SOLHEIM CUP

September 9, 2026

Carlota Ciganda

Mimi Rhodes

Julia Lopez Ramirez

Nastasia Nadaud

Bernardus

Team Europe

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Hello, everyone. We just are starting the final press conference of the day, which is the European team. I'm pleased to be joined by Spanish duo Carlota Ciganda, Julia Lopez Ramirez, France's Nastasia Nadaud, and England's Mimi Rhodes. So I'll start with Carlota first.

Carlota, you're making your eighth appearance in the Solheim Cup, eighth consecutive appearance as well. How much experience can you give to these young rookies on this team and how have you been giving them advice this week?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: I mean, I remember when I was a rookie, and I think they are a lot more prepared than when I was a rookie, so I don't think they need that much help from me. I'm always here, they know that, for any help they need.

But I think, yeah, the rookies nowadays, they are fearless. They come, they are ready, they play, they are ready to compete. And I'm very happy to have them here with us. I like the energy. I feel younger next to them. So, yeah, it's a pleasure to have them here and very happy to share the week with them.

THE MODERATOR: Julia, we know you have lots of energy and you can hit your ball really far. What do you think you're bringing to the team room this week?

JULIA LOPEZ RAMIREZ: Oh, definitely I'm bringing the energy, as she said. I think it's more of kind of bringing that energy out of me, try to get everyone good vibes and good mood to it. I feel like kind of that's my role for the week. But, yeah, I think it's a good team. We'll bond with each other, so I think it's going to be really fun to bring the energy and the golf as well. So it will be fun.

THE MODERATOR: Nastasia, we spoke a few weeks ago and you weren't expecting this at the start of the year, to be sat here in this seat. So how have you found the week so far and how do you feel about making your Solheim Cup debut?

NASTASIA NADAUD: Yeah, it's been amazing. I've been very warmly welcomed by everyone on the team. I was getting along with the rookies pretty well before that, and the veterans were really nice to us as well. So, yeah, really enjoying my time here.

Yeah, the atmosphere is amazing. We've got the Spaniards that are bringing the energy. So, yeah, it's been really amazing and I'm very much looking forward to it.

THE MODERATOR: And Mimi, similar question. How have you found this week as a rookie and what's the best bit of advice that you've been given so far?

MIMI RHODES: It's nothing like I ever imagined. It's kind of like the Curtis Cup on steroids. It's incredible the amount of support that we have, obviously, on home soil and the amount of help I'm getting from everyone on the team and just feeling like I'm at home within the team and I'm able to be myself and no one else.

So, yeah, I mean, I've just been enjoying the week, playing with everyone and, yeah, just vibing together in the team room, especially playing the ping-pong. But, yeah, it doesn't feel like anything too serious right now, but obviously, we're gearing up and tomorrow it will feel a little more intense on the first tee. But, yeah, I don't think I can prepare myself for the first. I've heard a few things about the first, but I don't think anyone can prepare you for that feeling. But I'm just going to take it all in and, yeah, get going.

THE MODERATOR: I'll open it to the floor for questions.

Q. Carlota, as the veteran, you guys have a good bit of returners and players with a lot of Solheim Cup experience, but there's not a ton of partnerships that have earned points in recent editions. Has it been challenging at all trying to find new pairs and partnerships these few days and do you think we can expect to see some new ones as well?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: I think the captain has done a very good job of preparing and organizing the whole week. I think we have things very clear within the team room what we need to do. Anna, she's been playing for so many years, nine Solheim Cups, vice captain a couple times, now she's the captain. So I think the team is great. It's a great vibe. There's no drama. We all get along. We are a team. We are a unit. We're all together.

I think that when you can see how everything is, we always joking, having fun, laughing in the team room, playing ping-pong, dancing, music, it's just fun. It's a great week. And, yeah, I think that you might see some new pairings. I'm not sure what's going to happen yet, but we're going to be ready on Friday and we're going to put a good fight.

