopefully our players will be up to it, but I know we're going to have to play our very best to have an opportunity to win. I'm looking forward to going to Sweden tomorrow. Right now there are seven players going: Cristie Kerr, Stacy Prammanasudh, Brittany Lincicome, Sherri Steinhauer, Brittany Lang, Nicole Castrale and Angela Stanford. I did get an opportunity to go to Sweden last September. I didn't play the course, but Beth did, and I walked around with her. It's a pretty traditional course. When I say "tradition," I mean American; it's wooded. It's close to the water, but it's behind the hotel; so I'm not sure that it's going to be that windy. I think the big thing is going to be whether it's rainy or sunny when we're there. Obviously if it rains I think the golf course could play pretty long, but I think you're also going to have to keep it in play. I'm excited to go. Even though it's been -- I've known since December of '06 I guess -- '05; it just seems like it's gone by quickly. With all of the preparations almost completed, I'm looking forward to being there in September. Q. How many times have you been to events this year? BETSY KING: I went out to four or five events last year. And this year I was at Phoenix, Nabisco, New Jersey, the LPGA Championship, the Match Play, this week, and I'll be in Portland, as well. So I've tried to go out and see the players and support them, just to know that I'm there. I said to Nicole Castrale yesterday: "I'm not judging you; I want to support you." I know she had an injury this week. Like I said, I just want to get out. I've eaten dinner with several of the players and plan to do that individually with them before the Solheim Cup. Q. What else have you been saying to them? BETSY KING: "What can I do to help you; is there anyone that you would prefer to play with that you would feel most comfortable with." Some of the ones that are experienced, I'm going to count on them to help the players that haven't played before. And then the younger ones, what to expect that week. For the people that it's new when we announce the team in Portland, we're going to have a dinner that night and we'll go over as much as we can what will happen that week. I think when you haven't played it, it is really a busy week. I know you're exhausted by the end. You feel like you don't have much free time because we're running from one thing to the next. Q. Have you met with Helen at all? BETSY KING: We've done two photo shoots for Rolex, one that didn't work out last year so we redid it this year and we also had meetings in March with the Solheim personnel, Solheim family was there. I just saw Helen this week. She's been injured for a little while, so she wasn't out to several of the events that I was to. But we've gone over the things that we need to in our role as captains. You know, I've known Helen for a while and played against her in one of the Solheim Cups and was defeated by her. I don't know the score, but I know I lost; it was at the Greenbrier. Q. I know that when the men captain the Ryder Cup there is a Captain's Agreement; do you have one, as well? BETSY KING: Well, I think we go over -- I know this time, for instance, the last time when we played, we didn't complete all the matches, and in the Captain's Agreement it says all matches will be played to completion no matter what the team score is. So that's one thing we are both aware of. I really think the spirit of the Solheim Cup has always been good. I don't see it being any different. You know, my opinion, you can have fun whether you win or lose. Obviously it's more fun to win. But win or lose, I want to make it a memorable week for the team. Q. Are you disappointed that more players are not making the effort to play tomorrow in Sweden? BETSY KING: Not really. Because I never was a big win to go in ahead of time. I felt like, we'll play tomorrow; and the weather will probably be entirely different in September and so the course will play differently. But some players do like to go in ahead of time, and I think that people that are going, that's probably -- they are the ones that want to go and do that. So I understand that. You know, the people that want to go are going to be there, so that's fine with me. Maybe we'll get around the course faster. We have kind of a tight schedule. And I think it's going to work out fine. It will be an opportunity for us maybe to bond more because we're a smaller group. No, I'm not disappointed. I know the ones that that are not going, that's the way they prepare and they will be ready to go in September. Q. Of the players that are going, are they all likely to make the team? BETSY KING: Well, I think -- no, there are not. There are a couple of them that are outside the Top-10 on the points now. So you know, there could be several people there that won't make the team. I think some of them -- well, obviously Cristie Kerr, she'll make the team and Stacy will definitely make the team. Brittany Lincicome is No. 8, I think mathematically she will make it, too. And beyond that, it's still up in the air for the others that are going. Q. The couple of players that are outside right now, is that an indication that -- BETSY KING: Actually the way that I did the selection was we tried to let people know ahead of time. So after the LPGA Championship, I just did the Top-12 point-getters at that point. So the people that are going came out of that group, and the other ones declined to go or, you know, for whatever reason aren't going. I know Natalie just decided this week not to go because of her situation with her back. So that's how I put the list together. Q. How much do you know about the European Team? BETSY KING: On the European Team, to be honest I haven't done a lot of research. Obviously I'm familiar with Trish and Laura, Annika, Paula Marti. The other ones, I really do not know. And I thought about that. In golf, you can't really control what the opponent does. You have to take control of the things that you can control, and for me as a player, I always prepared to be 100% ready to go when I teed off, and