Laura Davies says 'injustice' over putt helped motivate USA
Last Updated: 21/09/15 5:53pm
Dame Laura Davies felt the USA's feeling of injustice inspired them to beat Europe for the Solheim Cup.
The Americans won nine and halved one of the Sunday singles to overturn a 10-6 deficit and win 14½-13½ to take the trophy.
The turnaround came after a controversial incident late on Saturday when Alison Lee missed a putt on the 17th and then picked up her ball under the assumption Europe had conceded.
Opponent Charley Hull was already walking towards the final hole but Suzann Pettersen claimed Europe had not conceded the short putt that remained; the match referee intervened and Europe were awarded the hole.
USA captain Juli Inkster described the incident as "disrespectful" and Pettersen issued an apology, saying "I have learned a valuable lesson about what is truly important in this great game of golf."
Davies, who played in 12 Solheim Cups, did not hold back in her criticism of Pettersen, whose actions, she felt, handed the Americans the final-day advantage.
"She's stubborn so I'm not really surprised," she said. "I don't think she could see the bigger picture about how it hurt the European team.
"I thought it was a big injustice and I know how I would have hated to have been on that team. It's nothing personal against Suzann, I've known her for a long time and we will laugh about it one day.
"Speaking to some people they were saying it was really quiet before the singles and that's strange, especially with a big lead, you normally have everyone bouncing around.
"The Americans had been outplayed for two days and then they had an injustice on their hands. They played some fantastic golf too."
Davies accepts that the decision was rooted in Pettersen's ruthless streak and that she has taken the correct course of action by offering an apology.
"You want to be ruthless and you want to win the point for your team - you do things and sometimes you regret them later," she said.
"Suzann was within the rules but it's just not in the spirit of the game and in the spirit of the Solheim Cup.
"I know the captain tried to get her to change her mind going up 18 but she just wouldn't and in the light of day she's realised it didn't help anybody.
"It certainly didn't help the Europeans because we ended up losing it but she's made an in-depth and heartfelt apology and she can't do any more than that.
"It will hurt her for a little while but at the moment she's done all she can do."
Europe's Mel Reid, who was unbeaten in the tournament, felt Pettersen should have taken the more sporting option of agreeing to halve the hole.
"There were a couple of incidents when Alison picked the ball up too early and then when she did it on 17, Suzann said she wasn't going to give her it," said Reid. "Do you do the sporting thing and give them the half? I my opinion I think that should have been done, but Suzann didn't do that.
"I think she was just blinkered. She lost perspective of the bigger picture but I don't want the event to be remembered for that incident and it's a shame it has dominated when so much fantastic golf was played."
