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THE SOLHEIM CUP


September 16, 2007


Paula Creamer

Beth Daniel

Juli Inkster

Cristie Kerr

Betsy King

Morgan Pressel

Sherri Steinhauer


HALMSTAD, SWEDEN

PAM WARNER: I'd like to welcome the victorious Solheim Cup team and Captain Betsy King. Congratulations on your win. Just want to start by commenting on the week and your team?
BETSY KING: Weak team? Did you say a weak team?
Well, we had a lot of fun this week, and, as I mentioned a million times, we really played our hearts out. You know, I thought we had a lot of talent on the team. I thought it would be tough to do it over here. You know, if you go by history, but I kind of felt we were going to do it, but I didn't want to say that before we did it.
So now I'm saying it. I really wanted to play the underdog coming here, but even though we had four rookies, they're not really rookies and the blend of experience and people that are just competitive naturally and good pressure players that all these people I think proved that this week.
It was just a great week. Obviously it was a tough week condition-wise, and there were a lot of close matches, so it could have gone either way, but I think today particularly in the singles, we played very well.
PAM WARNER: Questions.

Q. This one is for Beth. Beth, Betsy's -- obviously you've been on the team with Betsy and played with her and played college golf with her and known her for a long time. What kind of Captain did you think she would be, and what kind of Captain has she proven to be?
BETH DANIEL: Yeah, Betsy and I met each other in college at Furman University. Played three years of college golf together and played the Tour together. We were Solheim Cup partners for many years.
So, I know her pretty well. I was very supportive of her being the Captain of this team. I think she deserved it, and I knew what kind of person she was. And I knew she would be a great Captain, and I think she was. (Applause).

Q. Betsy, have you enjoyed a funny exchange with Dottie Pepper today?
BETSY KING: I have not seen Dottie Pepper the whole week. I haven't seen her.

Q. Does that apply to all of you or?
JULI INKSTER: I had dinner with her last night. (Laughter).
BETH DANIEL: Did you? When did you have time to have dinner with her?
None of us have seen her. I saw Dottie early in the week. Saw her during one of the practice rounds, she and Brian Hammonds were going out to look at the golf course. We kind of briefly saw her. She was kind of, "Go get them this week." That's it. None of us have had any exchanges. I think that was Wednesday when they first got into town or something. None of us have had any exchanges with Dottie then.

Q. Presumably Juli didn't have a silent dinner with her.
BETH DANIEL: She was kidding. She was kidding.
JULI INKSTER: I got a really bad sense of humor.
BETH DANIEL: She didn't get home until about 8:30 last night and went to bed about 10:30. She didn't have time to have dinner with Dottie, believe me.

Q. I'm from Scotland. If somebody calls me a "choking freaking dog," I would be fairly offended. Were you offended, and did you use those words as a motivational tool?
BETSY KING: No. I don't think Dottie's words had anything to do with how the team played. We're a good team. They don't need anything to motivate them like that. I don't think that had any -- it's about us, not about Dottie. Let's change the subject.

Q. You said were you going to give your opinion afterwards of what she said.
BETSY KING: I think my opinion is that it's about us, not about Dottie. This is the Solheim Cup. It's a lot bigger event than one commentator on television. I think we played well today, and I think we proved that we're good pressure players. That's all I'll say.
I will say one thing. I'm retired, and you usually retire because you can't play anymore.
That's just an age thing, but as a commentator -- and I think you forget -- is that bad? That's just it. Everybody, Johnny Miller, anybody, you know, it's just -- that's why you're commentating because you're past your prime and your abilities. It's not a slam. I'm the same way. I couldn't come out here and compete on the LPGA.
JULI INKSTER: I heard you made six birdies on the front-9 last time you played.
BETSY KING: Fooling around. I just -- I think -- I just kind of tend to think it's the old thing: The older you get, the better you used to be. You think were you perfect, and you don't remember anything. I don't think -- I don't know. I'm getting myself in trouble. (Laughter).
Next question. Different subject.
BETH DANIEL: I'll add one thing. You know, really, we came here with one goal. This team came here together to try and keep this Solheim Cup in the LPGA office in Daytona Beach, Florida, and nothing should take away from what happened this week on the golf course and the good play that was seen from every golfer out here, and that's the bottom line.
That's what it's about. That's the spirit of the Solheim Cup is about a great competition with great golf, and that's what we had this week. (Applause)

