GAINESVILLE, Va. – Stacy Lewis and Suzann Pettersen are each getting second turns at Solheim Cup captaincy. Lewis’ U.S. workforce has 9 of the 12 gamers from her 2023 squad and Pettersen retained 10.
Amongst that familiarity, there was some change, which European gamers have seen in Pettersen.
“Suzann’s simply been actually ready this 12 months, so I feel simply making lots of good choices and simply type of doing her factor,” mentioned Anna Nordqvist who’s once more each a vice captain and a participant for Pettersen.
“I feel Suzann, it’s simply good to see her aggressive spirit and her making some good choices on her personal.”
Linn Grant and Maja Stark had been European rookies a 12 months in the past and have additionally seen a distinction in Pettersen’s management.
“She’s placing herself, in a great way, above the gamers, like she actually needs to information us and present the way in which,” Grant mentioned.
“I feel that she was perhaps a bit simpler final 12 months in the way in which that she type of went in and wished to be buddies with everybody.”
Added Stark, “Final time she was very democratic, and she or he type of informed us … I feel it was the Monday, she informed us like who we had been going to play with. Then it received a bit of bit switched round, and we didn’t actually know what was occurring typically.
“So, I feel it’s lots higher now. She is aware of when to say it. She is aware of what’s applicable. Yeah, she appears extra comfy this 12 months.”
Pettersen agrees.
“Yeah, we drew lots of nice experiences from final 12 months. I feel what we discovered probably the most is being exact. Giving fairly clear messages goes a great distance. Being clear is nice. However on the identical time, they type of search for anyone who could make choices, the gamers. So, there’s a mixture,” she mentioned.
As for Lewis, U.S. gamers say they’re seeing a lot of the identical from their captain – in a great way.
“Stacy’s been superior,” Andrea Lee mentioned. “Truthfully, I don’t really feel like something’s drastically modified from final 12 months. She’s very levelheaded. She is aware of that we’re doing our personal factor, we’re doing our greatest for our workforce and for ourselves on the market, and she or he trusts us. That enables us to place lots of religion in belief in her.”
“It’s nice to see how organized she is, too,” Nelly Korda mentioned, “so our days are deliberate out to a T, so we have now nothing to fret about apart from our enterprise on the golf course.”
With all her preparedness, Lewis is ensuring her workforce has something and every part it must be profitable.
“These women, they need that trophy, they usually need to win. They’ll speak about it sometimes, however I simply suppose they should get pleasure from themselves and they should have enjoyable they usually have to be relaxed,” Lewis mentioned. “From what I’ve seen out of Solheim Cups and groups that I’ve been on, those which are extra relaxed, those which are having enjoyable behind the scenes, these are those that I’ve been on profitable groups.
“So we put lots of emphasis in what’s occurring within the workforce room, what’s occurring within the bus. They requested for a karaoke machine; I’ll get you a karaoke machine. I don’t care.
“Actually, I’ll get no matter they should assist them play good golf.”
