We’re right here U.S. Solheim Cup captain Angela Stanford. That is the final week of the season, the final week earlier than we head into the Solheim Cup 12 months.
Q. I do know you’ve acquired an announcement, however first I simply wish to say, how are you feeling? It’s been greater than six months now because you have been introduced as captain. Is it lastly actual?
It’s been superior. I really feel like I’m residing a dream each single day. The whole lot I do, it looks like I do one thing for Solheim Cup each single day, and I adore it.
I really feel like I’ve been speaking to extra gamers currently, on the point of roll into subsequent 12 months. However yeah, I nonetheless really feel like I’m residing a dream, and I’ve cherished each second of it.
Q. You discuss having information or doing one thing daily. Right now you’ve acquired some enjoyable information to announce about how your workforce will actually look subsequent 12 months. What do it’s a must to inform us?
We’re fired as much as announce that B. Draddy and Zero Restriction would be the outfitters for the 2026 United States Solheim Cup workforce. I’m thrilled. I can’t wait. B. Draddy is extraordinarily excessive finish. I’m wanting ahead to seeing the launch of their girls’ fall line this 12 months.
Zero Restriction sort of speaks for itself. They’ve been conserving individuals dry and heat for a very long time. They’ve completed Presidents Cups. They’re very conversant in our workforce facet. I feel it’s going to be a whole lot of enjoyable to work with them.
Q. I do know the final couple years you sort of let Stacy and the workforce deal with the uniforms. What’s this been like this up to now having to take care of that aspect of issues?
It’s been a bit of troublesome for me as a result of normally I do know what I need, however typically what I need and what it seems to be like aren’t the identical factor.
Fortuitously I’ve had Paula’s assist fairly a bit. Paula has been a life saver on this, not solely as a result of Paula has vogue sense and I don’t. She’s been useful there. However she’s additionally a participant.
The issues that we’ve talked about, in fact we wish to look good. I need extra of a cultured, quite simple look. However Paula and I are on the identical web page in terms of the purposeful facet of it. It’s important to be comfy on the market, however you additionally — you’ll be able to look good and be comfy on the similar time.
Q. You have been up on the ANNIKA final week. We’ve had so many alternative winners on the Tour this 12 months, 28, a great variety of People, plenty of sturdy gamers arising for you. How are you feeling concerning the make-up of the U.S. Group as we now look to wrap this ’25 season?
I adore it. I feel there are a selection of various methods this might go subsequent 12 months. I feel we may have a really related workforce. We may even have some new elements, new individuals, new gamers, and I adore it both manner.
I feel our mentality, our mindset goes to be the identical. We perceive now we have an enormous problem going over and taking part in in Europe, and I feel that’s been the enjoyable half for me proper now’s to start out speaking to the gamers about issues that I feel are essential and simply making ready them for what I need and what I count on of them within the low season.
I really feel like I is likely to be a bit of bit completely different in that respect. I don’t actually bear in mind captains asking issues from me within the low season. However I simply assume there are issues that we will work on on a regular basis, and I feel our mentality goes to matter once we get there, and I feel you’ll be able to prepare these issues. I feel you’ll be able to work on issues, in order that manner while you get there it’s not one massive shock.
I’ve cherished it. I’ve cherished seeing them the final couple days. Noticed a pair gamers at this time. Everyone appears to — early on once I noticed them, we noticed one another in Boston, however there was a special vibe yesterday, at Pelican after which at this time.
I feel fascinated about going into subsequent 12 months, it’s again on their radar. So yeah, that is been good to see all people.
Q. Clearly you had so many experiences taking part in on Solheim Cup groups, now captaining and assistant captaining a couple of Solheim Cup groups. What have been a few of your favorite seems to be that you just acquired to put on for the opposite captains you performed for, or least favorite?
I preserve issues actually easy. I feel a whole lot of patterns on the underside have been by no means actually for me. We had a pair years the place we had some wild patterns on our skirts and pants. I’m not a lot of a sample particular person.