Q. I don't even know who to throw this one out to. Maybe Juli, you could start. Obviously the first two days it was like you guys were dominating play and then you would have a half point slip away. That happened a bunch. Did you still feel confident because, you know, you guys do so well in singles? Or did it just get to be after it kept happening time and again, did it just get to be a little deflating, especially with the weather and you must have been tired? Anything like that?
JULI INKSTER: Well, you know, this is my seventh Solheim Cup, and I keep telling the young ones, "This is the best position we've ever been in coming into the singles." We played a couple Cups where we've been -- we've had zero points after first matches. So when we had like 1 1/2 or 2 points, whatever we had, I was -- I said, "We're golden."
You know, I think, you know, 16, 17 and 18, they're tough holes. It's not like we played bad, you know. One person chipped in, you know, one person -- they played a couple good iron shots on 18 to make birdie. It's not like you're giving it away.
They're playing well. This golf course is playing long, and it's not like you're hitting pitching wedge in there.
You just take your hats off to them. They probably thought, you know, they were right in the position they wanted to be, too. But I think deep down we kind of knew that if we could just stay close to them, come Sunday we would have a good shot. That's a good talk.

Q. Paula, could you describe your feelings compared to your first Solheim Cup?
PAULA CREAMER: I've always said that the Solheim Cup is better than winning. Whenever you get the chance to represent your country and do it with 11 other players, it is, it's truly a great feeling to be on this team. It's such an honor.
I was pretty excited my rookie year, but I'm even more excited this year. I think we had a wonderful team Captain, Betsy and Beth, they both did such a great job bringing us together. I couldn't wait for '09.

Q. It was great this year?
PAULA CREAMER: Yes. It was overseas. I've seen the history show. Only won once over here. I think emotionally for everybody to know this is our second win over here, that's pretty big.
JULI INKSTER: Good talk.

Q. This question is for Juli or whoever else wants to chime in. Obviously Paula is one of the younger players on the team. This is the second time that she's lead the team. Can you just talk about that and maybe --
PAULA CREAMER: Partner.
JULI INKSTER: You know, it's been -- I played with Paula in Indianapolis, her rookie time, and you know what? She's only 21, and she is the leader of this team. She played all the matches. She's very competitive, but she's very -- she gets it. She's very polite out there. She plays her game.
Partner-wise she never gets too high, too low. She keeps everybody -- I'm 47. Out there she's, "Okay, come on, Partner. Let's pick it up. Let's bring this hole. Be positive. Let it go, let it go."
I'm like, "Who is coaching who?"
But you know what? Everybody had one. I mean, when I was -- when I first started, you know we had Patty Sheehan and Pat Bradley and Beth Daniel and Betsy King.
She's 21, but she plays a lot older than that. She's a great player. Be here for a long time. All these girls will be.

Q. Can I just ask Morgan what you thought your first Solheim and beating Annika today?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I had a great experience this week. I really had a lot of fun. Honored to be on this team, and I think the team really got along a great, and I think we really played well, and that always helps. So, I played well today, and I'm happy about that.

Q. Was it extra special beating Annika?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Extra special? I think that regardless, it was my first full point and I went out there today.
BETH DANIEL: Amen, girl.
MORGAN PRESSEL: I was excited about that. You're always excited to play one of their better players. And to win is that much more special.

Q. A question for Sherri and whoever would like to comment on that. Do you think the Europeans are kidding themselves when they believe that bad weather is an advantage for them?
SHERRI STEINHAUER: Do I think they're kicking themselves?

