THE SOLHEIM CUP

September 12, 2003

Elisabeth Esterl

ELISABETH ESTERL: That gave us obviously some confidence, and Sophie is just playing great you know. Every time I got into trouble she got me out of it. It just keeps you confident.

Q. You were the only rookie for the European team going out there today. How was that first tee?

ELISABETH ESTERL: Pretty good, but I knew what to expect. I wasn't completely a rookie being there last year as a travelling reserve. I actually felt pretty calm, which was amazing. But I think it just lifts you. It's a good excited. And that's what counts.

Q. The chip by Sophie off the edge of the green on number one kind of set of tone, didn't it?

ELISABETH ESTERL: I think it did, yeah. I think I didn't know we would go that early that quick ahead. You had to watch for them all the time. It was tight until the end. It paid off in the end.

Q. You and Sophie matched up very well today. What was the secret?

ELISABETH ESTERL: I don't know. Good question. We get along very well. Germany and Swedish have the same mentality -- no, she's a great player. It's been fantastic.

Q. You're part of the European avalanche this morning. How do you attribute that?

ELISABETH ESTERL: Sorry.

Q. The Europeans have kind of commanded this morning. What do you attribute that to?

ELISABETH ESTERL: We tried to come out strong. Foursomes I think is always our strength. We'll try to keep the momentum going this afternoon. It was great to be so dominant this morning. Hopefully it will continue this afternoon as well.

Q. I'd like to congratulate you on a wonderful match. You and Sophie were just awesome today. What do you think it is about the dynamics of you two that worked so, so well?

ELISABETH ESTERL: We just get on very well with each other. Yesterday we had a little competition against Annika and Suzann Pettersen which we won. So that gave us confidence. Sophie is playing so well, it's just a great combination having such a stable player on your side even being a rookie. She gave me so much confidence, when I got into trouble, she got me out of there. It was great to have a reliable partner.

Q. How nice is it to be playing this year when you were the travelling reserve last?

ELISABETH ESTERL: It's a great goal of mine this year, to be on the team. And it's even greater going up on the first day and getting a point for Europe against such a strong team as Meg and Rosie. They played really well and they kept the pressure on constantly. They came back after us being 4-up fighting back to 2-up. We could have finished it up early. But still you have to watch out. They're very serious players and very good adversaries. They were keeping the pressure on constantly.

Q. Can you describe some of the emotions and feelings that are going on out there inside your body when you're playing?

ELISABETH ESTERL: I wasn't sure what to feel, honestly. I was actually quite calm on the first hole only what I hard over my shoulder, the noise that was there, I was quite pumped up. The spectators are incredible. It's such a good atmosphere. It can lift your game. It was great. I felt so confident playing on the side with Sophie. So it really calmed me down incredibly. She made so many good saves. It worked just out perfectly, a great team I think we were.

Q. How proud are you to be the first German to play on the Solheim Cup team?

ELISABETH ESTERL: Very proud. I hope that's going to bring ladies golf in Germany a bit more popular. I hope they know the girls play in Germany, not only just Bernhard Langer, but bringing the ladies golf -- playing for your country and continent is wonderful.

Q. I got the word that you'll be sitting out this afternoon. Do you plan to go out and support the team?

ELISABETH ESTERL: Definitely. I couldn't stay in the hotel room. I'm far too excited. I'm going to go out and cheer them up and hope there's going to be some more points coming this afternoon.

End of FastScripts.