The U.S team was trailing 10-6 going into the final singles matches at the Golf Club St. Leon-Rot in Germany but eventually won 14 1/2 points to 13 1/2 points.
In a sport that is well-known for its etiquette and sportsmanship, Pettersen’s actions left teammate Hull and Lee in floods of tears and the Norwegian also revealed she has personally apologized to US captain Juli Inkster. They simply outplayed the Americans. They gathered in the middle of the 18th fairway to vent their feelings. Creamer made five birdies in 15 holes to win the final singles match 4 and 3 and give the USA its first title since 2009.
By the side of the green Hull started walking, in a gesture that golfers everywhere will recognise as the concession of a small putt.
With their morning fourballs all square, rookie Lee, 20, mistakenly believed her 16-inch putt at the 17th had been conceded by the European pair and when she scooped the ball up, the match referee had no choice but to award the hole to Hull and Pettersen.
American captain Juli Inkster looked devastated. “I don’t know if my team needed to be fired up anymore, but they were real fired up”. “It’s just not right”, United States captain Inkster said after the incident. “As much as you practice it at home or as a kid, it’s just not the same, obviously”. It’s disrespectful.
“I saw Charley walking off and Suzann kind of turned her back and then Suzann said she did not give it to her (Lee)”. They won that point.
“They played fantastic golf and I’ll just keep telling them that until the smile comes back on their faces”. “I thought it was a great week for women’s golf, and to put a dampener on that, there’s no way they could ever justify that”.
European assistant captain Annika Sorenstam said: “The Americans played extraordinary golf in the singles”.
Pettersen initially stood by her actions but released a lengthy statement on Instagram on Monday.
“And a mention for Angela Stanford, who was probably quite irritated by what went on in the morning and used it as motivation to win her singles against Pettersen”. But no act that might have rescued the situation was forthcoming.
Laura Davies and Nicole Castrale both share their views on a historic day as Europe let their lead slide to hand U.S. the 2015 Solheim Cup. ‘The Europeans can’t feel good about winning like this. It’s so sad for women’s golf’.
“The whole incident was wrong in my opinion, and it was hard to watch”, said Castrale, who has spent the week commentating for Sky Sports. Accordingly, A lifted his ball, B then said that he had not conceded A’s next stroke.
The Solheim Cup always seems to throw up a controversial moment or two and Inkster, who has played in the event nine times, said that was a shame. “That tells you the wrong thing was done”, Davies said”.
“Poor old Alison Lee must think, “I hope I never play a Solheim Cup again”. We are all fierce competitors but ultimately it’s unfair. “It’s been a great journey, wonderful how she brought us together”, she told Reuters. The United States would go on to come back from 10-6 down and win the event.
Asked if it was possible to change the result of the match, Inkster said: “It’s a done deal and you know what, we don’t want it now. I’m so glad I’m not on that team this time”. “We’ve got the point, but they’ve got the moral high ground”. But, at the time of writing, the lead remained four points to Europe.