Nine years after the Solheim Cup controversy, Alison Lee returned to the US side
Alison Lee's Solheim Cup debut was defined by controversy.
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GAINESVILLE, Va. – The Solheim Cup is unlike any other women's golf event.
You see that the first time you enter the first tee box. The massive decks surrounding the fairway stretch endlessly into the sky, making golfers who hit the ball look like gladiators on the field. Sound is the next gift. Come Friday morning when Team USA and Team Europe arrive for their morning sessions, the atmosphere will rival that of a soccer field.
Once those first balls are in the air, everything will feel different. Players may act differently as well.
Ask Alison Lee. Although he only played on one Solheim Cup team before this week, his rookie appearance was a week to remember.
Lee had a stellar rookie campaign in 2015, making 19 interceptions in 23 starts. He finished in the top 10 six times, ranked 14th in points and finished in the top 25 on the money list. Even as a freshman, his performance earned him a spot on the US Solheim Cup team.
It was a historic week for the Americans as they came back from 10-6 down to win the cup with Sunday's anthems, thanks, in part, to Lee's milestone. But the day before, the American rookie had unwittingly found himself in the middle of a controversy.
Paired with Brittany Lincicome in a crucial four-ball match on Saturday afternoon, the duo reached the 17th hole tied with Suzann Petersen and Charley Hull. After the Europeans teed off, Lee hit the putt to put his side 1 up. His attempt slipped 18 inches past the hole.
Lee, thinking he had heard the Europeans agreeing to a short putt and seeing Hull walking onto the green, took his ball. That's when Pettersen came back from the green saying the hole didn't go in. The moments that followed were equal parts emotional and tense, with both Lee and Hull in tears.
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In the end, the umpire decided there was no compromise, and the Europeans won the hole, securing them a crucial point.
At the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club on Tuesday, Lee was asked to revisit his frustrations with Pettersen.
“I would say at the time it was difficult,” said Lee. “I was very scared at that time. I was a rookie on the Tour. I didn't really know any of the girls in my group, either. I wasn't really a good friend of theirs.”
Team USA met with the rookie after the argument. American captain Juli Inkster called Petterson's behavior “BS,” and even European star Laura Davies predicted that Pettersen would “regret” his actions. Pettersen apologized the next day, but the damage would continue.
Lee said Tuesday he doesn't dwell on the moment, but it also appears there's no love lost between him and Pettersen.
“I'm not going to lie,” Lee said. “I haven't spoken to him at all since then.”
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