Europeans hampered in bid to regain Solheim Cup by loss of injured Pettersen

EUROPE’S bid to regain the Solheim Cup has suffered a major blow after Norway’s Suzann Pettersen was forced to withdraw due to a back injury.

Pettersen, who will be replaced in the side by assistant captain Catriona Matthew, had been receiving treatment since arriving in Des Moines, Iowa, for the biennial contest against the United States.

However, the 36-year-old was still suffering persistent pain from a slipped disc and had little option but to pull out of Annika Sorenstam’s side.

“I have made this extremely difficult decision to help the European team and give my teammates the best possible chance of success,” said Pettersen.

“There was no guarantee that I would be fit to compete on Friday morning and I did not want to play unless I was able to give 100 per cent. I truly love the Solheim Cup and I will stay and support my team this week in whatever way I can.”

England took the honours on the first day of the Men’s Home Internationals at Moortown in West Yorkshire.

England, including three Yorkshiremen in Dan Brown (Masham), David Hague (Malton & Norton) and Will Whiteoak (Shipley), defeated Scotland 9-6.

Hague, who won both his morning foursomes and afternoon singles hailed it a ‘dream debut’. Brown and Whiteoak won in the foursomes but both lost their singles encounters. ■