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THE SOLHEIM CUPAugust 17, 2013Stacy LewisPARKER, COLORADO THE MODERATOR: We would like to welcome Stacy Lewis into the interview room. Congratulations. A great 1‑up victory for you and Paula Creamer this morning. First off, take me through that match. I know that you guys wanted to get off to a good start this morning after not doing as well as you would have liked yesterday. Very up‑and‑down match that went right down to the end. What was that match like? STACY LEWIS: Well we had a blast today. Paula and I, we asked Meg if we could play together. We had played so much golf together this year that we know each other's games well enough that we could kind of help each other out there. So we knew we would do well together, and both of us not winning yesterday added some extra motivation. Along with everything else that happened. But we played great. We got off to a great start, making four birdies on the front nine. And then we knew the Europeans‑‑ we knew they would come back. So we had to just ride it out. The birdies we made on 15 and 16 were pretty awesome. Fortunate to get one, they gave us one on 18. THE MODERATOR: When you look at that match, you were 4‑up through 10 and all of a sudden when they started making those putts and making that run, it got back down to all square. What's the mentality, especially for you two who are both pretty fierce competitors, of getting back in that match and getting that lead again? STACY LEWIS: Well, we have both been there before, and we knew it was coming. It's not like they surprised us or anything. We knew they were going to make a run. So we just hung in there and after missing the green on 14, I told myself that I had ‑‑ I was hitting the approach shots for the next four holes. So I had some time to redeem myself. I tried not to get down on myself, and Paula was great out there. I learned a lot from playing with her today. She was watching some of our matches yesterday, and she told me I was trying too hard. And needed to just stay a little bit more patient and do the best could I with every shot. She helped me a lot today and I'm going to use that going forward. THE MODERATOR: I know as you talked about some interesting things that happened yesterday, you didn't get a chance to come in here and talk to the media, as you had to get on the team bus. But take me through what happened on 15 yesterday, and I know you had talked to the rules officials, both on the hole and then after, about what had happened in that ruling. STACY LEWIS: Yeah, we, obviously we ‑‑ the most disappointing part was how long it took. That was, that's what we were concerned with. We were up on the green most of the time, we were communicating with Marty, who was by the pin, on radio with the officials back over the creek. So we were communicating with them back and forth, and my initial concern was why is this taking so much time? I felt like more than five minutes had passed until they had found that golf ball. And then I was questioning where they were dropping it. Whether that was a correct spot or not. And they clarified the rule to me, actually today, about the equidistance opposite side, and that part of it made more sense. And we also questioned the use of a laser that gave them the number. So, there was a lot of things in question, and I said something to the official as we were walking off the green on 15. And he didn't really take into account what I was going to say. And he didn't really give me a chance to fight it at all.  And I was a little disappointed with that. And when, truthfully, when Brad drove up, who Brad's basically the lead official this week. And when he drove up, Meg said to both of us that Brad's here, he'll take care of it. So we were putting our fate in the officials, that they were going to get it right. And because usually they do, so that's what we were putting our faith in. So all that happens 20 whatever minutes later, and we lose all the momentum. The matches behind us lose momentum. I think that was the most unfortunate part. And then afterwards, I was really disappointed with how the media and the fans reacted to Dottie and I arguing with the official, and stating our claim and, just wanting reasoning more than anything. And he talked us through, step by step, the ruling, everything that happened, all of that. And the more he told us, the more it became apparent that something wasn't right there. The wording that he was using, what the hazards, and the point of entry, it just wasn't making sense. So I left the golf course with more questions than answers. And so I released a statement last night, and that was before I found out the officials came back. So it‑‑ I mean it's nice that they said that it was wrong, but it's still, it's not cool. I mean it hurt us. It hurt our team. It hurt the momentum. But everybody on the team it fired us up more. So, if anything, if they feel bad about it, that's good, because we're just more fired up out of it. Q. What have you done differently, if you could? That whole situation. STACY LEWIS: I would have been standing back there the whole time they did that whole entire ruling. If I could go back, I would have been back there. But it's hard, you don't usually have to question an official that much. And you shouldn't have to question an official that much. So, I mean, if I could do it all over again, I would go back there and see what was going on and making sure it was right. Q. When they were holding the pin, were they, in your line at all? STACY LEWIS: Yeah, Marty stepped all over my line when he did that. Yes. Q. Were you able, for the most part, to put that behind you today? STACY LEWIS: Yeah. I didn't sleep very well last night. I was pretty upset by the whole situation. I felt ‑‑ the hardest part was I hadn't played, I didn't play good in the morning, and I was really starting to play better. Lexi and I had‑‑ we had a great opportunity to win that hole. And we should have won that hole. And we had all the momentum going our way. And that just killed it. And that was ‑‑ the most disappointing part is that it was nothing