OK, so it's been about one month since the initial call from the Mike Whan, Commissioner of the LPGA and two weeks since the official announcement of my role as Captain of the 2011 Solheim Cup Captain! Wow! That's exciting and a big change for what my life has been like the past couple of years. Just when I was getting a little bit detached from the tour as a player and getting use to the idea of life off the tour, this comes knocking on my door like a big bunch of colorfull balloons. Nice!
The day of the announcement, February 24th, the LPGA had orchestrated the sequence of several phone interviews that were scheduled through out the day. I was up early and ready to go around 7:30 am as we were finalizing our RosieJones.com and Face Book announcements and Newsletter distribution. I knew that the U.S. players over in Singapore were meeting for the tournament party where they would be the first to learn that I would be their 2011 Solheim Cup Captain.
First to happen was another Call from Mike Whan telling me congratulations again, and that the official announcement would be happening with in the next hour since the players would be informed with in minutes of this call. With that said, it was only moments later that I had my first Text message from Cristie Kerr saying Congrats partner, (I was her first partner at Interlochen, Minnesota 2002 where we beat L. Davies and P. Marti in Fourball) which started the barage of emails, facebook, text messages and phone calls from players, friends, family and almost every person I know, that lasted well over 2 days congratulating me for the appointment. Whew! That was maybe the most exciting and power charged couple of days I had ever experienced, and I loved every minute of it. Thank God for computers, email, facebook, and cell phones.
Where was all that social technology when I was playing the Tour those 25 years? It sure makes winning tournaments much more fun for you and your friends, associates, family when they have easy access and are only a mere finger touch from the inner loop. A lot of fun and I'm so very gratefull for all the attention and your well wishes.
After that, my first order of business has been to get in touch with several potential U.S. Players saying Hello from their new Captain! That and getting my feet wet by starting the process of picking my 2 Solheim Cup Assistant Captains. Lots of people have asked me who those might be, but I know that this decision is going to take some time and there is a lot to consider as I go forward with the process. Look at Corey Pavin, U.S. Captain for this year's Ryder Cup, just picked his four assistants last month, only 5-6 months away from the event.
My first personal contact with the U.S. players will be at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, (April 1 - 4) where I will be there for my in the flesh Solheim Cup Captain announcement and press conference. I plan to visit the LPGA tour several times this year which will give me the chance to touch base with most of the 2009 Solheim Cup team, as well as many other important U.S. players who are in the race to Ireland 2011. I look forward to reconnecting with those players I played with during my day as well as many young Americans new to the tour since my retirement from the LPGA in 2006.
I love the Kraft, aka The Dinah Shore and it's a great time to be in Palm Springs, CA. so this will be a very welcome trip as I get out and start my road to the Solheim Cup on my first official trip as the Captain. Very proud, very excited!
Until next time, Relax but Attack! Go USA!