Q. Kidding themselves.
BETH DANIEL: They think they have an advantage for the weather.
JULI INKSTER: You have to give all the time to Sherri. Usually we draw a picture.
SHERRI STEINHAUER: You know --
CRISTIE KERR: I'll answer it. I'll answer it.
SHERRI STEINHAUER: They're great players in these conditions, but, you know, I think with this team that we can play under all conditions. And I'm really proud of them and how our team played this week. It was -- I was fortunate this week. I actually -- I never had to put my umbrella up. Can anyone else say that? Look at them.
JULI INKSTER: What do you mean?
SHERRI STEINHAUER: I only played three matches.
BETH DANIEL: In other words, the sun always shines on Sherri Steinhauer.
SHERRI STEINHAUER: I never played in the rain, so I was --
BETSY KING: I should have played you all five.
SHERRI STEINHAUER: They all played great in this bad weather, and I know the Europeans, they play in this all the time and -- but, you know, we overcame it and did it.
CRISTIE KERR: I think it's really a testament also to the heart of this team because, you know, with our partners out there or we were playing singles, whether we won or we lost, you know, we took Betsy and Beth's advice at the beginning of the week to say make every hole count. Make every shot count. Do the best you can. Doesn't matter if you lose, you hit it in the hazard like I did on 14, par 5, go out and win the next hole.
That's what our motto was this week. The bad weather, we accepted it and we --
JULI INKSTER: Where is the hazard on 14?
CRISTIE KERR: Way right. Wide right. (Laughter).
I'm over now.

Q. Betsy, is this a one-shot deal? Or would you consider doing this again?
BETSY KING: I think it's probably a one-shot deal just because there's a lot of people in the -- on our side, I think, that deserve to be Captain, and I think that's what's it going to be.
I think there's someone sitting to my right that I would be very surprised if they're not there in 2009. (Applause).

Q. Can we get Beth Daniel to Captain in 2009?
BETH DANIEL: Maybe Betsy knows something I don't know. Betsy is right. There are too many deserving players that are in line right now, and seems like we're all kind of retiring at the same time.
But, yeah, unfortunately, I think our Tour is kind of past its time of letting Captains go twice. And Juli Inkster will be a Captain one day. No doubt about that. Whenever she retires and stops making the team.
JULI INKSTER: That will be a very organized team.
BETH DANIEL: That will be organized chaos on Juli Inkster's team.
BETSY KING: Very serious team.
BETH DANIEL: We have quite a few players in line that are very, very deserving to be Captain, and I'm sure the committee that the LPGA has set up would be that lineup.

Q. You'd like to do it in 2009?
BETH DANIEL: I would be very honored to be chosen but don't want to get my hopes up too much.

Q. Betsy, I know there's a lot of former Captains around and you have contact with a lot of them. Did you turn to them prior to this for advice about how to be a good Captain and an effective Captain?
BETSY KING: I did. I tried to contact all the past Captains and talk to them a little bit and, you know, ask them basically "What did you do well that you thought worked, and, you know, what -- if you had to do something differently, had the chance again, would you do anything differently and what would that be?"
I definitely took the advice, things that they said, and implemented quite a few of what other things that they said.

Q. Anything in particular?
BETSY KING: Well, even in leading up, I know Nancy Lopez said that she felt she made a mistake in inviting too many people to some of the practice sessions before Solheim and then the people got their hopes up and didn't make the team.
So I tried to keep most of the group smaller as much as I could so that, you know, there weren't 20 or 25 people that felt that they were going to make the team possibly.
I did that. I also, you know, tried to speak individually with everyone. I think I almost -- I did that. I don't know. It's interesting to hear what they said, what each person had to say.
Beth and I, our games are so similar, I think that's one of the reasons why we played well.
I really did implement a lot of things that they mentioned.

Q. Was there one single piece of advice that you gave to everybody before the individuals today, something specific?
JULI INKSTER: Nice talk last night.
BETSY KING: No. I really think -- for me, I really think I just let everyone, you know, have their say. I didn't feel -- I certainly don't feel like I know it all, and I try to bring in other people that had a lot of knowledge and even bringing in the past Captains this week, Thursday night.
JULI INKSTER: That was great. That was great.
BETSY KING: It's more than one person. Obviously four, five minds are a lot better than one, and I really tried to do that. Who cares where the wisdom comes from as long as we get it.
PAM WARNER: Any more questions? Alright. Thank you.

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