Suzann Pettersen spoke to Phil Mickelson after Solheim incident, not yet to Lee
Suzann Pettersen still hasn’t spoken with Alison Lee since the Solheim Cup incident that was a catalyst for a record American comeback in the final day of the biennial matches.
“I still have not talked to Alison, but she will be the first people I will reach out to once we get to Asia and I can see her in person,” Pettersen said in an interview with Golf Channel airing Wednesday evening.
The LPGA season resumes Oct. 8 with the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia, the start of the Tour’s fall Asian swing.
“Hopefully, we can move on very quickly. It’s definitely on my agenda when I get to Asia to see her and talk to her,” Pettersen said.
During the resumption of a fourball, also called best ball, match on Sunday morning of the three-day event, Pettersen called the match walking official after Lee picked up an 18-inch putt the American believed had been conceded to her by Pettersen or her partner Charley Hull. The Norwegian was adamant neither player had verbalized a concession, leading Europe to win that hole and, ultimately, the match.
Down 10-6 heading into the 12 concluding singles matches that afternoon, the Americans staged the biggest comeback in the history of the series to eek out a 14.5-13.5 win.
However, Pettersen is clear that the apology she offered on Instagram and since the incident isn’t for calling the infraction on Lee, rather the way she “handled the situation.”
Pettersen said she received a number of texts and phone calls in the immediate wake of the incident, including from Phil Mickelson, who was widely lauded and panned for voicing his displeasure with how 2014 Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson managed the American team.
“I don’t know how I can thank [Phil] enough for the words and hours on the phone – the good and bad,” she said. “He asked me some critical questions, and I had to answer them.”
Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.
