'I put the match and the point that could be earned ahead of sportsmanship and the game of golf itself,' she said.

Pettersen has now delivered a lengthy mea culpa on Instagram, saying she did not think about 'the bigger picture'

The outrageous decision not to concede the putt also caused the opposition's Alison Lee to cry


Suzann Pettersen has issued a desperate plea for forgiveness after her shameful refusal to concede a putt left players in tears during scenes that marred the Solheim Cup, the biggest competition in women's golf.

Pettersen has been widely and heavily criticised for her hugely unsporting act, which left her English team-mate Charley Hull, 19, in tears and American rival Alison Lee also needing comforting by her team. The Americans were outraged by the Norwegian's actions, gathering in the middle of the 18th fairway to vent their feelings and chanting 'Class! Style! USA!'.

And Pettersen has finally admitted she made a gross error, offering a lengthy mea culpa - amounting to 300 words in all - via an Instagram post on Monday morning, in which she said she 'has never felt more gutted and truly sad' and is 'so sorry'.

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Suzann Pettersen (right) caused the controversy after refusing to concede a short putt to the Americans

Charley Hull was left in tears following the controversy on the 17th hole at the 14th Solheim Cup in Germany

Europe's rising star Hull, 19, was unable to hide her emotions following the shameful scenes at St Leon-Rot in Heidelburg

American Alison Lee was also left in tears as the situation at the 14th Solheim Cup got the better of her in Germany

Lee is comforted by US team-mate Pat Hurst shortly after she was told her short putt had not been conceded

'I've never felt more gutted and truly sad about what went down Sunday on the 17th at the Solheim Cup,' said Pettersen.

'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 US team, you guys have a great leader in Juli , 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 US 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.'

I've never felt more gutted and truly sad about what went down Sunday on the 17th at the Solheim… https://t.co/jri63XVbei — Suzann Pettersen (@suzannpettersen) September 21, 2015

Congrats to Team USA on a tremendous comeback and thank you to our fans for all of the support this week. #TEAMEUROPE — Suzann Pettersen (@suzannpettersen) September 20, 2015

Pettersen's apology and plea for forgiveness on Instagram amounted to a total of 300 words

The controversy centred around the 17th green of a fourballs match on Sunday morning, where Pettersen and Hull were all square with US team Brittany Lincicome and Lee, whose 12ft birdie putt missed and fiished 18 inches past the hole.

By the side of the green Hull started walking away - a gesture widely recognised as the concession of a short and simple putt. Lee then scooped the ball up with her putter and began to make her way to the 18th tee.

But Pettersen stood her ground, insisting that the putt had not been conceded. That meant the immediate loss of the hole for the American pair and, despite several attempts to clear up the mess and agree to halve the hole in a sporting manner, Pettersen refused to relent.

Lee (right) saw her shot on the 17th hole roll inches past the hole while her team-mates and opponents watched on

Lee scooped her ball up in the belief she had a concession on the putt, but Pettersen said it hadn't been awarded

Pettersen's antics meant it was an immediate loss of the hole for the Americans, causing furious scenes

America captain Juli Inkster said Europe had been 'disrespectful' on the 17th hole, but her team fought back in style

Pettersen (left) explained to match referee Dan Maselli that she had not conceded the putt as Hull (right) looks on

American captain Juli Inkster looked devastated and admitted: 'I have never seen anything like it in my career.

'It's just not right. You just don't do that to your peers. 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).

'It was even anyway, they could have won the 18th hole, we could have halved (the match, which the US lost).

'It's just BS [b*******] as far as I'm concerned.

'I thought it was a great week for women's golf and to have put a dampener on that, you could never justify that.'

US team captain Inkster (left) also called the situation 'b***s***' as emotion took over the golf course

LPGA referee Maselli informed Lee that her putt was not conceded on the 17th green during the Solheim Cup

Lee got emotional again on the 18th green after her error in picking up her ball before it had been conceded

Pettersen tried to justify her actions at the time by claiming the putt back was about 3ft, to widespread derision. The European pair won the match to establish a four-point lead going into Sunday's singles matches, but the Americans staged a staggering fightback to win back the cup.

On Sky television, former European Solheim Cup captain Mickey Walker couldn't keep the disgust out of her voice.

GOLF COURSE ETIQUETTE Rule 2-4/3 of the Rules of Golf covers the situation that happened in the Solheim Cup match and explains why Pettersen should have told Lee to replace her ball and hole out. It appears as a hypothetical question and answer and reads: Q: In a match between A and B, B made a statement which B interpreted to mean that A’s next stroke is conceded. Accordingly, A lifted his ball, B then said that he had not conceded A’s next stroke. What is the ruling? A: If B’s statement could reasonably have led A to think his next stroke had been conceded, in equity (Rule 1-4) A should replace his ball as near as possible to where it lay, without penality. In addition, under Rule 2-4, Pettersen also had the option to concede the final hole to ensure a halved match at any point while they walked down the 18 Advertisement

'The Europeans can't feel good about winning like this. It's just wrong,' she said. 'A terrible injustice has occurred. It's so sad for women's golf.'

Her thoughts were echoed by the grand dame of the women's game Laura Davies, who is a good friend of Pettersen's but made clear she thought she'd got it completely wrong.

Asked for her reaction on Sky Sports 4, 12-time Solheim Cup player Davies said: 'Disgusted. We have got our best player, Charley Hull, who has just won a point and she is in floods of tears.

'That tells you the wrong thing was done. How Suzann can justify that I will never, ever know.

'We are all fierce competitors but ultimately it's unfair.

'We have to play week in, week out together and you do not do something like that to a fellow pro.

'Poor old Alison Lee must think "I hope I never play a Solheim Cup again".

'She has had food poisoning and now she has been wronged by one of the most senior players in golf and (who) used to be one of the most respected players.

'I know (Pettersen) is angry and justifying everything, but she has let herself down and she has certainly let her team down.

'I am so glad I am not on that team this time.

'If they win they are going to think 'Why did we do that?' or 'why did Suzann do that?''

The tournament was tainted, but the US turned their fury at the controversial incident into a brilliant fightback to win the Solheim Cup and avoid an unprecedented third straight defeat.

In a huddle, the Americans continued to vent their feelings and former world No 1 Stacey Lewis said: 'If that's how they want to play it, let's use this to motivate us.'

Europe took a 10-6 lead into the final session at St Leon-Rot in Germany, but could only manage three and a half points from the 12 singles to see the trophy slip from their grasp.

'Congrats to Team USA on a tremendous comeback and thank you to our fans for all of the support this week. #TEAMEUROPE,' said Pettersen in a tweet after the match.

American Lee left the 17th hole in tears as the Solheim Cup was shrouded in controversy on Sunday

Hull reacts as her birdie putt just misses on the 17th green in her match with Pettersen at St Leon-Rot