NORTON, Mass. — The U.S. Solheim Cup team had their first official team dinner on Monday night, as the players prepare for the FM Championship this week and to compete in the Netherlands in two weeks for the 20th edition of the international competition.
“It was great to see the team and be together,” Brittany Lang, U.S. assistant captain and five-time Solheim Cup competitor, said. “I think it was a nice night to kind of get the ball rolling for the Solheim.”
Eleven of the 12 Team USA players — Alison Lee, who is not in this week’s field, the lone exception — ate together and hung out in a private dining room at TPC Boston. The assistant captains said it was nice to start making memories together.
“It was just great to have them all in the same room and the weight of knowing who it’s going to be,” Kristy McPherson said.
McPherson, Lang and Paula Creamer are the three assistants to U.S. captain Angela Stanford this year, and between the trio of friends they have 13 Solheim Cup appearances. Translation: They’ve been there and they’re ready to help.
“Whatever those 12 girls need, we’re there to do whenever they need to help them be as prepared as possible and to be as comfortable as possible and to play the best that they can,” McPherson said.
The assistants have become friends over their playing careers, and they want their players to realize this kind of team event provides a unique opportunity to bond in the typically solo sport of golf. Creamer alone has competed in seven Solheim Cups over her career and said the magical week brings out the best in people.
“We compete against each other every day. We’re an individual sport. Now you have an opportunity to become 12 girls that are one. It’s a neat experience for them,” Creamer said.
While these coaches know they’re lucky to help lead an incredible group of players, they also know a successful squad stems from the talent at the top, starting with Stanford — who they say deserves a win this year.
“I know from knowing her for 20 years this is the greatest honor of her whole career,” McPherson said. “To get to be part of this journey with her is really cool. There is no one that loves the red, white, and blue more than her. No one that is one more excited about Solheim Cup.”
While you may not think of world No. 1 Nelly Korda and her 11 teammates, including Solheim veterans and captain’s picks Rose Zhang and Megan Khang, as underdogs — that’s exactly the mentality the U.S. team looks to embody under Stanford. Despite the star power of the Stars and Stripes and the 11-7-1 all-time advantage over Team Europe, her assistants say Stanford knows how hard it is to win overseas and she purposefully put together a gritty squad to get the job done.
“She’s played with a lot of these players on tour, and they know there is not a bigger grinder. I think that’s just a good role model for them to have to know that all four of us are grinders when we played,” McPherson said.
While the ultimate goal for the United States is to keep the Solheim Cup and win it for the first time in Europe since 2015, their coaches want the squad to first and foremost represent their country with pride and continue their lasting legacy.
“Go do it... with a lot of grit, class, give it everything you have, leave it all on the table, and we keep that trophy here,” McPherson said.
Competition begins September 11 with live coverage of all three days on Golf Channel.
