Lee, Pettersen say Solheim dustup no longer an issue
NAPLES, Fla. (AP) Alison Lee just got into a sorority at UCLA, is majoring in communications and has a professor who doesn't appreciate her skipping quizzes to play pro golf.
Those topics, she likes talking about. The Solheim Cup, that's another story.
What went down between her and Suzann Pettersen during that event - when the rookie picked up a putt she thought was conceded and veteran Pettersen objected - will be part of Solheim lore, apparently to the dismay of both.
Playing in the U.S. this week for the first time since the Americans rallied to top the Europeans 14.5-13.5 for the Cup, both Lee and Pettersen said Thursday they've moved on and wished others would do the same.
''I don't think I would have done anything differently,'' said the 20-year-old Lee. ''For me, it's not that I feel bad for what I did. It's more I just feel bad that everyone kind of pointed the finger at Suzann. That was what it was. But obviously, I feel everyone has gotten over it now and I'm over it too, and it's fine.''
Lee finished the opening round of the CME Group Tour Championship with a 3-under 69 at Tiburon Golf Club on Thursday. Pettersen shot 71.
''I can't even remember what you're talking about,'' Pettersen said after the round, when asked about what happened at Solheim.
The ovation Pettersen received on the first tee when her round started Thursday morning was really no different than the reception most other players received. There wasn't much of a gallery, in fairness, but there seemed to be no lingering issue about what happened in Germany two months ago.
Pettersen's complaint came on the 17th hole of a fourball match at Solheim, the putt in question about an 18-incher. If the putt was conceded as Lee thought, the match would have been all-square going to 18. Because Pettersen objected, Europe won the hole and took a point for winning the match.
The Americans made no secret that they were furious about what happened on the 17th hole. That anger helped fuel what became the biggest comeback in Solheim history - rallying from a four-point deficit in the singles matches.
''I've been playing a lot of competitive golf since Solheim,'' Pettersen said. ''If you haven't forgotten about it by now, you'll never forget it.''
The 34-year-old Norwegian apologized repeatedly in the days that followed, and it seems players have moved on. Brittany Lincicome, who was teamed with Lee when it happened at Solheim, has played with Pettersen since without any problems.
Besides, the Americans came away with the win, so whatever happened - right or wrong - was essentially moot.
''There were so many things that could have happened, what-ifs I guess,'' Lincicome said. ''I guess it was just the way it was meant to be. I played with Suzann in Mexico and it was totally fine. We were talking about my (upcoming) wedding and her relationships and it was totally fine.''
Lee agrees. It no longer weighs on her, replaced by more pressing matters - like upcoming finals at UCLA, and that one professor that is giving her zeroes on three quizzes she missed while working on the other side of the world. She and Pettersen have talked about what occurred at Solheim, and in Lee's mind there isn't any more that needs to be said.
''I made my peace with it a long time ago,'' Lee said.