I feel if something, individuals will assume that I’m being quite simple with our design, however on the similar time, I need the women to really feel like they’re comfy they usually’re going to go on the market and individuals are going to speak about our play, they’re not going to speak about our garments, in that respect the place I feel we’re going to do some issues early within the week that they’re going to speak about our uniforms, and I can’t look ahead to that stuff to work its manner in. After we get there, it’ll be a very cool facet of the week.
Q. Your ideas or your plans; are you going to take some individuals over as you concentrate on your schedule for subsequent 12 months, to play the course, to have workforce bonding over in Europe? What are your ideas about that?
I feel we’re going to have a workforce occasion within the spring on the West Coast. If gamers wish to go over and play Bernardus earlier than, they’re greater than welcome. I’m not going to ask them to try this. I perceive their schedules are normally fairly packed, they usually have a whole lot of issues that they’re dedicated to.
If something, I’d hope that they’d play the Scottish. I hope they’d play AIG. I do know they’re going to play AIG. However something that — I really feel like Bernardus has a Scottish hyperlinks really feel to it, so I’m going to encourage them to consider taking part in the Scottish if it’s not on their schedule.
In the event that they wish to go play Bernardus, I’d adore it. However I feel I’ve seen it each methods, and I’ve completed it each methods. Early on in my profession, I went and performed early in Sweden a pair occasions. I feel it’s good to get your bearings and know the place issues are, however actually once we get there, they’re going to be so centered on studying the golf course and taking part in that I feel we’re going to get every part we have to out of these 4 days earlier than.
Q. You mentioned you do stuff nearly daily as we strategy the low season right here. You’re sending Christmas playing cards. How will you keep in contact over the subsequent few months?
ANGELA STANFORD: I do that bizarre factor that — so I really like texts and electronic mail and all that, however I really like nose to nose. I really like speaking to individuals in particular person. I assume I’m old fashioned in that.
I’ll in all probability ship them a couple of movies. I did that early on to the core of our gamers on this workforce, simply to — I don’t know, I feel there’s one thing about sending a video to someone and speaking by means of it. I feel you’ll be able to learn issues. If you learn an electronic mail you’re probably not getting — I don’t know, it’s simply completely different. I’ll in all probability ship them a few movies.
I’m actually going to dig into stats this low season. Going to start out fascinated about how particular stats match Bernardus, go gap by gap. I’m going to dive fairly deep into this and simply see if we will discover the right match in terms of gamers for this golf course.
Q. Clearly we had much more wins final 12 months by People with Nelly and Lauren, et cetera. This 12 months not as many. We’ve seen the emergence of Japanese golfers when it comes to profitable. Clearly a whole lot of People have performed very well however the wins haven’t been there just like the previous few years. Is {that a} concern at this level?
No, under no circumstances. I’m very conscious of the ebb and stream of seasons, Solheim years and non-Solheim years. I do know they’re all making an attempt as exhausting as they probably can.
However I additionally knew once I was taking part in that when it grew to become a Solheim Cup 12 months, I wished to win these years, however I used to be additionally making an attempt to earn factors to make a workforce. If you get into that mentality, you begin seeing higher finishes, whether or not they’re fascinated about it or not. I all the time did personally.
However I’m not nervous about it. I simply assume it’s sort of the ebb and stream, and individuals are in numerous phases of their life.
For Nelly, not many individuals have ever gained that many in a 12 months, a lot much less in a row. That’s one thing that I can solely think about is actually troublesome to comply with. I sort of felt for her in that everyone simply expects if you are able to do it as soon as, you must be capable to do it once more.
I feel Nelly dealt with it very well this 12 months. She performed superb all 12 months. Profitable is tough. Profitable is actually exhausting. Personally I feel that reveals; we had 29 completely different winners; is that proper? 27 or 29. That reveals how exhausting it’s to win out right here.
I’m not nervous concerning the People.
Q. How massive do you think about your core group? You talked about core. And while you get out subsequent 12 months and begin having little nose to nose run into, how deep doing go? What number of gamers?
My core group this time was about six of them, and I simply went off of what number of had performed three or 4 in a row. I feel it’s essential to maintain these gamers collectively and preserve them knowledgeable.
I feel we’ll go to 19 or 20 to ask to the occasion on the West Coast, fittings, various things like that as a result of this can be — that is simply my private tackle this, however it’s not nearly subsequent 12 months; it’s about rising an American workforce for years to come back.
