Those who consider Stacy Lewis a friend have been smiling and nodding all week. Last Wednesday, Lewis was named U.S. Solheim Cup captain, a move that didn’t surprise anyone – she had been on the shortlist since before the 2021 matches – but one that is already creating anticipation. Lewis is as passionate about the Solheim Cup as anyone who has ever played.
And she gets the best out of those around her. Always.
On Super Bowl weekend three years ago, when Tom Brady and the Patriots put a king-sized whoopin’ on the Rams, I played in a pro-am with Lewis at the Ocean Club Bahamas. She was, as always, friendly and helpful. But Lewis didn’t show up to hit, giggle and get to the afterparty. When she plays, she’s there to win.
I birdied the first hole, draining about a 25-footer. Maybe my expectations were too high, but the nod I got from her seemed a little underwhelming. A couple of holes later, she was pretty insistent that I play away from a pin, even though I had a wedge in my hands. “You can’t get it close if you go at it,” she said. “I’ve played here. Trust me. I know this shot.”
Of course, she was right, as she was throughout the round.
Lewis didn’t show up to hit, giggle and get to the afterparty. When she plays, she’s there to win.
When I stuffed a wedge on a par-5 for a kick-in birdie, I heard her shout “Good shot, Steve,” loud enough for the rest of our group to hear. By then, I didn’t care about winning. I just didn’t want to disappoint Stacy.
There were a couple of other “good shots,” and a couple of times when I missed 6-footers and watched her turn wordless and walk away. Not since I played high school football have I worked so hard to outperform my skill set. Back then I did it for a coach. This time, it was for my pro.
She taught me how to knock down an 8-iron into a gusting Caribbean wind – “You can’t lean the shaft forward. That’ll just put more spin on it and cause it to upshoot,” she said. “You have to flatten your swing plane and be a little more dead-handed with it. And more than anything, focus on solid contact. Catch it solid and the wind won’t hit it as much.”
We didn’t win. I should have played better and told her so afterward. To her credit she smiled and said, “We’ll get ’em next time,” as if our partnership would be a monthly occurrence.
We haven’t played together since. But if we ever do, I will give it my all. She brings out your best effort, no matter who you are. That should bode well for Team USA next fall in Spain.
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Steve Eubanks