BELLEAIR, Florida — Stacy Lewis left the door open to be a playing captain in 2023. She had a plan in place in case she automatically qualified. In the end, captainship duties took a toll on her personal game. Once she actually got to Spain and went through a Solheim Cup in that role, well, let’s just say it won’t happen in 2024.
“After experiencing Spain,” said Lewis. “I really don’t think you can captain and play.”
Lewis then proceeded to detail for reporters at The Annika what a typical day looked like for her at Finca Cortesin, noting that she had one day the entire week that she actually sat down for lunch. The rest of the time her cart driver, Megan Francella, kept handing her half of a peanut butter sandwich.
It was important for Lewis to be on the first tee for all the players because she liked it when captains did that in the past.
“Because of that, those morning matches finish and then there is basically probably about 20 or 30 minutes before the next matches are starting,” she said. “Then you finish in the evening and you have got an hour to get pairings in and then have to do media and come back and the team has eaten dinner and they want to go to bed.
“You meet with the team and it’s 9 p.m. or 9:30 p.m., and it’s oh, I get to eat dinner now.”
Captain Stacy Lewis of Team USA and Danielle Kang of Team USA plan a shot from the first tee during Day One of The Solheim Cup at Finca Cortesin Golf Club on September 22, 2023 in Casares, Spain. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
On practice days, Lewis divided up the team so they could play when they wanted do. Some played early and some teed off around noon. It made for great flexibility for the players, but long days for Lewis.
“There is definitely no way to captain and play,” she reiterated.
Lewis came into The Annika off a four-week stretch at home, the longest she’s enjoyed in quite some time. She appreciated having two full weeks to hone her game, much needed after five consecutive missed cuts.
Lewis came into the week 83rd on the CME points list and likely won’t make it into next week’s CME Group Tour Championship. The former No. 1 will once again lead Team USA at the 2024 Solheim Cup Sept. 13-15 at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia.
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