I all the time thought it was an honor to get invited to workforce occasions. I believed it was an honor to get emails from a captain. I believed it was a giant deal.
Q. Again while you have been youthful?
I bear in mind I went to capabilities in 2004 and 2005 for Nancy and I didn’t make that workforce, however I made ’07, ’09, ’11. I need these youthful gamers that get invited to those issues to wish to be there. It’s a giant deal to be there.
I feel it’s a giant deal to develop American golf. I really like pondering that it’s not nearly 2026. Sure, we want to win and we wish to put collectively the perfect workforce we will, however I additionally need the ’28 workforce to be good and I need the ’30 workforce to be good.
I really feel just like the extra they are often uncovered to Solheim Cup occasions, even simply speaking to them, hopefully it makes them wish to make these groups and be part of making American golf higher and higher on this tour.
Q. Do you’re feeling like we’re in or approaching a little bit of a transition interval on the U.S. aspect of issues?
I appear to assume that each time. It looks like we preserve getting to some extent the place we really feel like, oh, this workforce goes to be manner completely different. I feel it simply sneaks up on you. I don’t assume it’s one thing that — now you concentrate on it, you may have Nelly, you may have Megan, you may have Kupcho, we’re going to have Angel, Yealimi performed in ’21. Abruptly it seems like this can be a core group. You understand that you just’re like, what occurred to all these gamers — I feel it simply sort of sneaks up on you.
I feel we thought that for ’23 there was going to be enormous turnover, and I don’t assume there was, and that simply speaks to American golf.
I feel the stronger we will get from 1 to twenty or 30 or 40, it by no means seems like now we have an enormous turnover.
Q. I simply wished to ask you, are you able to share a pair moments? You performed in six Solheim Cups. Are you able to share what your most memorable second may need been on the market on a kind of matches?
By far, 2015 in Germany. Each time I get the possibility to say I acquired to beat Suzann, I wish to say it as a result of not many individuals acquired to beat Suzann. Simply that complete Sunday, coming again in singles. We have been down 10-6. It was the best comeback in Solheim Cup historical past. That’s undoubtedly the one which stands out.
Profitable in 2007 in Sweden, that was sort of on the tail finish of Annika’s historic profession. We’re taking part in in Sweden once more — we performed in 2003 in Sweden and I used to be the one which acquired waxed by Annika in singles they usually simply drilled us in 2003 in Sweden, and that was Annika on the peak of Annika’s profession. Then to come back again in ’07 and get to beat them in Sweden, I believed that was fairly cool. That was a troublesome week. It was chilly and wet. I believed Betsy did a fantastic job of sort of conserving the workforce collectively.
I assume most of my reminiscences come from away Solheim Cups.
Q. On the Saturday evening earlier than they make the singles matches, are you able to simply inform us a bit of “Inside Baseball” about who desires to exit first, who desires to exit final? Based mostly on what , what place do you assume in all probability would get essentially the most strain because the day progresses on a Sunday?
It’s all the time sort of robust as a result of it depends upon — particularly that Sunday in Germany, we needed to win all of them. It additionally depends upon what the rating is, the place the factors are going into Saturday evening.
If we want 4 factors to retain or win the Cup, then we’re in all probability prime loading, like let’s get these factors and get it over with. I feel the technique is all the time — you all the time have an concept of the place you need your gamers to be, but when now we have an opportunity to go on the market and clinch it fast, let’s simply ship them out and get it completed.
I feel all of it sort of depends upon the place we stand Saturday evening.
Q. Nerves: Six matches, what was your most nervous second?
I feel I used to be nervous, I bear in mind, in Chicago, 2009. That is considered one of my best regrets, additionally. I used to be paired with Stacy Lewis, and we have been standing there on the tee — I’m sorry, it was ’11. I used to be nervous in ’09 at Wealthy Harvest Farms, however ’11, and it was Stacy’s rookie Solheim, and we have been deciding on who was teeing off first. I sort of simply pushed Stacy to tee off first. That’s in all probability considered one of my best regrets is that I simply didn’t hit that first tee shot.
