EUROPEAN stalwart Suzann Pettersen, the subject of most of the U.S. anger on a stormy final day of the Solheim Cup golf tournament, apologized Monday for showing a lack of sportsmanship and asked for forgiveness from U.S. captain Juli Inkster and her 12 players.

    The Americans, who went on to win the trophy by 14 1/2 points to 13 1/2 after a spectacular display in Sunday’s singles, were enraged when European pair Pettersen and Charley Hull, 19, beat Alison Lee and Brittany Lincicome in the morning fourballs.

    With their match all square, rookie Lee mistakenly believed her 16-inch putt at the 17th had been conceded by her opponents and picked the ball up, leaving the referee no choice but to award the hole to the Europeans in the women’s version of the Ryder Cup.

    Most of the American ire was aimed at the experienced Pettersen, who was initially unrepentant when she was quizzed by reporters at St. Leon-Rot about the incident Sunday evening but has now had a change of heart.

    “I’ve never felt more gutted and truly sad about what went down,” the 34-year-old Norwegian said on Instagram on Monday.

    “I am so sorry for not thinking about the bigger picture in the heat of the battle. I was trying my hardest for my team and put the match and the point that could be earned ahead of sportsmanship and the game of golf itself.”

    (SD-Agencies)