Suzann Pettersen last played in the 2019 Solheim Cup, marking her last appearance before retirement. But the 2015 event is the one that still stands out, making her the face of golf’s most divisive rules moment. Over a decade later, Pettersen will watch from the sidelines for the first time since 2002, but she still remembers “Gimme-gate,” the incident that brought a young Charley Hull to tears. 

“Definitely not a high emotionally,” Pettersen said about what happened in a conversation with Today’s Golfer. “[It was] unfortunate from everyone’s side. I was younger; Charley was very young. Even the American players were fairly young at the time. I think the entire game of golf learned a lot from that incident. I definitely learned my lesson. Golf is bigger than any of us together. At that point of the match I still think it was crucial point. It was tough.”

The moment took place on the 17th green. Americans Alison Lee and Brittany Lincicome tied with Pettersen and Charley Hull in a delayed foursomes match at the 2015 event. Lee missed a birdie putt, and her ball rolled roughly 18 inches past the hole. As Hull started making her way toward the 18th tee and Pettersen left the green, Lee assumed the short remaining putt had been conceded and picked up her ball.

Pettersen then stopped play and informed the rules officials that Europe had not conceded the putt. What ensued was a heated argument, leaving both Hull and Lee visibly distressed. Under the Rules of Golf, picking up a ball before it is holed or conceded counts as a one-stroke penalty. The referee thus awarded the 17th hole to Europe, breaking the tie to go 1-up.

Europe won the 18th as well to take the match 2-up and extend its lead to 10-6 heading into the singles. Both Lee and Hull broke down in tears on the green amidst the action. Fans criticized Pettersen for enforcing the strict letter of the rules rather than allowing the customary short “gimme.” The U.S. then mounted the largest singles comeback in Solheim Cup history, winning 8½ of the 12 points to reclaim the Cup, 14½-13½.

So, when Pettersen was asked whether she would have done things differently, she replied with a joke and a grin, “I still don’t give an inch. I’m just joking.” Her lighthearted remark years later is a sharp contrast to her reaction then. Shortly after the incident, Pettersen had apologized, admitting she was “gutted and truly sad” and had failed to consider the bigger picture in the heat of the moment. 

Despite what happened in 2015, Pettersen’s history with the Solheim Cup runs deep. She played in the event nine times and, even after retiring, remained involved, serving as Europe’s captain in 2023 and 2024. This year, however, Pettersen will be at Bernardus Golf in Cromvoirt, North Brabant, the Netherlands, for “some corporate stuff.” 

While she admits she wants to support the European side, the 45-year-old acknowledged that being away from the action “has been very odd, to be honest.” While Pettersen won’t be on the course from September 11–13, Charley Hull will be, looking to help Europe win the Solheim Cup. Hull earned her place on the 2026 team by finishing first on the Ladies European Tour’s Solheim Cup Points list, collecting 264.18 points during the qualifying period. 

Hull’s campaign included two victories, highlighted by a win at the PIF Saudi Ladies International, along with five other top-10 finishes. Unlike in 2015, Hull is now an established veteran of the competition, and at 30, she will hope to keep the focus firmly on the golf this time around.

Still, Pettersen’s decision to attend the event despite not having an official role shows just how deeply the Solheim Cup remains tied to her career, and how clearly she remembers one of its most controversial moments.