READY FOR BATTLE IN THE GLEN
SOLHEIM CUP Pettersen vows to handle pressure after row with Yanks last time out
TOUGHENED by an experience she wouldn’t wish on any player, hardened by the storm of controversy created during her most recent Solheim Cup outing, Suzann Pettersen certainly sounds ready for a resumption of (friendly) hostilities.
Ranked 620th in the world, a fact not unrelated to her playing in only two tournaments since November 2017, the new mum is adamant that Catriona Matthew will not regret handing her a captain’s pick for next month’s event at Gleneagles.
‘Bring it on, bring it on!’ said the Norwegian, when told that most would see her selection as a gamble.
Regardless of whether the double Major winner is in the kind of form needed to compete against the USA’s finest, one thing is certain: Pettersen’s inclusion is guaranteed to get right under the skin of the Yanks.
Four years ago at St Leon-Rot, she was forced into a public apology after the controversial non-concession of a putt in her and Charley Hull’s fourball match with Alison Lee and Brittany Lincicome.
In case you missed it, Lee missed a birdie putt on the 17th and then picked up from 18 inches for what she thought was a half, believing she had heard the Europeans
concede. Pettersen said there had been no concession and the hole was won by the home team.
There were tears. There was anger. Then the Americans came from four points behind to clinch victory with a blitz of the singles.
Pettersen, who had initially insisted there was no reason to apologise for what many saw as a move beyond gamesmanship, said yesterday that she believed the ensuing row will not be a factor this time around.
The 38-year-old, who took an enforced break from golf following the birth of son Herman last year, said: ‘Hopefully, it won’t happen again. I don’t want any other players to go through what I ended up having to go through.
‘But if there was one player who could probably take that load, I was probably the one on the European team. It was tough but what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
‘No, I don’t think it’s a factor, not at all. The Solheim is so intense. It is a lot of pressure. You are right there in the heat of the battle.
‘What happened in Germany was very unfortunate at the time. I think everyone has learned from it. Everyone has moved on. Hopefully, it will not bubble up again.
‘I have obviously learned from it. In the heat of the moment, my head wasn’t thinking clear enough to be able to change what happened there and then.
‘I don’t think anyone else was either until they had some time away to be able to think more of it. I’ve not really thought that much about it since it happened.
‘Catriona has gone a little bit out of the way to put me on the team. I’ll take that pressure.
‘If I felt my game wasn’t fit, I’d have told her straight: “Pick someone else”.
‘This is what I love. I feel like I was born for this.’
Matthew, who said she had been convinced to pick Pettersen after playing alongside her at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational earlier this season, believes the row from 2015 is ‘hopefully water under the bridge now — and all forgotten about’.
Asked specifically if she had plans for her team should something similar happen at Gleneagles, the Scot (right) said: ‘I think, with hindsight, you would probably have done something differently.
‘But hindsight is an easy thing. In the heat of the battle, no one can truthfully say what they would have done.
‘That’s where I’ve got to look at some of these things that have happened, try not to predict but be ready for what I might do if something similar happens. We’re not wanting things like that to happen. We want it to be played in good spirit and may the best team win. ‘I have to prepare myself mentally in case something did arise. I think you just have to be aware that anything might happen.’ The European Team — minus Jodi Ewart Shadoff, who had a minor back operation last week — gathered at Gleneagles for dinner on Sunday night and played the PGA Centenary Course yesterday. ‘I think it was important, a nice thing to do,’ said Matthew. ‘We do all know each other. We travel together every week but we don’t spend so much time with some of the players.
‘So it was great to get everyone together. The caddies were here as well and we went out for a game on the course this morning.
‘That builds the atmosphere, gets everyone into the team spirit and raring to go.
‘For the rookies, you can’t quite imagine what it’s going to be like. No matter how much people say, regardless of what anyone tells you about that first tee, until you’ve been there and done it, you really can’t imagine what it’s going to be like.
‘The ones who have been there before, they’re beginning to feel it because we could see the stands and infrastructure going up.
‘They all raved about the golf course, loved it. I mean, how can you not love this setting?
‘Some rookies step right up and play well. But there is that element with the rookies, you
don’t know quite how they’re going to perform under extreme pressure.
‘You definitely need to balance it out with some experience.’
after american victories in 2015 and 2017, there is some pressure on europe to raise themselves, with Matthew noting: ‘We don’t want them winning three-in-a-row.
‘But I’m really happy with the team. a lot of our players are just coming into form.
‘We had a great practice this morning and I’m feeling pretty confident.’
With a nod to european wins at Dalmahoy and Loch Lomond in 1992 and 2000 respectively, the former Women’s British open champion grinned and said: ‘I know that there were victories the last two times it was held in scotland. Hopefully, that’s going to be a lucky omen … no pressure!’