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FEATURE

Solheim Cup LPGA Players Warm Up the Nation’s Capital

Friends in high places

Last month, a winning team of LPGA players paid a visit to a very special fan: President Barack Obama. The 2009 Solheim Cup team, which defeated their European rivals last summer, were welcomed by President Obama in the Oval Office on January 11th to celebrate their victory. Posing in front of heavy yellow drapes and an American flag, Obama proudly held the Waterford glass trophy as the Solheim Cup team flanked him on either side.

The Solheim Cup, which takes place every two years, is the premier international team competition in women's golf. It is named for a Norwegian-American golf club manufacturer, the late Karsten Solheim, who was a driving force behind its creation. The American team won 16-12 in August of last year, in a tournament that stretched over three days.

At the White House, Michelle Wie, one of the 14 members of the Solheim Cup team, exchanged shakas—a Hawaiian hand greeting—with President Obama. Later, he graciously accepted a fragrant lei, a garland made of flowers, from the 20-year-old fellow Hawaiian. Before the visit was over, President Obama shared some interesting news: on a recent trip to Hawaii, he had made his first birdie.

Next up: more Washington, DC, landmarks. During their 36-hour visit, the women toured the Senate, the Lincoln Memorial, the Pentagon, and the 9/11 memorial. Team member Cristie Kerr told USA Today about the experience: “It’s amazing to be a part of history, to see so much history, to meet President Obama. It does move you.”

A Night on the Town

After the tour, an evening reception was held at the University Club in downtown DC, where the team mingled with guests thrilled to see their favorite players up close and in person. Greeting Christina Kim with an enthusiastic hug, Sydney Suissa, Executive Vice President of National Geographic Channels International, launched into animated conversation: How did she get into golf? What is her conditioning routine? How does she stay in mental and physical shape to be able to compete?

“She was exactly as I thought she would be: gracious, funny, articulate, and unpretentious,” wrote Suissa after the event. “What I admire about Christina's play is the power and grace of her swing as well as the mental aspects she brings to the game: intensity, spontaneity, a sense of humour, and her complete lack of pretense…I'm essentially a beginner…but she completely understood my addiction to the game.”

Among the influential leaders and business executives who attended the reception were John Solheim, son of Karsten Solheim and the current president of Karsten Manufacturing (PING), as well as the Ambassador to the United States from the Republic of Korea, Han Duk-soo.

Following the meet-and-greet was a lively panel discussion led by team captain Beth Daniel. Their infectious high spirits showed the LPGA players to be some of the most personable and engaging athletes in the country.

The Start of Something New

The Solheim Cup team’s visit to Washington, DC, was the first major event organized by the LPGA since Michael Whan took over duties as the new LPGA Commissioner on January 4th. Whan mingled with guests at the evening reception as he geared up for an exciting future of increasing awareness of the LPGA as the country’s leading association in women’s golf. Ken Bartee, Former President & CEO of McDonald Bradley, shared his impressions in an e-mail after the event: “The LPGA, while a business, still displays a great sense of classic values that includes community and caring. [At the reception,] I was most excited about meeting Michael Whan, who appears to have great leadership skills…I look forward to following his strategy for the LPGA.”

The enthusiasm that lifted the evening was palpable: it was the joy of the game that took center stage that night, and no one wanted the fun to end. And why should it? With LPGA tournaments in places all over the country, many asked, why not one right here in the nation’s capital?

Meanwhile, the LPGA players had plenty to look back on: a whirlwind tour of Washington, DC, landmarks; photo shoots; a reception for friends and families; face time with some of their biggest fans. And they even got to talk shop with the President of the United States. Not bad for a two-day visit!

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