we did that caused the loss of that match. We played good all day and it just, it was really unfortunate. Q. When you got to number 15 today, you guys had lost four straight holes, and then you're walking to your favorite hole. What was going through your mind, and were you having any memories of yesterday when that all started? STACY LEWIS: I was just hoping we weren't going to spend 27 minutes on the green again. So, the fact that we got out of there pretty quick was nice. And I was just so focused on hitting a good wedge shot there. I honestly wasn't even thinking about what happened yesterday. Nobody‑‑ we didn't talk about it today. The TV's were talking, everybody was talking about it, and we turned the TV's off. We're over and we're done with it. I don't know why people want to keep giving me motivation, but it's sure fine with me. Q. Your match today, I think there were nine holes in a row where somebody won the hole. That's unusual. How was that going through your mind during all that stretch? STACY LEWIS: It was an emotional roller coaster, really. We were talking up 18 and I kind of looked at a watch and I said, gosh, I feel like we have been out here forever. We have just been battling back and forth, the highs and lows of it. It was fun though. In alternate shot, to make six birdies, and they made four or five, at least, too. So that's the kind of match you want. The crowd, we got the crowds into it, as soon as we got the crowds into it, Paula and I were ready to go. So that's what we needed to keep going out there this afternoon. Q. Just to clarify, do you feel as if that 25 minute delay was a factor in both you and Lexi missing those birdie putts, or the combination of the stepping on the lines? STACY LEWIS: I don't think stepping on the line was an issue at all. But the delay definitely made a difference, for Lexi was fired up. She was fired up all day.  It was awesome. And she hit a great shot in there, and when you have to sit there and just stand around and stand around, it's hard to hit a putt or a shot or anything. It just throws you out of your rhythm. And golf is a lot of rhythm and momentum, and especially in match play. So it definitely had an affect. Q. Can you give us an idea, what was the conversation like between you and Lexi on 15 green while you were waiting through that 26 minute delay? STACY LEWIS: We were just trying to keep it light, really. Dottie was there, and she was kind of telling us what was going on in the other matches, and we were trying to really not think about it too much, honestly. I don't know if Lexi quite knew all that was going on. I kind of explained the ruling and all that to her afterwards, but I felt like I needed to stand up for our team, not only for Lexi, but for the rest of the team. And needed to protect us. Q. How did Meg handle it last night? STACY LEWIS: She was pretty worn out, for sure, by the end of the day. And she was very upset. She was just ‑‑ like we all were ‑‑ we were upset, frustrated. Q. What did she say to you guys, I guess, is what I'm saying. STACY LEWIS: Yeah, so we went back before, and I guess you guys were probably all here with them. But with the press conference and the meeting and all of that. And so she didn't get back until almost nine o'clock. And so she made us all stay in the team room and she explained what happened to everybody and how they got it wrong. And it was‑‑ it was good for the other girls to know kind of what happened, and all that kind of stuff. I was glad that they got to know, because then they stood up for us and they, they're going to. My teammates are here to protect me and stand up for us. So, but Meg was just upset. She was tired from the day. She was worn out. She was disappointed with how it was handled. But, like she said‑‑ she said last night, she said we got to put it behind us and we have a lot of matches to go. Q. And lastly, for the, I guess, the older people in the room, what is this (Indicating) explain that. STACY LEWIS: I'm not really allowed to say. It's a, it's just like a team thing that Cristie Kerr came up with. And so we're all doing it. Q. Do the rules ‑‑ STACY LEWIS: I can't give that away, I'm sorry. Q. In your opinion, do the Rules of Golf need to be streamlined? This is not the first controversy that this sport has had to endure along these lines this year. STACY LEWIS: Yeah, well this is my second just this year. So I don't know. If you understand the rules, they're fine. I just, I don't know, I just, to me, I just don't understand ‑‑ I know people make mistakes and everything, but that's their job. The rules official's job is to get it right. And as players, we're supposed to know the rules too. So it's just disappointing, just the way it was handled, all the scenarios, that there are a bunch of officials around and somehow in 27 minutes nobody stepped up and said, hey, this is wrong. So, I don't know, I mean, I don't know how much you can change the Rules of Golf, truthfully, make it any simpler, because there becomes all these exceptions, exceptions, exceptions. So I don't know what you do. THE MODERATOR: One last thing I wanted to ask you about, I know that your record in this event coming into this week hadn't been, you didn't have the best 2011, yesterday must have been frustrating, how big was it today to kind of get that point and get yourself going and what you kind of learned from watching Paula, how much do you think, going forward, you can kind of build upon the success that you had today. STACY LEWIS: Well, I think today, it helped a lot. It really helped a lot playing with Paula today. She loves, she gets this event. She knows how to win here at these events. My personal record, truthfully, I could care less. If we win the cup, I could care less. So I'm just going out there and trying to make points and I'm going to go out there this afternoon and get the crowd going so my teammates can win points. Because the bottom line, if we win, I don't really care what my record is. THE MODERATOR: Perfect. Thank you very much. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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