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THE SOLHEIM CUP

September 14, 2007

Helen Alfredsson

HALMSTAD, SWEDEN

HELEN ALFREDSSON: You want me to read them?
BETHAN CUTLER: She's going to announce the morning pairings for tomorrow.
HELEN ALFREDSSON: Mimi with Gwladys Nocera. Suzann Pettersen and Sophie Gustafson. Iben Tinning and Bettina Hauert. Annika Sorenstam and Catriona Matthew.
BETHAN CUTLER: Can you just explain those pairings for us, if you would?
HELEN ALFREDSSON: Mimi and Gwladys, I think they played really solid today and won their match, so that was a no-brainer. I think they're a good momentum together.
Suzann and Sophie, I thought was very impressive. They didn't play that well. They still managed a half. That means that they were -- they feel good with each other. Even though they struggled, they were supportive of each other, and I feel that they played very strong.
Iben played very well today. Bettina is one of the rookies. They know each other. Bettina has showed some really good character, and I like them to play together.
Annika and Catriona, they were up to some really good American putting today, and they showed some solid golf. And obviously we know what they are capable of doing so they just need to play their normal game, and I think they should be fine.
BETHAN CUTLER: We'll take some questions, and please note this is going to be your only opportunity to ask Helen questions. Let's go ahead.

Q. Why did you not play Suzann Pettersen this afternoon?
HELEN ALFREDSSON: She was not very comfortable. She didn't feel comfortable at all. She wasn't playing well in the morning. She was very happy not to play in the afternoon. Because it's the weather. If you feel really comfortable and continue the same way, we're going to need her for the rest of the week. Therefore, I didn't play her.

Q. You only played ten players today. Are all 12 likely to get a run out tomorrow, or will you take the same policy again?
HELEN ALFREDSSON: No. Everybody is going to get play. Everybody has been playing except one after tomorrow morning. We are one point behind. We need to do what we need to do.

Q. Why hasn't Linda been involved so far? Why isn't she being involved in the morning? Is it an injury?
HELEN ALFREDSSON: You guys all talk about all these players. Who is going sit? Whoever I'm sitting, there's going to be a question why. She wasn't really playing that great when we were practicing, and, you know, hopefully she finds her game for tomorrow afternoon. You can't play everybody. I can only play eight players. Four has to sit. That's how it is.

Q. Helen, can you just talk about the great comeback this afternoon and ending the day only one point behind?
HELEN ALFREDSSON: I think they had been absolutely amazing. I am so proud with that heart that they showed out there. Not until the last putt was made did they ever stop trying, and it is very hard. It was right on the board the whole day, and it was hard.
The only thing they had was to keep fighting, and, you know, seeing Laura make that par and save on 16, this is what Solheim Cup is all about. And you get that when you keep trying and you keep trying, and I know there was -- it was very hard for them today.
It's heart wrenching because now you see everything, but I saw them playing and putting themselves in great positions, and, you know, Americans were making putts on top of them all the time. And it's hard sometimes, but not once did I ever feel that anybody stopped trying, and I think that's the key to why we are only one point behind today.

Q. Helen, which team do you think has the momentum going into tomorrow?
HELEN ALFREDSSON: You know, it's very hard with golf. You never know. But I think we played really well. We didn't really get much out of it. We had a lot of very, very good putts that did not drop.
Having played myself, obviously I know that the way they are putting it's hard to believe that that could last for two more days. They made some unbelievable putts today. When we looked like we were going to win and they made the putts and walked off with the win of the hole, which sometimes can be very tough, but I would hope that and feel that we have the momentum because they cannot fight any harder and get so little out of it.

Q. Who surprised you the most in Europe and United States?
HELEN ALFREDSSON: Obviously I know Stacy's short game is fantastic. Every time I turned around, she had made a putt. Paula Creamer obviously we know, she's a tough cookie. I tell you the ones that I was mostly proud of today, and I know she's been there before. It's a hard time. It's an amazing thing to see Laura fought, Laura and Trish.
We took a little bit of risk, I have to say, because they've known each other and this is the tough day today and they just played their hearts out. They fought so well, and I was so happy to see them come in with the half.
BETHAN CUTLER: Thank you very much Helen. Good luck tomorrow. Sorry.

Q. How high does this captaincy rate on your stress scale? Have you encountered --
HELEN ALFREDSSON: My life is about stress, Patricia.

Q. Where does this rate?
HELEN ALFREDSSON: Well, I don't know. I think, I mean, you know, anyone that knows me knows I'm very emotional. I'm not emotional just for me. I'm emotional for them. You feel what they're going through. You make a putt and think you might get a break and get a point back. Somebody knocks it on you too much every single time.
It's hard. Not only do you deal the stress because you want them to do well. It's not so much for me. It's for them. Because you've been there, you know how fantastic it is to play well, and the girls -- it's a fantastic team. You're a little bit outside, but obviously they are my good friends and so -- you know, I'm pretty much used to stress, you know. Nothing really stresses me that much. Even though it's the emotion that runs so high this week.

Q. What do you say about the Swedish players today? What did you think about their play?
HELEN ALFREDSSON: I think Sophie played quite well. They fought really well in the morning. Mimi played superbly. We were having the walkie-talkies. The only thing that I heard, oh, Mimi just bombed it down the middle again, 60 yards ahead. That's always nice to know.
Annika is the way she is. Very solid. Maybe she did not have her best day today from what I understand. I watched her a little bit. She comes through and made the putts when she needed to, which was nice to see.
BETHAN CUTLER: Thank you very much.

End of FastScripts

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