DES MOINES, Iowa (August 16, 2017) – European Solheim Cup Captain Annika Sörenstam announced today that Catriona Matthew will replace the injured Suzann Pettersen at The 2017 Solheim Cup, being conducted this week at Des Moines Golf & Country Club in West Des Moines, Iowa.
Sorenstam chose Matthew as her alternate when she selected her team following the conclusion of the Ricoh Women’s British Open and informed the United States team as required by the captains’ agreement.
Pettersen, an eight-time Solheim Cup participant, qualified to make her ninth appearance for the European team through the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. She arrived in Des Moines on Monday evening after receiving treatment for a recurrent slipped disc injury which occurred in Norway over the weekend. Despite receiving further treatment from the team osteopath on site, she withdrew on Wednesday morning due to experiencing persistent pain.
Pettersen said: “I have made this extremely difficult decision to help the European team and give my team mates the best possible chance of success. There was no guarantee that I would be fit to compete on Friday morning and I did not want to play unless I was able to give 100 per cent. I truly love The Solheim Cup and I will stay and support my team this week in whatever way I can.”
This will be Matthew’s ninth Solheim Cup appearance. She has earned 19 points from 33 matches, played from 1998-2015 and was a member of three winning teams in 2003, 2011 and 2013.
She famously holed the winning putt in The 2003 Solheim Cup at Barsebäck Golf and Country Club in Sweden and secured the half point to win the Cup outright to seal Europe’s first away victory at Colorado Golf Club in 2013.
Sörenstam said: “It's unfortunate that Suzann has to withdraw due to her back injury. The Solheim Cup has been such an important part of her career. It was a very tough decision, but I am proud of her and she will still be a leader this week.
“Catriona is a proven Solheim Cup performer who will be able to step right in and play with anybody. She's ready to go.”
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