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SOLHEIM CUP

August 17, 2017

Des Moines, Iowa, USA

THE MODERATOR: I'd like to welcome into the media center members and team captain Alice Miller of the Team USA PING Junior Solheim Cup team, the winners of the PING Junior Solheim Cup yesterday by score of 14.5 to 9.5. I'll go down the line, we have Emilia Miggliacio, then Alyaa Abdulghany and Kaitlyn Papp. I'll start with you, Emilia. If my calculations are right, you went 3-0-0. You were undefeated in the tournament. So talk to me about the experience and what it was like to win.

EMILIA MIGGLIACIO: It was so incredible. All my matches went to the last hole, so I played 54 holes. So it was just a grind. But it was so much fun. Representing your country is such an honor, and there's nothing like it.

And just having your team around you, all of the girls are all my best friends. And just the team camaraderie we had was so special and really unlike no other. And it was just -- I just had an amazing week.

THE MODERATOR: Alyaa, she talked about the camaraderie. Did you know most of your teammates going into the week? And then what was it like to share that moment with them yesterday?

ALYAA ABDULGHANY: Yeah, we knew everyone on the team in previous treatments or playing the Junior Ryder Cup the year before. And it was great that we already had this special bond with us already. And we had the passion together of winning as a team and to play for our team, and it's amazing to have that.

THE MODERATOR: Kaitlyn, you had played on a Junior Solheim Cup team before. How did that experience help you? And were you kind of like a leader and mentor for the experience for everybody else?

KAITLYN PAPP: Yeah, I think so. Like, throughout the week a lot of my teammates asked me questions just about like how things work, what we do each day. So that was kind of neat for me to kind of provide some additional information like experience. And helping come out with the team chant and getting everyone pumped up is definitely a great feeling.

THE MODERATOR: Alice, you said that going into the week when you got the call that you were going to be the captain that you were speechless. How are you feeling now that you've actually won.

ALICE MILLER: I was pretty speechless after they won actually, too. I was so excited. The experience, it truly exceeded my expectations, and I had very big expectations having been a past captain and having attended many, many Solheims as a past captain.

What was fun for me, I think a couple of things really struck me. First and foremost how they came together as a team, even though they have known each other and played against each other, it's different in a team environment. And it's different in a match play environment. And to see how you guys all jelled together, I thought that was really a big key, plus it made it that much more fun.

And I got to watch most of them play either at the ANA earlier this year or at the Rolex Junior Girls. So I knew the level of talent. And even though I say it shouldn't have surprised me, I still was so in awe. I just enjoyed watching them practice and play.

I know they thought I was studying their swings and coming up with strategy. No, I'm just enjoying watching you guys play. So that was a lot of fun.

I think one thing that should be noted for the media, even though that score was 14.5 to 9.5, these matches were really close. And when we went into singles yesterday tied up 6-6, yes, in theory we'd like to think that we're a little bit stronger in singles, but in match play anything can happen. It was only maybe with 45 minutes or an hour to go that it started to swing our way.

So that 5-point victory was much closer than the box score would appear. And I just have to give a lot of credit to the European players also. You'll see them out on the tour and you'll see them at future Solheim Cups. Just a lot of talent on both sides and it made for very tough matches.

As Emilia said, she was 3-0 but every one of her matches went to the 18th hole. As we know in match play, things can turn on a dime and go either way.

So even more credit to my team that they hung in there and fought for every point and for every half point.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. Alice, how many of your girls are going on to college and how many are just turning pro when they finished?
ALICE MILLER: At this point in time, on this team of 12 players, we have my seniors, my veterans are 18 years old, and all three are going to college on college scholarships to play golf.

We have Kaitlyn, who is going to the University of Texas, going to be a Longhorn. Alyaa is going to go to USC starting actually next week. She's got two days to pack and get started with her classes. And Emilia is going to go to Wake Forest. So all three of my 18-year-olds are going to college.

And then of the others I haven't asked them but I know several of them have, what do you guys call it, not letters of intent, verbal commitment or whatever. They've got plans. Rachel Heck, who is only going to be a sophomore in high school, already knows she's going to Stanford.

So I'd say the vast majority, I can't speak for every player, I have not asked them. But a good many are probably going to play college golf.

Q. What's it like on the first tee when you hear your name by representing the United States? And were those emotions that you felt surprising to you?
EMILIA MIGGLIACIO: It's nerve-racking in the beginning. Like, you have so much adrenalin and you're so excited and there's so many people around you. And just the fact that you're playing for your country, it gets a little bit nervous the first time I did it.

I was so, so nervous. And then this is the third time that I've represented my country. So the nerves are still there, but I could control them a little bit better. But there's nothing like it. It's just so incredible.

ALYAA ABDULGHANY: I'd say the feelings that you get on the tee is very normal, and it's expected that we would get very nervous and very anxious. We want to do well for our team and for ourselves, but I think each of us handled it really well. We understood how to overcome it and how to use it to our advantage and pump ourselves up.

KAITLYN PAPP: Like, before any first tee shot, I always have the normal like butterflies, the good butterflies. But here you have -- I mean, you're just a tiny bit more nervous. You just have to learn to accept the nerves in that it's good because you really care that you're here and want to do well.

