Heartbroken Pettersen Plays on at Women’s British Open

SUZANN PETTERSEN IS IN CARNOUSTIE, Scotland, this week for the $2.5 million Ricoh Women’s British Open, but her heart is in her native Norway where 95 people died in a terror attack by Anders Behring Breivik, who has reportedly confessed to the atrocities.

Pettersen wore a black armband during the third and fourth rounds at last week’s Evian Masters in Paris to show respect for the fallen Norwegians. Everyone would have understood if she had withdrawn from the tournament and flown home to Norway, where all sporting events were canceled through the weekend. Instead, the seven-time LPGA winner chose to keep playing.

“I think everyone at home would feel like you should go out there and play for us,” Pettersen told Golfweek’s Alistair Tait. “You go out there and you fight for your heart and you fight for your friends and fellow Norwegians at home.”

Pettersen has carried the burden of her homeland’s tragedy to Carnoustie, one of the world’s most demanding links courses. The Women’s British Open is an important championship, the season’s final major, but Pettersen has a different perspective on golf at the moment in light of the events back home.

“It’s still heartbreaking …. What’s amazing through all this is how we all stick together. We stay strong together.”

The Women’s British Open field includes 22 of the world’s top 23 golfers, including world No. 1 and defending champion Yani Tseng. Tseng’s 11-under total at Royal Birkdale last year edged Katherine Hull by a stroke.

−The Armchair Golfer

(Photo credit: ktan.kh, Flickr, Creative Commons license)

Golfweek: Evian Masters to Become 5th LPGA Major

THERE IS A FIFTH MAJOR after all. No, it’s not the long-debated Players Championship. It’s the LPGA’s popular Evian Masters played in Paris, France, according to Golfweek:

Beginning in 2013, Evian will be designated as a major championship, the LPGA’s fifth, sources told Golfweek.

The LPGA’s number of major championships has been a moving target over the years. The tour’s current majors—Kraft Nabisco Championship, Wegmans LPGA Championship, U.S. Women’s Open and Ricoh Women’s British Open—have been a foursome only since 2001. Before the British Open achieved major status, the du Maurier Classic was the tour’s fourth major, from 1979 to 2000.

Golfweek also reported that the Evian Masters course will be lengthened and other changes will be implemented to make the tournament worthy of its major designation. Evian has been a mainstay on the LPGA schedule and boasts a $3.25 million purse, same as the U.S. Women’s Open.

Jiyai Shin told Golfweek Evian’s new major status created “more chances to win.”

But a veteran player and major winner who requested anonymity said, “I originally probably would be opposed to something like that.”

In other news, So Yeon Ryu won the U.S. Women’s Open in a three-hole playoff at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. Ryu birdied the final hole to catch clubhouse leader Hee Kyung Seo at 3 under par. The event rolled into Monday due to numerous weather delays.

−The Armchair Golfer

(Photo: Courtesy of Celso Flores, Flickr, Creative Commons license)