Suzann Pettersen Facts: 25 Things You Didn't Know About Team Europe's Solheim Cup Captain

Learn more about Team Europe's Solheim Cup captain, Suzann Pettersen with these facts about her life and career

Team Europe captain Suzann Pettersen holding up the Solheim Cup trophy after their victory in 2023
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Suzann Petersen enjoyed a highly successful career from 2000 until 2019, when she retired following her winning Solheim Cup putt. After returning to Solheim Cup duty in 2021 as an assistant captain for the second time, she then twice led Europe as captain. Discover more about Pettersen's life and career via these facts.

16 Things You Didn't Know About Suzann Pettersen

1. Suzann Pettersen was born April 7, 1981, in Oslo, Norway.

2. The Norwegian is nicknamed Tutta by her friends and family.

3. Pettersen grew up with her parents, Axel and Mona, and her two brothers, Stefan and Gunerius, in Oslo.

4. Pettersen played in her first golf tournament aged six, though she also participated in skiing in her homeland growing up.

5. She turned professional in 2000, after winning the Norwegian Amateur five times in a row between 1996 and 2000.

6. Pettersen also won the 1999 Girls Amateur Championship, plus represented Europe in the 1997 and 1999 Junior Ryder Cup matches.

7. Suzann first joined the Ladies European Tour in 2001, after an 11th place finish at the LET Qualifying School.

8. Her debut season saw her play in 10 events without missing a cut, while also winning the Open de France Dames to help her finish second on the Order of Merit, and subsequently being named the LET Rookie of the Year.

9. Pettersen finished T10 at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament in 2002 to earn exempt status for the LPGA Tour for the 2003 season.

10. The Norwegian's first LPGA Tour title came in 2007 at the Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill, making her the first player from her country to record a win on the tour.

Suzann Pettersen lifts the 2007 Michelob ULTRA Open trophy - her first pro win

Suzann Pettersen lifts the 2007 Michelob ULTRA Open trophy - her first pro win

(Image credit: Getty Images)

11. 2007 was something of a trophy-laden season for Pettersen, because she won a further four times on the LPGA Tour, and once on the LET.

12. Pettersen has a total of 22 professional career wins, 15 of them coming on the LPGA Tour, and seven on the LET.

13. Among her 22 wins are two Majors, including the 2007 LPGA Championship and the 2013 Evian Championship.

14. Her record in Majors is truly remarkable too - she has managed 23 top-ten finishes, with 14 of them being in the top-five.

15. The Norwegian retired after holing the winning putt for Team Europe at the 2019 Solheim Cup.

Suzann Pettersen celebrates holing a putt

Pettersen celebrates holing the winning putt at the 2019 Solheim Cup

(Image credit: Tristan Jones/Ladies European Tour)

16. The best position that Pettersen has been in the Women's World Golf Rankings is second, which she reached several times in her career - the most recent of which came from August 2011 until February 2012.

17. She played in 36 Solheim Cup matches across nine tournaments, winning 18 of those, losing 12, and halving the remaining six.

18. Pettersen was Annika Sorenstam's assistant captain for the 2017 Solheim Cup, after she withdrew from the team with a back injury - before operating in that role for a second time at the 2021 tournament.

19. Suzann is an experienced international golfer, representing her nation twice as an amateur at the Espirito Santo Trophy, twice in the Junior Ryder Cup, nine times in the Solheim Cup, and the International team in the 2005, 2007, and 2008 Lexus Cup.

20. She married her husband Christian Ringvold in January 2017, and she gave birth to their son, Herman, in August of that year.

Suzann Pettersen during day one of the 2023 Solheim Cup

Suzann Pettersen during day one of the 2023 Solheim Cup

(Image credit: Getty Images)

21. Pettersen has twice been Team Europe's Solheim Cup captain, leading in 2023 and 2024. The first time ended in a thrilling 14-14 tie at Finca Cortesin, with Europe retaining the trophy.

22. She represented Norway at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, where she finished in 10th.

23. Her hobbies include watching or playing most sports, keeping fit and music.

24. Pettersen ended her career inside the top-five on the LPGA Tour's all-time career money list.

25. In Norway, Suzann has been named Female Athlete of the Year three times – 2007, 2009, and 2013 – and received the Practitioners Award, the most coveted honor among athletes, in 2013.

Suzann Pettersen Bio

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BornApril 7, 1981 - Oslo, Norway
Height5ft 8in (1.73m)
SpouseChristian Fredrik Ringvold
Turned Pro2000
Professional Wins (Non-Majors)19
Major Titles2
Career Earnings$14,837,578

Suzann Pettersen Career Earnings

Pettersen finished her pro career with $14,837,578 in earnings. She took $300,000 home after winning the McDonald's LPGA Championship and banked $487,500 after success at the 2013 Evian Championship. 

When Pettersen retired, she was in the top-five on the LPGA Tour's all-time career money list and remains eighth to this day, despite the welcome increase in purse size.

Suzann Pettersen Wins

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EventTourWinning Score
2001 Open de France DamesLadies European Tour-8 (playoff)
2007 Michelob ULTRA OpenLPGA Tour-10 (playoff)
2007 McDonald's LPGA ChampionshipMajor-14 (one stroke)
2007 SAS MastersLadies European Tour-12 (nine strokes)
2007 Longs Drugs ChallengeLPGA Tour-11 (playoff)
2007 Hana Bank-KOLON ChampionshipLPGA Tour-3 (one stroke)
2007 Honda LPGA ThailandLPGA Tour-21 (one stroke)
2008 Deutsche Bank Ladies Swiss OpenLadies European Tour-22 (six strokes)
2008 AIB Ladies Irish OpenLadies European Tour-11 (five strokes)
2009 CN Canadian Women's OpenLPGA Tour-15 (five strokes)
2011 Sybase Match Play ChampionshipLPGA Tour1UP (Cristie Kerr)
2011 Ladies Irish OpenLadies European Tour-18 (six strokes)
2011 Safeway ClassicLPGA Tour-6 (playoff)
2012 LPGA KEB-HanaBank ChampionshipLPGA Tour-11 (playoff)
2012 Sunrise LPGA Taiwan ChampionshipLPGA Tour-19 (three strokes)
2013 Mission Hills World Ladies ChampionshipLadies European Tour-18 (one stroke)
2013 LPGA Lotte ChampionshipLPGA Tour-19 (playoff)
2013 Safeway ClassicLPGA Tour-20 (two strokes)
2013 Evian ChampionshipMajor-10 (two strokes)
2013 Sunrise LPGA Taiwan ChampionshipLPGA Tour-9 (five strokes)
2015 Manulife LPGA ClassicLPGA Tour-22 (one stroke)
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Jonny Leighfield
Staff Writer

Jonny Leighfield is our Staff News Writer who joined Golf Monthly just in time for the 2023 Solheim Cup and Ryder Cup. He graduated from the University of Brighton with a degree in Sport Journalism in 2017 and spent almost five years as the sole sports reporter at his local newspaper. During his time with Golf Monthly, Jonny has interviewed several stars of the game, including Robert MacIntyre, Ian Poulter, and Lee Westwood. An improving golfer himself, Jonny enjoys learning as much about the game as he can and is hoping to reach his Handicap goal of 18 at some stage. He attended both the 150th and 151st Open Championships and dreams of attending The Masters one day.

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