Sept 10 (Askume) – The U.S. team, which is preparing to compete in the Solheim Cup outside Washington this week, was delighted to receive a dinner from former President Barack Obama to wish them well as they prepare for the biennial tournament in Europe.
Obama met and had a long chat with Team USA on Monday at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia, where this year’s Solheim Cup is being held and he is also a Solheim Cup member.
“He knows all of our names,” American world No. 1 Nelly Korda told reporters on Tuesday. “He also congratulated all of us on our success.”
The Women’s Professional Golf Association posted a photo on social media of a smiling Obama surrounded by the US team, which hopes to win its first Solheim Cup title since 2017 during the three-day tournament that begins Friday.
“Honestly, it’s great to have the former president at the team dinner,” said Megan Khang, who, like Korda, is competing in her fourth Solheim Cup this week.
“It’s incredible that he took the time to come and meet all of us. I know he plays here, so we appreciate him taking the time to meet us.”
Alison Lee, whose two Solheim Cup appearances were the longest in Team USA history, said Obama’s visit demonstrated the power of golf in a way she said no other sport could match.
“It just shows how golf can bring people together,” Lee said ahead of competing in her second Solheim Cup.
“To see him out there, we’ve seen him on TV before, he’s our former president, and to see him join us and connect with us in some way, I think it’s really cool, and it’s something that only golf can bring to you.”
Europe hopes to retain women’s golf’s biggest team event, the Solheim Cup, for a fourth consecutive season.
