Suzann Pettersen finished in 66th place at an elite European tour golf tournament in South Korea, marking her unexpected return to competitive play after a seven-year absence.
Pettersen walked away from professional golf in September 2019, laying down her clubs on the spot immediately after securing the winning point for Europe against the United States at the Solheim Cup. She served as captain for the European team across two subsequent editions of the prestigious trans-Atlantic tournament.
Pettersen Returns After Seven Years Away
Rust and nerves appeared to factor into the opening stretch of her return. Her competitive instincts quickly took over.
She rallied with birdies on holes 8, 13, and 15, sinking a long putt on the latter that prompted the Viaplay broadcaster to exclaim: Suzann in familiar style! It is as if she never left.
That strong recovery brought her back to even par by the end of the opening 18 holes, placing her in a tie for 41st. She built on that momentum through Friday, shooting two under par overall to sit comfortably in 31st place at the halfway mark and successfully making the tournament cut.
Veterans Compete in Goyang Weekend Field
The physical demands of a four-day tournament caught up with the veteran as the weekend arrived. She shot four over par across each of the final two rounds, finishing the tournament at six over par total.
Czech golfer Patricia Mackova led the field at seven under par, while Pettersen finished in last place among the 66 players who survived Friday’s cut. Fellow Norwegian veteran Marianne Skarpnord also traveled to South Korea for the event, finishing fourth from the bottom after missing the cut entirely.
Pettersen Eyes Select Tournament Schedule
Pettersen made it clear that her competitive fire has genuinely reignited despite finishing at the bottom of the weekend leaderboard. She has no intention of launching a full-time campaign.
Ideally, I see myself playing five or six tournaments a year. I will never play a full season again, that’s for sure.
Her decorated career includes 15 professional victories on the LPGA Tour—featuring major titles at the 2007 PGA Championship and the 2013 Evian Championship—alongside 121 top-10 finishes and a career-best ranking of second in the world. She is keeping her schedule measured while balancing life as a mother of two following the births of her children in 2018 and 2021.
According to regional reporting, Pettersen’s next competitive appearance is expected to come later this month at the Open de España.