It was an exceptional first day for Team USA rookies Sarah Schmelzel and Lauren Coughlin winning both of their matches. They'll be hoping for more of the same on Saturday.
Making your debut at the Solheim Cup can be a daunting experience, but Sarah Schmelzel and Lauren Coughlin made it look effortless, winning both of their matches on the opening day. The two rookies not only handled the pressure with composure but also showcased their skill and confidence, helping Team USA get off to a very strong start on Friday.
Schmelzel: Overcoming nerves to deliver
Sarah Schmelzel, reflecting on her first day, expressed that her nerves subsided quickly, particularly when her teammate Lilia Vu hit the first shot. "Stacy was nice and had Lilia hit the first shot this morning, so I didn't really feel the nerves until I was over that 6-iron in the fairway," Schmelzel said. Once she got into the rhythm, Schmelzel found herself absorbed by the atmosphere. "It was just such an amazing atmosphere, more than I expected really, and I expected a lot. It was amazing."
Despite the anticipated nerves of stepping onto the grand Solheim Cup stage, Schmelzel managed to stay composed and perform under pressure. "In the afternoon, the nerves weren't too bad with the crowd noise going on, and you've got another partner there," she added, emphasizing how the team dynamic helped ease her into the competition.
Coughlin: Home support boosts performance
Lauren Coughlin echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the impact of having family and friends close by during her impressive rookie first day performance. "It was amazing. My parents, my husband, my college coach, and her husband, who is also my swing coach, were all there," Coughlin shared. She admitted to feeling the initial pressure, but once she hit her first shot down the middle of the fairway, the rest of the day felt much easier.
Having home support proved beneficial. "I was pretty jacked up on the 1st tee, but not as much as I thought I was," said Coughlin, whose precision and composure made the afternoon pairing with Schmelzel a winning combination. Both players contributed to Team USA’s momentum, feeding off each other’s energy.
Defying rookie expectations
Rookies often face questions about their ability to handle the pressure of such a high-stakes competition, but Schmelzel and Coughlin defied expectations. "We're obviously rookies on the Solheim team, but we've both been on Tour for six years now. You don't necessarily feel like a rookie in that sense," Schmelzel noted. At 30 and 31 years old respectively, Schmelzel and Coughlin are among the more seasoned players on Tour, and this experience shone through in their confident play.
Schmelzel described their approach to the afternoon match, where they embraced the underdog mentality: "We kind of had that underdog mentality of ‘let’s show them what we’ve got, let’s show them who we are,’ and we just tried to roll with that all day."
Coughlin, too, felt ready for the challenge. "I don’t think, at least to me, it was a surprise that we played really well because we’ve been doing it all year. It was pretty special to get to do it together."
Stacy Lewis’ confidence in her rookies
Team USA captain Stacy Lewis revealed that pairing the two rookies was always part of her plan. She saw potential in their synergy and energy, which was confirmed after consulting with their caddies. "I knew they got along. I knew they were friends. I knew they would be really good energy together," Lewis explained. Despite their technical rookie status, Lewis had no hesitation in putting them together for the Friday afternoon fourball session once she had confirmation from their caddies that they’d be fine.
Her faith in the pair paid off, as they delivered solid performances. "They’ve been playing great all week, and they were playing great coming into this week," Lewis said, highlighting how their form made the decision to send them out an easy one.
A confident start for the rookies
Schmelzel and Coughlin’s debut performances have set a high bar for themselves, and they seem to be embracing the challenge head-on. The pair appeared to be having fun, staying loose and free, as they dominated their matches. Reflecting on the day, Schmelzel said, "This afternoon, I felt like the both of us were pretty settled in, ready to just fire away."
With their rookie nerves behind them, Sarah Schmelzel and Lauren Coughlin are proving to be key players for Team USA, and their confident performances on day one have laid a solid foundation for what could be a memorable Solheim Cup debut for both of them.
Lauren Coughlin will be playing with Lexi Thompson in the third Foursomes match on Saturday, whilst Sarah Schmelzel plays with Lilia Vu like she did on Friday in the final match of the morning.
View all the scoring from the 2024 Solheim Cup here.
