Barack Obama Cheers Team US to Early lead at Solheim cup
The 2024 Solheim Cup kicked off with the U.S. team surging to a 3-1 lead in the Friday morning foursomes at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. If Captain Stacy Lewis’ squad needed an extra push heading into the afternoon four-ball matches, they got it in the form of a special appearance from former U.S. President…
The 2024 Solheim Cup kicked off with the U.S. team surging to a 3-1 lead in the Friday morning foursomes at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. If Captain Stacy Lewis’ squad needed an extra push heading into the afternoon four-ball matches, they got it in the form of a special appearance from former U.S. President Barack Obama.
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The 44th President of the United States was introduced to an enthusiastic crowd at the first tee, where he received a warm reception from fans at the Virginia course. Obama greeted Captain Lewis with a handshake and energized the crowd by shouting, “Come on! Let’s go USA!”
Obama’s appearance, while exciting, wasn’t entirely unexpected. A passionate golf enthusiast, he has been a member of the club since 2017 and had met with the U.S. team earlier in the week during a pre-Solheim Cup dinner.
Team USA players reflected on their memorable encounter with Obama at the dinner. Megan Khang expressed her excitement: “It was just super cool to have a past president show up to our team dinner. It’s incredible that he took time out of his day to meet with us. He plays out of here, so we really appreciated the time he spent with us.”
Nelly Korda added, “He knew all of our names and congratulated us on our success, which made it even more special.”
Alison Lee shared similar sentiments: “It shows how much golf brings people together. Seeing him in person, after only watching him on TV, and connecting with him through golf was amazing. Only this sport can make that happen.”
Obama, who served as President from 2009 to 2017, has a history of supporting U.S. Solheim Cup teams. In 2010, he welcomed Beth Daniel’s victorious team from the previous year to the White House, and in 2015, he hosted Juli Inkster’s winning squad after their triumph in Germany.
Though Obama was clearly rooting for the U.S. to reclaim the trophy, which they last won in 2017, he didn’t limit his attention to the American team. European players were seen taking photos with the former president, who graciously posed for pictures with them as well.