it didn't matter what the other person was doing. I had to just do my preparation, and I think this is true on the team. I can only control the U.S. side. I don't have any control on the European side, and particularly because the draws are combined. If it was -- if I had a choice to choose who to put up against somebody, I think that would make a big difference. But because I don't have that luxury, and obviously Helen doesn't either; it's just you have to prepare your best players to be able to beat whoever is on the other side. But I'm looking forward -- I know Gwladys (Nocera) is No. 1 on the points and I watched her tee off today and I have not seen her play. I'm sure there will be others there that I'm not as familiar because I'm retired and they don't play on the LPGA Tour. Q. What do you do now since you've been retired? BETSY KING: Well, I've been very active. I have to say the last few years have been very challenging for me. I've had both my parents pass away, and so that was the main reason that I stopped in 2005. My father had terminal cancer, and then my mom just passed away in March and she's had Alzheimer's for ten years. So I was involved with her care. And then also, I've been involved with some charity things. I made a trip to Africa last year and as a result of that, I'm involved with a program that the LPGA is supporting as an International Charity, Initial Member -- PAM WARNER: LPGA Member International Charity Initiative. BETSY KING: The players voted a $10,000 donation at the meeting in March, and we've raised so far $160,000 and it will go through World Vision to benefit a village in southern Rwanda called Mudasomwa. There's a group of I think of four other players going with me to Rwanda in October, and we're going to see some World Vision projects where we will go visit the people of Mudasomwa. And there are several children being sponsored by LPGA players, staff and fans, so we'll visit some of the children that we're sponsoring, which is a $35 a month commitment, which allows the children to go to school, receive food, basic healthcare and clothing. So I'm very excited about that. I really feel that my life has been taken up by those events: My parents, Solheim Cup and Golf for Africa. Q. Is there a possibility you will be involved with charity in the future through Solheim Cup? BETSY KING: I believe when it's in Europe, the European Tour -- that's what I was told, they do have an involvement in junior golf. A few months ago I went to lunch with Allen Solheim and talked to him about Golf in Africa. I've known him for a long time, we're both Christians, and I've been involved with various activities with him before, and I've been involved with Golf for Africa, not necessarily Solheim Cup, but individually; and as a Solheim family, it's very charitable and I talked to him about it. Q. How would you compare yourself to Helen and how do you think you'll react that week? BETSY KING: I think we're just alike, don't you? (Laughing) You know, I don't know how I'll react. I think I'm a little bit calmer than Helen, at least on the golf course, as a player. I don't know, maybe I'll flip out when I'm over there, but I don't think so. I think that's another interesting part about this is that she's the captain and I'm the captain. I think that makes it fun, too. Q. Have you spoken to any of the past captains or sought advice? BETSY KING: Yes, I've spoken to, and my goal is to speak to all of the past captains. I've spoken to Kathy Whitworth, Judy Rankin, Patty Sheehan and Nancy Lopez. So I need to talk with Pat Bradley and JoAnne Carner. I did ask them: "What did you do that felt worked, and if you had another chance is this anything that you would do differently." I'm going to keep that secret, but I am relying on past experience. I always feel that you're most successful if you put good people around you, and I think Beth and Jodie are great people. And I'm also trying to draw on the experience of people that have been successful, too. Q. In what way do you prepare them, players that have not played a Solheim on foreign soil? BETSY KING: Yeah, I think it's going to be interesting, someone like a Natalie Gulbis, a Paula Creamer; they are not used to people rooting against them. They are always the fan favorite, and I think that will be interesting to see how they react to that. We will prepare them for that, that, you know, you are obviously -- well, Paula having played the last time, but the crowd was for them and this situation they will be rooting against them, which is fine. I think that's what makes it a challenge. You know, I think as a player, you say, well, if I can keep the crowd quiet, that's kind of your challenge to do that. I know for me personally, the most fun I had at Solheim was when we won in Wales because we did make a big comeback the last day. Our motto was "silence is golden." If you didn't hear any cheering, you knew the U.S. side was doing well, and that's kind of what happened. Q. Going back to the practice session tomorrow, is there anyone else you thought of inviting or did anyone else ask to come? BETSY KING: No, I really didn't want to. I think -- well, actually this is one thing that a couple of the past captains told me is they would include less people, because when you include more and then so many people get their hopes up that they are dashed. I thought it was better to keep the group smaller. And then just because you don't go to Sweden doesn't mean you don't have a chance to make the team. I don't think it's that way at all. I just wanted to keep the group smaller and that's why I did it that way. Actually I think if I had asked some other players they would go. If I had asked some other players they would have gone but I can't say who it was -- I guess one person kind of said someone to Beth but no one said something to me. But I think if I had asked other players, they would have gone. Q. (About telling players who haven't made the team). BETSY KING: I will. I definitely will. Sometimes my people skills aren't good, so we'll see. Hopefully I'll be very