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THE SOLHEIM CUP

September 22, 2011

Morgan Pressel

DUNSANY, IRELAND

MIKE SCANLAN: Welcome to the 2011 Solheim Cup. We'd like to welcome Morgan Pressel from the U.S. Team. Morgan, thanks for coming in. It's your third appearance on the U.S. Team, 3-2-2 all-time record, including a 2-0-1 record in 2009 at Rich Harvest Farms. If you would, talk about being on your third team and being here in Ireland?
MORGAN PRESSEL: It's great, my first Solheim Cup having been overseas, to come back here to Europe and play on foreign soil and be a part of a very talented American team. The weather is just what we expected and probably will be through the rest of the week, and we came prepared for it. We're ready to give it our best shot.

Q. You played your first Solheim Cup on foreign soil, can you talk about how nervous you were and how much better that got as the days progress?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I don't know how much better it actually gets. It's a very nerve-racking week. It's one where every shot is so important, and you really want to do well for your country and your teammates. There is certainly nothing like the first tee.
I remember in Sweden when we were on the first tee, I partnered with Natalie on alternate shot, so she actually hit the first tee shot, so I escaped that one. But I remember it being really, really cold, and I was really nervous. So it was kind of like doubly bad in that sense.
But coming back, I'm looking for more of the same. I'm sure that the Irish fans won't be too harsh on us, but they'll certainly be pulling for Europe, as would be expected. I've told every American fan that I've seen out there the last couple of days, make sure you're really, really loud because we need to hear you.

Q. How important do you think the mental game will be this week?
MORGAN PRESSEL: The mental game is very important in a Solheim Cup just because you have to stay so patient, and you can never -- I mean, especially in alternate shot. You're going to hit a bad shot and the first thing you're going to want to say is sorry to your partner, and that's the last thing you should say because everybody's going to hit a bad shot. That's the greatest part about playing alternate shot itself.
But staying patient, grinding out every half point is so important. I mean, you might be three down with three to play, but grinding out a half point could change the entire momentum of the Solheim Cup. It's all about staying in the moment and trying to win every single hole.

Q. How are the fans particularly for Americans?
MORGAN PRESSEL: They love golf in general.

Q. How do you think the fan element will help or hinder the U.S.?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I think they'll be very gracious. They'll appreciate good golf and appreciate great shots that will be hit this week. But, yeah, I don't expect them to be pulling for us in any sense.
You'll certainly hear applause, but the applause will be much louder for Europe, for team Europe, and that is to be expected. We're on their home soil, and it would be -- it's always the opposite in the United States.

Q. I know you guys don't need any added incentive. Winning the Solheim Cup is enough. But is there an added incentive given that the guys have lost the Ryder Cup and the Walker Cup, so they're both over here? Does that give an added kind of scope for a bonus from your point of view?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I guess I never really thought about it that way. This is our week. No matter what any other competition has done, this is our week and our week to shine and to come out and play the best golf that we have. Put it up against the best European team that they can put together. They have a very strong one.
We need to come out firing on all cylinders and really play well. I don't think -- the golf course is playing tough, I don't know that a lot of birdies are going to be made on this golf course. There are going to be times when a par might win a hole. It's just set up tough, especially if the wind blows anything like it did yesterday. Today is a little calmer. But in cold, the ball doesn't go very far, and it's wet, so it certainly plays a little bit longer.
But it's the same for both teams. That is the thing about match play. You're playing the person right there in your group, and you're out playing in the same conditions at the same time.

Q. Can you talk a little more about the way the golf course played yesterday in that wind? Do you find it particularly long?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I found it tough yesterday. I think everybody did. I heard one of the groups yesterday only one person reached the ninth hole in two which is 420 yards, but straight into a 40-mile an hour wind. I certainly didn't, but I got up-and-down for par, so...
It was tough out there. 1 and 9 straight into the wind played very difficult. But it's all about controlling your ball flight and taking advantage of the wind on certain shots. When the wind is that strong, it doesn't really carry the ball, so you almost have to take more club even downwind because it pushes the ball down.
I think we learned a lot by playing yesterday in these conditions, and I'm glad that we did.

Q. In some respects is the U.S. Team favored by the fact that it's a Jack Nicklaus golf course, an American style golf course? Yet at the same time, how much is that counter-balanced by the fact that it's weather conditions that you guys just aren't used to, really?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Well, I think it being, I guess, an American golf course, there are plenty of American style golf courses all over Europe that most of these players have grown up on as well. It's more, I think, the conditions than anything else and playing in the rain and the wind and in the cold.
It doesn't get this cold in Florida all year. It's definitely something that's a little bit different from what we're used to, and it's something that we just have to adapt. We have to be adaptable and be ready to play and wear a lot of layers.

Q. Is it something that makes you uncomfortable? How many days does it take to adapt?
MORGAN PRESSEL: It doesn't make me uncomfortable, but you get used to swinging in layers and being well prepared, having plenty of hand warmers. It's all about preparation when you play in this kind of weather and make sure that the clubs stay dry and things like that because that's what really makes it difficult.
Like I said, everybody's playing in it. A lot of these players play in the United States as well, and even live in the United States, so they're also not entirely used to this weather either. It's not a cake walk for anybody.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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