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THE SOLHEIM CUP

September 12, 2007

HALMSTAD, SWEDEN

DANA GROSS-RHODE: Okay. Thank you all for joining us. We have Cristie Kerr and Natalie Gulbis. Thank you two for coming in. Can you just kind of talk about obviously what it's like being here in Sweden, and you two are kind of in a position where you are team leaders. Do you feel like you're taking on those roles, and how was it this year?
NATALIE GULBIS: It's a pretty exciting week. This is my second Solheim Cup. I feel like a rookie again. Same amount of excitement as the first one. It's fun to be out there and fun to play a team event. I don't know about you, but I'm not looking forward to playing like another day of practice. I wish we were starting tomorrow.
CRISTIE KERR: Yeah. You know, this is my fourth Solheim Cup, and, you know, I think she said it very accurately. Even though, you know, this is my fourth one and I guess I'm one of the veterans, you always feel like this is kind of a new experience for you.
Just so much excitement and so much fun in getting to be around everybody and spend time with your friends which you normally compete against and never get to see. It's a pretty special week for us.

Q. Can you talk about your captain and how she's making it fun for you and all the things that are going on?
NATALIE GULBIS: Last night we had a great dinner. This year was cool because we did a family and friends and the caddies and the players, we all went to this restaurant and it was just a very fun, kind of social kickback event, and that's not something you always get to do in between all the practice rounds and the different appearances that we have to do. It was fun to kind have a free night.
CRISTIE KERR: Yeah. Betsy is different than the captains that I've played previously. I think Betsy is a little bit more low key, but definitely don't be fooled by her demeanor. She's one of the most competitive people you'll ever meet.
NATALIE GULBIS: Absolutely.
CRISTIE KERR: She's given us great faith in ourselves and belief in ourselves and inspirational. We've really come together as a team.

Q. Have you guys talked at all about what it will take to turn around the record on foreign soil and what you think the difference could be this year with sell-out crowds?
CRISTIE KERR: Absolutely. We expect it to be pretty crowded. You know, we just have to take care of our job. We have to just do what we know how to do well and not really dwell on the record and -- in the past. This is here and now, and, you know, we are looking forward to playing well this week and doing the best we can, and, you know, also being as determined and focused for each other as possible.
You know, I'm definitely going to be look forward to turning that -- well, this week being in the here and now around because I want to win this for Juli Inkster. I don't know how many Cups she's going to be on in the future and especially on foreign soil. This is pretty good inspiration for me.
NATALIE GULBIS: I definitely agree with Christy. We've seen the record, and it's definitely been discussed out on the golf course and amongst our team, but we're really excited to play over here. We won the Cup last time and want to take it back with us back over to the United States. We know that they're going to be a tough team to beat. We're excited to play them.
DANA GROSS-RHODE: You guys kind of talk about the course conditions and how you see the course playing for this week, and does it change a lot day-to-day with the differing weather conditions?
NATALIE GULBIS: I'm really excited about the golf course. It's in fantastic shape. The greens are in really good shape. It's a good golf course, very tough. I think it's going to be a good match play golf course because you're really going to have to hit good shots. It's long, longer than some of the courses that we play in the U.S. You're going to have some longer shots coming into the greens. You're not going to be hitting wedges in on every hole. It's not going to be a birdie fest. You're going to hit good shots and work the ball on certain holes. (Mark) I think you guys are in for a lot of good golf.
CRISTIE KERR: It's playing long, but that's something that Betsy will take into consideration when matching up players for matches.
You know, it's nothing we can't handle. The U.S. Open golf course this year was very long, and the Americans did very well. So, you know, we're looking forward to the challenge.

Q. Christy, you were talking about trying to win one for Juli Inkster. Is there any way to predict what kind of emotions or nervousness you might feel if you were trying to close out the Solheim Cup in that situation as opposed to trying to close out a Major, you know, like you did earlier this year?
CRISTIE KERR: Well, you know, to answer the question, I think they're very similar. I'm definitely going to draw upon my experience, you know, winning the U.S. Open this year in a tight match with Lorena and Morgan down the stretch. I know what it's like. I know what it feels like -- I know what, you know, in that situation what I'm going to have to do, and I'm not afraid to do it.
If it comes down to me, just like the other 11 team members on this team, I think we're all prepared to do it. And I think that's what makes this team very special, is that, you know, that little fear factor we might have had coming overseas is not there with this team. We're very excited to play.

Q. Are there any players that have kind of emerged already as the leader of the pack kind of or that the lead cheerleader or --
CRISTIE KERR: Or the prankster? No. We've all had a great time together. You know, you definitely look at Betsy and Beth and Juli, and I could name all the other team members on the team. We all have to take a role as a leader, even if you're a rookie. So that's kind of what we've tried to do. I think that's why we've been successful as the team jelling and having that competitive, you know, fire within ourselves.
NATALIE GULBIS: Something a little bit more fun I think we've had what I haven't seen in the previous Solheim was that some players have had gifts. Christy gave all the players these little hat pins. Betsy gave us hat pins. Morgan Pressel actually made us all little bags with our names on them and ribbons with our names on them. Paula gave us all, the caddies and players sunglasses. We really have come together as a team. There's a lot of comradery amongst the girls on our team.

Q. You both talked about Juli Inkster. Tell us what you think of Laura Davies who has played since the first Solheim Cup.
NATALIE GULBIS: I think it's amazing. Ten Cups. It really speaks wonders for what she is as a player and not only a player for one year. It's very tough to make the Solheim Cup team. It takes two years to make it. There's a lot of great players out there, and she's made it every single time for -- what is that -- that's a lot of years.
CRISTIE KERR: Twenty years.
NATALIE GULBIS: That's a lot of years. It's proved what a great player she has been from the beginning of her career to now.
She's one of those players that you know is going to be a tough match anytime you have to play her.
CRISTIE KERR: I played her a lot in the last couple Cups. I can tell you there's no one more classy in the game than Laura Davies. She's a pleasure to play a match against. If you hit a good shot, she'll tell you "Good shot." She -- you know, just is just a great sportswoman. She just -- I can't say enough about her. I love her. She's terrific.
DANA GROSS-RHODE: Any other questions for Christy and Natalie? Okay. Thank you all for coming in. Christy and Natalie, good luck this week.

End of FastScripts

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