Assistant Captain Juli Inkster said she will not return as a U.S. Solheim Cup player. "The answer to that question is no. You know what? I have thoroughly enjoyed every Solheim, and every Solheim has been different. I love these kids that are on this team." Inkster famously said she was "hanging it up" as a player following the 2009 Solheim Cup, but after qualifying ninth on the U.S. Team points list, she opted to become the first playing assistant captain in tournament history.
THE MODERATOR: Juli, some thoughts from you as the first ever playing assistant and how you were able to juggle your role.
JULI INKSTER: Rosie's going to say not well (laughing). It's hard because you're a player, and in some ways I kind of felt like I let Rosie down because I can't be two places at once. I never really expected to make this team, and I ended up making it.
I just felt like in the honor of the Solheim Cup that it would be not right to not play and my teammates. So it was a tough decision. I don't think I really helped that much on the golf course, and sometimes I didn't feel like I helped that much off the golf course. But it is what it is, and I tried to do my best.
Rosie did a phenomenal job as captain. She captained just like she played, with a lot of passion, and a lot of heart. Sometimes you just come up a little short. Like she said, the last 35 minutes, they took it away. So you've got to hand it to them. They played well coming down the stretch.
Q. So, Juli, I have to ask. We're going to see you on this team again in two more years?
JULI INKSTER: The answer to that question is no. You know what? I have thoroughly enjoyed every Solheim, and every Solheim has been different. I love these kids that are on this team. I mean, they're classics. They're a lot of fun. They make sure that I'm straight and narrow and I make sure they're straight and narrow.
I said to Morgan, you're 23 and you've got a lead out there. I'm like what am I saying? 23. But it's great to see the young American golfers coming up and playing so well. It's fun.
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