Multiple golfers were left in tears Sunday during the Solheim Cup in Germany which pits Europe against the U.S.
After American golfer Allison Lee missed her putt on the 17th hole and Europe's Suzann Pettersen walked off the green, Lee thought Pettersen had given her the short putt as golfers oftentimes do and picked up her ball. But players on both teams were shocked when Pettersen denied giving her the hole.
Officials then awarded the hole to Europe, propelling the team to a 10-6 lead over the Americans.
Caption:SANKT LEON-ROT, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 20: Suzann Pettersen of the European team trying to explain to her captain Carin Koch (l) the length of putt that she did not concede to Alison Lee on the 17th green in her match with Charley Hull (r) against Alison Lee and Brittany Lincicome of the United States during the completion of the Saturday afternoon fourball matches in the 2015 Solheim Cup at St Leon-Rot Golf Club on September 20, 2015 in Sankt Leon-Rot, Germany. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)
"I've never seen in my career anything like that," Juli Inkster, the American captain, told Sky Sports. "I'm telling you right now, it's just not right. You just don't do that to your peers. It's just disrespectful."
"If that's the way they need to play to win, we'll just try to do our best out there today," Inkster continued. "I mean, they don't really have to do it. They're winning anyway."
ST LEON-ROT, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 20: Alison Lee of team USA cries shortly afterwards she was told that her short putt on the 17th hole had not been conceeded and thus loosing the hole to Europe during the continuation of the darkness delayed afternoon fourball matches at The Solheim Cup at St Leon-Rot Golf Club on September 20, 2015 in St Leon-Rot, Germany. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
European captain Carin Koch said she considered stepping in but knew the putt went past the hole too much for her team to have conceded it.
"We all feel bad for Alison, she made a mistake and it's very unfortunate," Koch told Sky Sports. "We don't want things like that to happen but she made a mistake in the rules of golf. We had a rules meeting where it was clearly stated that you have to concede a putt very clearly and she didn't go within the rules."
"I thought I heard it was 'good'," Lee told Sky Sports. "Charley [Hull] was walking off the green and Suzann [Pettersen] was already off the green so there was no doubt in my mind that the putt was 'good'. I didn't even think twice about it. I just picked it up. Now I know I have to double check and make sure. I guess it's a lesson learned. From now on I just double check and look at them straight in the eye so I can confirm it."
SANKT LEON-ROT, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 20: Charley Hull of the European Team in tears on the 18th green where she is being comforted by Fanny Sunesson (l) and European Team vice captain Maria McBride (r) after Hull's match with Suzann Pettersen had ended acrimoniously after the European pair had won the 17th hole when the American rookie Alison Lee had inadavertantly picked up her ball before her putt had been conceded during the completion of the Saturday afternoon fourball matches in the 2015 Solheim Cup at St Leon-Rot Golf Club on September 20, 2015 in Sankt Leon-Rot, Germany. (Photo by Thomas Niedermueller/Getty Images)
Although Pettersen's actions left not only Lee but also Pettersen's European teammate Hull in tears, the American women still staged an astonishing comeback and were able to win the Solheim Cup, according to USA Today.
This is tough. It's not the spirit of the Solheim family. This is a game and somehow we lose perspective in these matches. #sad
— Meg Mallon (@MegMallonUSA) September 20, 2015It's going to be a long, long night for Suzann Petty-sen. #SolheimCup2015
— Michael McEwan (@MMcEwanBunkered) September 20, 2015Weary of the "rules are rules" mob. Everyone knows the value of golf etiquette. "Letter of the law" is equal parts weak and ignorant.
— Michael McEwan (@MMcEwanBunkered) September 20, 2015The irony is that the unsavoury events of this morning clearly unsettled the Europeans more than the USA #SolheimCup
— Keith Jackson (@KeithDJackson) September 20, 2015
U.S. golfer Paula Creamer celebrates after she made the final point on Day3 of the Golf Solheim Cup in St.Leon-Rot, Germany, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2015. Paula Creamer defeated Germany's Sandra Gal to complete a remarkable comeback as United States won the Solheim Cup with a 14½-13½ victory over Europe on Sunday. Creamer made five birdies in 15 holes to win the final singles match 4 and 3 and give the U.S. its first title since 2009. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Watch the confusion play out below.
