Shirtless caddies, a karaoke machine and Barack Obama: Team USA’s keys to Solheim Cup glory

(CNN) — Stacy Lewis had put on a brave face for her players but, some 35,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean, with her young daughter dozing on her lap, the dam finally broke.

Team USA’s captain had a long flight home to stew on defeat being snatched from the jaws of victory at last year’s Solheim Cup in Spain, as Europe staged a stunning late fightback to reel in a young American side and retain the trophy. Perhaps inevitably, then, rumination eventually gave way to uncontrollable sobbing.

“I just lost it,” Lewis told CNN’s Patrick Snell.

“We did all this work and we didn’t win. What has been driving me from then on was, ‘How do we change this? How do we make sure we get them across the finish line?’”

Exactly a year on, Lewis has the answers to both questions, and they range from karaoke machines to dinners with former US presidents.

The former world No. 1 guided her squad to a cathartic triumph in Gainesville, Virginia last Sunday, the host winning 15½ - 12½ over Europe at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club to end a seven-year wait to hoist the Solheim Cup.

Tears of an entirely different kind flowed after Lilia Vu put the finishing touches on a spectacular approach shot to seal triumph for the USA, with captain Lewis enveloped by a watery-eyed husband, parents and – in a full-circle moment – five-year-old daughter Chesnee, who flew onto the green to embrace her mom.

“I told her we won the trophy and then she started crying,” Lewis recalled.

“They’d seen the work behind the scenes and I had to sacrifice some time away from them. They saw how much it means to me.”

Chemistry

With just three roster changes from the 12-player team that fell agonizingly short a year ago – rookies Sarah Schmelzel and Lauren Coughlin joined by 2015 winner Alison Lee – Lewis took a close-knit group bonded through collective agony into Virginia.

Squad chemistry grew even more courtesy of the most illustrious of cheerleaders, former President Barack Obama.

A member at Robert Trent Jones, Obama was a surprise guest at a team dinner in Washington, DC, ahead of the tournament before making another unexpected appearance at the first tee on day one as the US roared into a record-breaking 6-2 lead.

“It really meant a tremendous amount. The team and players were really excited to meet him,” Lewis, 39, said. “You could tell that he had watched a little bit before and that was definitely a special day for us.”

A vivacious team spirit was on – quite literally – stark display on the second day of play, as two US caddies responded to Lee’s stunning hole-out for eagle during one fourball match by ripping off their shirts.

After redressing, bagsmen Jack Fulghum and Taylor Takada had sheepishly approached Lewis asking if they were in trouble for their exuberant celebrations.

Far from it. For Lewis, a four-time Solheim Cup player, the moment will live on alongside fond memories of the squad taxiing a karaoke machine from bus to hotel each night, unofficial team anthems “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” and – to her begrudging amusement – “Stacy’s Mom” blaring from an accompanying speaker.

“I said, ‘No, I just want to tell you that you’re going viral,” remembered Lewis.

“It’s those videos and those I saw of my team … singing and dancing and just being kids, that’s gonna be my impression of this team and something that’ll stick with me for a long time.”

R and R

A solid Saturday led by the mercurial Nelly Korda saw Lewis’ charges take a 10-6 advantage into the final day, leaving Europe needing to reenact the Miracle of Medinah from the 2012 Ryder Cup – the men’s equivalent of the Solheim Cup – to deny them a long-awaited win.

Though England’s Charley Hull threatened to spark another dramatic fightback with an opening singles triumph over world No. 1 Korda, the host held its nerve to claim the trophy, which quickly became a de facto goblet for champagne.

It meant a potentially sore head was the only cause for discomfort on this year’s flight home for Lewis, the 13-time LPGA Tour winner set to play one more event at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship on Thursday before taking the rest of the season off.

Any thoughts of potentially returning to the helm for a third time to defend the trophy in the Netherlands come 2026 will have to wait.

“I don’t think that’s my decision to make, (but) I’d have a hard time saying no if they ask me again just because I had so much fun,” Lewis said.

“The last three years have been pretty busy. I need a little R and R.”

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