Q. For Mimi, I know that you're in fluent in Spanish, and I wondered, growing up where you did down in Spain, are you more comfortable speaking Spanish? You have two Spanish speakers alongside you. How would you rate your fluency? And could I ask the other two what they think about your fluency?

MIMI RHODES: It feels like everyone's judging me in terms of my Spanish. But, yeah, I feel quite comfortable talking to them. I'm sure they feel a bit more comfortable talking to me in Spanish as well, so I try to talk to them as much in their language as possible because -- yeah. Yeah, I mean, rating my fluency --

JULIA LOPEZ RAMIREZ: 11.

MIMI RHODES: 11 out of 10?

JULIA LOPEZ RAMIREZ: You're quite fluent.

MIMI RHODES: I know, but I can't really crack the same jokes that I do in English. Probably, like, a 7, a 7 for me. You guys can be nice.

JULIA LOPEZ RAMIREZ: I think that's a hard rating. You speak very fluent Spanish, probably better than my Spanish being from the south. But, yeah, I would say we probably speak to other more in Spanglish more than English or Spanish.

MIMI RHODES: Yeah, even you come up with English words, and she's Spanish. It's, like, she forgets Spanish words.

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, I mean, I'm a lot more comfortable talking in Spanish when someone speaks the language. So, yeah, we speak a lot in Spanish, and her Spanish is great. Yeah, no issues.

Q. This is a question for the three rookies. You guys already mentioned the first tee experience. What have they told you about it? What is it that you're looking forward to? I mean, what are you expecting on Friday? And what is the most nervous you guys have been before this week on a tee box?

JULIA LOPEZ RAMIREZ: Well, I feel like everyone has been telling us, obviously, how loud it's going to get on the first tee, and we're going to see how many people are going to show up. I think that's going to be the most like choking experience everyone has been talking about. I think it's just going to be different with the music and, obviously, you never really -- golf is not, like, very loud in general, so it's going to be quite fun to see that experience out of it.

I think we all probably experience some kind of similar nerves when you're about to win, about to, like, get a good finish. Even when you're close to the cut line, you still feel the nerves because you care. So I think it's just more of -- the nerves, I feel like it's going to be the same, even maybe a bit more on the first tee, obviously. But I think we probably are feeling something very similar before because, obviously, the way that we play golf we just really care about what we do and how people, like, want to look at us. So I would say that's my answer.

NASTASIA NADAUD: I'm going to agree. I asked a few veterans about it and how it's like to step on the first tee on your first match. And they kind of said there's nothing like it. Like, even when, like, you're about to win or, like, playing for a win in a major whatever, they just even struggle themselves to put that into words because it's something that's so special that they can't even name it.

So, yeah, it's going to be stressful, but really excited to embrace it. And yeah, we'll see that on Friday.

MIMI RHODES: Yeah, I've heard some stressful things about it, but I mean, in 2019 at Gleneagles, I was in the Junior, and I was able to experience the first tee. Obviously, I wasn't playing, but I could see how loud it can get and how exciting it would feel to be on that tee. But, yeah, I don't think it's anything that can be prepared for, and, yeah, I think it's going to be so different to anything that we felt before, like, because we've always been playing for ourselves and something that we care for ourselves. Whereas this week it's -- we're all together and we all care about how each other plays. So, yeah, it's going to be different, but I think it's going to be the best feeling we've ever felt.

Q. Julia, I'm curious, I know you mash the ball off the tee. I think everybody's talked about your length and your swing speed. When you look at a place like Bernardus -- now it's got a little bit of water on it, do you get excited that you can let the big dog eat, as they say?

JULIA LOPEZ RAMIREZ: Yeah, no, obviously, I get very excited out here. It's a course that I don't hit many drivers at all, but I think, honestly, making the course wet, I think that kind of makes me happy as well. I can carry it a long way. So, yeah, just kind of see what kind of shows up in there and the conditions. Hopefully, in the weekend, it gets a bit better.