So after the team chants, I mean, your adrenalin is up. Like I was even shaking a little bit because I was so excited and amped up. But you have to kind of learn to control yourself and just breathe and relax.

Q. And one other question. Have any of you ever played a team sport other than golf?
EMILIA MIGGLIACIO: I played soccer.

ALYAA ABDULGHANY: I played soccer as well.

KAITLYN PAPP: I played soccer.

Q. There have been five players who have gone to the Junior Solheim Cup, two years later to the "adult" Solheim, as Angel called it. Does that seem wild to you, the idea that two years from now competing in the main event? Can you wrap your head around that idea?
EMILIA MIGGLIACIO: I think that's so cool, the fact that -- because we all know Angel, and Nelly Korda almost made it and we all know her, too. And just the fact that we've been friends with them and then they turn pro and did so well. You always want your friends to do well.

And so it's crazy how young everything is getting now. But it's so cool. I don't know, it's just awesome. I'm so happy for her.

ALYAA ABDULGHANY: Yeah, like I -- it really depends on each and every one of us. Because I know most of us might want to stay all four years to get our degree and then try to go to Solheim Cup, or maybe a couple of us goes through the first year of college and try to turn pro.

But it's really cool to see our friends make it on the Solheim, just to be able to have a chance to be in their shoes and, like, oh, if she can do it, we can do it, too. So it's great.

KAITLYN PAPP: Like, seeing Angel here at the real Solheim Cup on the team is really cool because two years ago in Germany at the Junior Solheim Cup, she was on the team as well. And she really got the team amped up, and it was just a really big key to our team and keeping it fun.

So I'm sure she'll do the same for, like, the LPGA players as well. So, I think that's really neat. And I'd love to play in the Solheim Cup one day, but we'll just have to see where God's plan leads me and how college goes and stuff.

Q. Knowing what kind of a teammate Angel was for you two years ago, then, did it make sense when you saw Juli picked her? And a lot of LPGA players actually really wanted Juli to pick her. Were you like, oh, yeah, that makes sense?
KAITLYN PAPP: I thought it was a good pick, not only because she's a great player, but she's so much fun to be around and she gets people to relax and have fun. And I could see how she could help someone who is maybe a little nervous on the first tee just kind of calm down and relax. I think she would be a big help to anybody on the team.

Q. I'm just wondering what it meant to you individually that the Solheim Cup team members came out and watched you there on Tuesday night?
EMILIA MIGGLIACIO: It was so cool to see them, because since most of them played in the Junior Solheim, and to know that they're supporting us and they're rooting for us, and it was just such a great feeling. It helped me relax a little bit. And also that we could walk with them in the fairway. That was really nice. They all talked to us. And we asked them questions and they answered.

And it's just really cool that they're just regular girls like us that played in the Junior Solheim Cup and now they're in the big Solheim Cup. But it was really inspiring and awesome to see them there.

ALYAA ABDULGHANY: You were casual about it. I was kind of awestruck. I was, like, oh, my God. It's like moral support for me. If I see them up there rooting for us or just standing by the sidelines, it just fires me up. And I want to do well, and I want to win it for the team. And so it's great.

KAITLYN PAPP: Like a few of the pros participated in our team chant yesterday morning on the range. So that was really cool and really inspiring.

But I believe it was Tuesday afternoon during the alternate shot match, my parents told me that, I think, Brittany Lincicome and maybe Brittany Lang were out watching on the ninth green. I didn't even see because I was like so focused.

ALICE MILLER: And Juli Inkster.

KAITLYN PAPP: But after the round I was in shock. It was amazing.

ALICE MILLER: It was really nice when I was in for the media day earlier this year, and I saw Juli -- she was here with a couple of her players. We were here to have media day for the event.

She made a point of saying to me, OK, we have to make sure that during Solheim Cup that the junior team gets to come and meet my team. And I thought that was pretty cool that she went out of her way to initiate that. And it's still committed to make that. It probably would have happened last night or the night before except for our weather. But we're going to make that happen this week. So that's really cool.

Q. For you guys that get to stay this weekend, what are you looking forward to most out of the tournament starting tomorrow?
EMILIA MIGGLIACIO: I can't wait to see the pairings tomorrow, who is going to play against each other. I can't wait for that. And just to see the first tee shot. I know, like, maybe it was last year, but Lexi raised her arms and everyone was just roaring when she hit. Oh my goodness, I could never do that, but that was so cool.

And just to follow the groups. Match play is so fun to watch. So I'm just excited for all the good matches.

ALYAA ABDULGHANY: For me it would be definitely the golf. There's going to be some really amazing golf out there and some really awesome shots. And I can't wait to be able to try those golf shots, maybe. But I'm also looking forward to the clothes. Clothes are on point.

KAITLYN PAPP: I'm looking forward to what Alyaa said, the great golf. During a practice round today we saw a lot of really good shots. So I think that will be fun. And just hearing the roars from other holes and getting more excited that you're out there cheering the LPGA players on.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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