compassionate. I know one time was disappointed -- probably one time I felt that I should have been picked and I wasn't and the person said kind of, "Nice try and I'm not going to pick you." It's hard because I know time-wise it could go down to the last minute. So, you know, you might be waiting for the results of the Portland event and then to try to find someone to let them know; time-wise, it might be tough. I think that's probably going to be the toughest part of it. Q. How did you react when you were told, "Nice try, but you're not going to go?" BETSY KING: You know, I was disappointed. It was the Loch Lomond year and I had won twice that year on Tour and then maybe had not played quite as well toward the end of the year, so I'm sure that was the reasoning in the selection. As it turned out, the U.S. didn't play well and the weather was bad and I kind of was glad that I wasn't there. (Laughter) I think all things worked together for good in that case; it turned out fine. Q. How will you go about choosing your captain's picks? BETSY KING: I'm not really sure yet. I think it depends what the final ten are; if we have a lot of experience, I might go with someone that has not played. But if I feel like we need more experience, having played on past Solheims will probably be a factor. You know, best-case scenario, you'd like it to be a very clean process, but I don't think it's going to work that way. Q. Kathy Whitworth had said, even though Europe lost the first Solheim Cup, she thought that the Europeans won in terms of partying off the course; do you have any recollection? BETSY KING: Of the first one? Well, I'm not a very big partier, so the only time I remember is when we lost at Dalmahoy, there were -- I was packing and at that time I wore contacts and I had my glasses on and somebody came into the room. And the U.S. Team went out on the golf course in the dark and we could hear Europe singing and in the clubhouse. And we went out and played 17 and 18 in the dark because we had not played those holes well. I mean, that was probably the most memorable part of that week for me. You know, I think we just had a couple of clubs and we listened to hear where the ball goes, you know and Europe was singing songs. They are always great partiers. I don't think we can ever top them there. But that was one of the things I remember about Dalmahoy. That was a lot of fun. Q. How important is it this week, playing at St. Andrews, it's a very special week; and second, what other golf courses would you like major championships or Solheim Cup to be played on? BETSY KING: First, for this week, I had very mixed emotions that I'm not playing, but I know that my game is not up to the challenge of this course. But it's been great to be here. I've never seen all of the players to be so excited as they have been this week. As far as the bridge goes, I think they should charge you to walk on that bridge, raise money for charity or something because every time you go by there at night or morning, there's somebody there waiting. I had to go on and do my Jack Nicklaus wave. Just everything about the week has been memorable. Just getting to stay right here at the course and walk over and the tradition that's here; I think the golf fans here are very knowledgeable. I'm sure here more than any where, more people in the gallery actually play golf than anywhere else. So it's -- as I say, all of the players have just raved about being here. As far as the Solheim Cup goes, I hope that down the road we start to get in some venues that are like a St. Andrews. I think that would be a lot of fun and there certainly are great golf courses in the Europe and U.S. that cohost this event. And that maybe is the next step along the way to get it like the way the men have gotten on some of the U.S. Open courses, that kind of thing. Q. (About spirit of playing Solheim Cup). BETSY KING: Yeah, I think so. I have the funniest story in that when Beth and I played against Alison Nicholas and Laura Davies, and we got into a shouting match. It was at Dalmahoy when the weather was bad and so we were having a discussion about one of the rules. Beth and I asked for relief and didn't get it. But the story is that Allison and I are friends, both Christians, we had been in a Bible study the night before, and then on the golf course next day we're yelling at one another. It was kind of after that, there were a little bit of ill feelings. And then about a month later, Allison and I were part of a group that went to Romania and we stayed in people's homes. And not only did we stay in the same house, we had to share the same bed. (Laughter) That was -- the family had given us their best room in the house and that gave us the chance to talk about it. Allison was out earlier this week and we were reminiscing about that. So I think there might be little incidents like that that obviously with time, they are funny. I think that's what makes the Solheim Cup special. Q. Who do you see being the future of golf stars for America? BETSY KING: The way timing is, I didn't get to see a lot of the Solheim Cup the last time; my dad passed away the next week. But Paula Creamer obviously did very well. I picture Morgan being kind of that. She won the U.S. Amateur, she's done well in match play. She just spoke to me -- it's hard to say. I hope they are all stars. But I just have been so impressed by -- you know, you kind of forget when you get older just how excited you were to be a part of the Solheim Cup as a player, and that's what we are. Paula is asking me, "Are we going to have the locker room and the team room; have you gotten all the decorations and the USA stuff." They are just so excited to be there, and that's what makes it fun. You know, I think they can play well with anyone as a captain. I just want to stay out of their way and enjoy the time there. PAM WARNER: Betsy, thank you. Before signing off, special hello to Louise Suggs who is joining us this week and here for the press conference. Thanks, everyone. End of FastScripts |
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