Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
With the Solheim Cup this weekend, Team USA detailed how incredible it is to represent their country in this biennial event.
The 2024 Solheim Cup begins Friday at Robert Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia. Leading up to the event, many veteran Team USA ladies spoke about the honor of representing the Red, White and Blue.
Team USA consists of many veterans starting at least their fourth Solheim Cup.
Nelly Korda, Meghan Kang and Ally Ewing are on their fourth team, while Lexi Thompson makes her seventh with a captain’s pick.
Even after multiple appearances on this team, it does not change how important it is to be a part of the Solheim Cup.
“Whenever you get a chance to represent the red, white, and blue in your country, it’s a huge honor that none of us take lightly,” Khang said. “Having that on your shoulders playing for yourself, teammates, captains, assistant captains, the fans, and again, your country, it brings a little more meaning to us, and you fight a little harder than you would typically.”
Korda felt similar about how different it is from the individual tournaments they play in.
“Whenever you wear the red, white, and blue and stars and stripes, there’s a different meaning,” Korda said. “You’re playing not just for yourself but for your captains, for your teammates, and your country, and there’s nothing like it.”
Thompson is the most veteran player. She was huge in last year’s Solheim Cup and is a leader in the locker room. Her first Cup was in 2013 at the Colorado Golf Club. She played alongside Team USA captain Stacy Lewis and assistant captain Paula Creamer.
“You hear what it’s like from other players, but to have that moment, I was nervous, but it was like an exciting nervous,” Thompson said about 2013 in Colorado. “That’s what I practice for, what I train for, to represent my country and be on that first tee. I feel like the ground was shaking because the stands were right on you at Colorado Golf Club.”
“I had so much adrenaline, but that’s what we play for, to represent our country. There on U.S. soil for my first, it was a special moment.”
Team USA has not won a Solheim Cup since 2017 at Des Moines Golf and Country Club in Iowa when they took home a 16.5 – 11.5 victory.
For the past three straight Cups, the Europeans have dominated.
Last year, both teams finished at 15 points, but Team Europe retained the title after winning in 2021.
Regardless, there are a lot of emotions riding on winning the Cup on home soil. The Americans will have a good shot at ending their drought in Virginia.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @golf_girl_sl.
