The victorious American Solheim Cup team is still basking in the glow of their emotional and historic comeback in Germany. Sunday was a magical day for these ladies and most likely one of the most memorable days in all of their careers.
On the European front things are a bit different. With some time to reflect on her actions on the seventeenth green Suzann Pettersen has apologized for her part in the episode. Pettersen’s refusal to concede Alison Lee’s gimmie putt ignited a fury of backlash directed at Pettersen.
Whether she had come to this reversal on her own or was counseled by her teammates and coaches she does not say but what she does say is that she was wrong.
She posted this statement on Instagram before she left Germany this morning.
I’ve never felt more gutted and truly sad about what went down Sunday on the 17th at the Solheim Cup. I am so sorry for not thinking about the bigger picture in the heat of the battle and competition. I was trying my hardest for my team and put the single match and the point that could be earned ahead of sportsmanship and the game of golf itself! I feel like I let my team down and I am sorry. To the U.S. team, you guys have a great leader in Juli , who I’ve always looked up to and respect so much. Knowing I need to make things “right,” I had a face to face chat with her before leaving Germany this morning to tell her in person how I really feel about all of this. I wanted her 
also to know that I am sorry. I hope in time the U.S. team will forgive me and know that I have learned a valuable lesson about what is truly important in this great game of golf which has given me so much in my life. To the fans of golf who watched the competition on TV, I am sorry for the way I carried myself. I can be so much better and being an ambassador for this great game means a lot to me. The Solheim Cup has been a huge part of my career. I wish I could change Sunday for many reasons. Unfortunately I can’t. This week I want to push forward toward another opportunity to earn the Solheim Cup back for Europe in the right way. And I want to work hard to earn back your belief in me as someone who plays hard, plays fair and plays the great game of golf the right way.
That couldn’t have been easy for an Alpha-Female like her but to her credit she sounds sincere and fully recognized her poor sportsmanship.
The Solheim Cup and the controversy was covered in depth by some of the best golf writers we have the pleasure of reading. Check out their perspectives on the lady’s week in Germany.
Randall Mell of The Golf Channel says this was a team molded by Juli Inkster and they came to work.
You knew the Americans were a different team when they marched on stage for the Solheim Cup’s opening ceremony wearing Chuck Taylor Converse basketball shoes.
No six-inch stilletos this time, no overly fanciful bling, either.
They literally came to work with lunch buckets.
Beth Ann Nichols of Golfweek details the way Inkster’s team respects her and responded to her no rah-rah approach.
Inkster came into the week preaching to her charges to play loosely and aggressively. She put them in pods and dressed them in cardigans and Converse, sending them off to work with their blue-collar lunch pails. Inkster did everything she could to create a fun environment, but not a frilly one. It was one of great mutual respect for the other side.
Ron Sirak says “fate got it right.” and Jaime Diaz gives us “The putt that saved the cup.
Mike Purkey says there was some “swift justice” handed out by the American team.
Steve Eubanks, like many, called the win “A Comeback for the Ages.”
Related Articles
