Barack Obama Makes Solheim Cup Visit To Cheer On Team USA
The former President of the USA was introduced to the crowd on the first tee before the Friday afternoon four-ball session at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club
The 2024 Solheim Cup saw hosts the US race into a 3-1 lead after the Friday morning foursomes session at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. If Stacy Lewis’ team needed any further motivation to continue the good work in the afternoon four-ball matches, they got it from an appearance by former US President Barack Obama.
The 44th POTUS was introduced at the first tee to a rapturous reception from the home fans at the Virginia course, where he applauded and acknowledged the crowd as he greeted Lewis with a handshake before shouting, “Come on! Let’s go USA!”
Barack Obama is at the Solheim Cup🇺🇸pic.twitter.com/0DCMmZcFCVSeptember 13, 2024
Obama’s appearance wasn’t a complete surprise as he is known as a huge golf fan and has been a member of the club since 2017. He also met the US team at its pre-Solheim Cup dinner earlier this week.
Before the match, members of Team USA spoke about their visit from Obama at the dinner. Megan Khang said: “Honestly, it was just super cool to have a past president kind of show up to team dinner. It's pretty incredible he took time out of his day to come meet all of us. I know he plays out of here, so just the appreciation for the time he gave up to come see us is incredible."
Nelly Korda said: “To add to that, he knew all of our names too, and he congratulated all of us on all of our success as well.”
Alison Lee added: "I think it just shows how much golf brings people together. To see him there, and we see him on TV in the past, he was our former president, and to see him kind of connect with us and relate to us in a way, I think is really, really cool and something that only golf can bring.”
Obama, who served as President between 2009 and 2017, also has a history of meeting and greeting previous US Solheim Cup teams.
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In 2010, Beth Daniel's successful team from the year before was greeted by Obama at the White House, while the honor was repeated for Juli Inkster’s team in 2015 after its win in Germany earlier that year.
While Obama is naturally rooting for his home nation as the US attempts to claim the trophy for the first time since a 16.5-11.5 triumph in Iowa in 2017, it wasn’t just members of the Team USA contingent he had time for. European players were also seen taking advantage of a photo opportunity with the 63-year-old, who was more than happy to accommodate them.
Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories.
He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game.
Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course.
Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.
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