Suzann Pettersen has apologized for deciding to call a penalty on American opponent Alison Lee during the 17th hole of their Solheim Cup fourball match on Sunday morning.
Pettersen took to Instagram to offer a lengthy mea culpa and did it without the usual qualifier of apologizing to just the folks who were offended.
RELATED: Suzann Pettersen calls penalty on Alison Lee, didn't concede 18-inch putt
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 (Inkster) , 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.
On the 17th hole of their fourballs match, which resumed Sunday morning after a weather delay caused the suspension of play on Saturday night, Lee, who was teaming with Brittany Lincicome, had an 8-foot putt to win the 17th hole. Her putt rolled by some 18 inches. Pettersen and partner Charley Hull had started making their way to the 18th hole, and walking referee Dan Maselli began to announce the hole had been halved in par 4. Lee, thinking she had heard Pettersen or Hull say her remaining par putt was good, scooped up the putt. Immediately, Pettersen realized what Lee had done and told Maselli, an LPGA rules official, that neither European player had verbally conceded the putt. Maselli agreed with Pettersen and Hull and awarded the 17th hole to the Europeans after a penalty stroke was assessed to Lee. The Americans, still in shock, also lost the 18th hole to lose the match and set up a 10-6 European edge heading into the 12 scheduled Sunday singles matches.
The Americans, somewhat motivated by what Pettersen did, won 8.5 out of 12 points in the singles session to secure a 14.5-13.5 win and complete the biggest comeback in Solheim Cup history.