Yeah, I used to be nervous there. I realized quite a bit there. I actually didn’t step as much as the plate, and like I mentioned, it’s considered one of my largest regrets.
Q. We’ve acquired about 10 months left. You’re going to be requested this query, however, Solheim Cup gamers: Has there been any dialogue in any respect about being paid for the companies you carry out in every week and that is abroad? You realize what occurred with the Ryder Cup gamers. Do you wish to share any details about that?
Effectively, I feel the gorgeous factor about our gamers is that no person has ever requested to be paid. Our girls adore it.
I feel we perceive being part of the LPGA Tour, we perceive what it means to behave like a founder. How do you make the sport higher? Typically you don’t all the time receives a commission for that. However in terms of Solheim, these girls love exhibiting up for it.
We get stipends that deal with our households and buddies, and I feel all people that goes that week is aware of that it’s for one thing greater than simply ourselves. We’ve simply by no means actually talked about it. No one has ever actually introduced it up as a result of it’s like, we’re attending to play for our nation. We’re attending to play for one another. We’re attending to develop ladies’s golf. We’re attending to play on this excellent stage. Everyone on the planet is watching us. We’re getting some cool uniforms. We’re attending to — all the good issues that come from that week.
Personally, I don’t assume you’ll be able to put a price ticket on it. Then you would need to work out, nicely, how a lot. So we’ve by no means talked about it.
Q. I feel Stacy nonetheless provides you grief for that second in 2011, proper?
ANGELA STANFORD: I do know.
Q. The final time the world noticed you, you have been on the primary tee on the Ryder Cup. I do know that you’re a scholar of different management, different groups. What have been a number of the psychological notes you made as you watched the Ryder Cup this 12 months?
I actually paid consideration to the captains. I watched how they have been shifting. I’m very conscious — and Stacy has helped me with this. Stacy has informed me that I must be extra conscious of once I’m simply standing round and wish to pay attention to how I stand. So I watched the captains, watched the gamers.
I did discuss to Paula and the opposite assistants afterwards. However extra so with Paula in that there have been issues that I noticed that I simply wish to make certain our workforce is conscious of, simply the way in which we deal with ourselves. If issues begin going south, how can we react to that.
I did watch the American workforce all weekend, and I used to be additionally watching the Europeans, simply making an attempt to — something I can be taught to make us higher, I’m making an attempt, and that falls into that each single day. Each single day I’m making an attempt to think about ways in which we may give ourselves a bonus.
Q. It was a lovely final couple days. You bought to see a whole lot of golf. General, simply once more to wrap up, how excited are you for the chance you’ve acquired arising subsequent 12 months in September?
I used to be simply going to say, are you all positive you don’t have any extra questions? I may sit right here and discuss this all day. I actually may. I adore it.
Q. After I appeared up your resume, it mentioned in 2024 you introduced your retirement. Golfers don’t typically announce retirement, skilled golfers. The query is are you formally retired? Did you announce that you just have been retiring? How does a professional golfer evolve into retirement?
I’m nonetheless engaged on that. I feel for me personally, I take advantage of the phrase “retire” as a result of in any thoughts, it was from the LPGA Tour, that means I felt like I acquired to some extent the place — I feel I may compete right here and there, however I felt like I used to be doing a disservice to myself and this tour if I couldn’t give it every part I acquired for 4 days week in and week out. That’s me personally.
My life has modified fairly a bit within the final couple years, so simply off the course there have been issues that have been extra essential, and that’s positive. I’m at an age the place that’s okay.
I’d actually, actually — you by no means lose that aggressive drive. I’m actually, actually making an attempt to assist develop the Legends Tour. I want we had some extra alternatives.
I really like going out and competing there. That’s been superior. In order that aggressive drive doesn’t go away.
However for me personally, I simply out of respect for the Tour and the excessive degree of golf, I simply felt prefer it was time for me to maneuver on, and I wished to be Solheim Cup captain and I wished to be — I’m sort of a kind of all-or-none individuals, and I knew to win, to present ourselves an opportunity to win abroad, I’ve to be 100% dedicated to this. Actually, I’ve not regretted that as a result of it’ll take every part I’ve and every part now we have to present it our greatest shot in Europe.