Q. Carlota, I know you've played several Solheim Cup courses over the years. Where does Bernardus stack up, in your opinion, in terms of venues that can host a proper tournament like this?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: I think it's a great golf course, especially for match play. I think you have -- different holes depends on the wind. Some shorter par-4s into the wind, downwind. I think the par-3s are great. Reachable par-5s. So I think the stretch from 13 to 16 is going to be happening a lot. Fun course to play. I think the one we played last time, Robert Trent Jones was a beautiful course. This is usually different, but still, yeah, great setup for both teams and I think it's going to be, yeah, a great week.

Q. I wanted to know about the impact after 2023 in Spain and whether you feel like it's had a good positive impact on younger golfers and have you seen a bit of a boom since then?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: I mean, I want to say yes, I hope that helped a lot. I think Spanish golf is in good hands and I think a lot of the youngsters are playing great. We had four juniors in the, on the team the last couple days, so very happy to see that. No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 in the world they are Spanish as well. Also girls going to the U.S. to college. So, yeah, I think Spanish golf, it's, yeah, they are playing great. The federation, they are doing a good job with the girls helping and sending them to tournaments. And, yeah, hopefully we can have more on the tour, more on Solheim Cups, and, yeah, I would love to see that.

Q. Mimi, I'm just curious if you paid attention to the Walker Cup this past week at all, being similar in age to some of the those English guys. And if so, what kind of inspiration can you glean from that for this week?

MIMI RHODES: Yeah, I watched a bit. Didn't have a load of time to be watching TV because I was preparing for this. But yeah, I watched some highlights and some amazing putts that were holed. I mean, guys play a completely different game to us, more aggressively. But, yeah, I mean, it gives you like goose bumps, especially leading up to this event. But, yeah, there was some great players in there, English guys as well. Yeah, so I think it was a great week for them and they fought really hard for it. But, yeah, just there's nothing to add. Looked like really good celebrations.

Q. Carlota, can a player find her game at the Solheim Cup, if the record hasn't been great going in, is this a week where you can find a spark?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yes and no. I mean, I think in golf you can find things, and you hit one good shot it can have a great feel and you're like, Okay, I have it, I'm ready. Obviously this week I think you have to embrace everything that comes with the Solheim Cup and playing on a team, playing for your teammates, playing for your captain. The first tee, all these different formats, playing foursome, playing four-ball. But I think every time you show up you want to be prepared. You want to be, like, I've done the work, I'm ready for the week. Obviously you can find small things, but I think the work should be done before you come here.

Q. Carlota, I know Anna has played on -- I think you've both played virtually all your Solheim Cups together. Does seeing her in a captaincy role and seeing her step away from professional golf, but more so seeing her as a captain, kind of get you thinking what you might be like when you get that honor?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Vamos. Maybe a little bit. But I mean I'm still thinking Carlota as a player. And I still see Anna as a good friend. I mean, I've been playing with her for more than 20 years, lots of matches, lots of, yeah, times together on the golf course. And I think it will be nice. It will be nice to, yeah, one day be the captain. I mean, I love team events. I love the Solheim Cup. I love it. There's a lot of passion, it's very intense a lot of emotions. And I think there is nothing better than winning as a team, winning all together and it's always very special. I think the Solheim Cups you make a lot of, yeah, good friends, good memories, that they last for a lifetime. And I think it's, yeah, it's a very intense and special week.

Q. What does it mean to you to play for such a good friend like Anna?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, very special. I would love to win for her, especially now after announcing her retirement. So I think it would be a very nice present for her to be like, okay. I mean, not that she needs it, because she's won everything, she's been a part of so many Solheim Cups and wins and she's made so many great putts and majors and she's done everything. So, yeah, I mean, I think it would be just special. I think she's prepared really hard, she's done her job, she's ready, and yeah, hopefully we can deliver for her.

THE MODERATOR: Perfect, thank you all.