Watch the moment that Europe wins the Solheim Cup with the last putt

Solheim Cup hero Suzann Pettersen has revealed that the impact of winning the winning putt in Gleneagles & # 39; overwhelming & # 39; and that she wept uncontrollably in the hours that followed Europe's victory over the United States.

Moments after vital point clinching that allowed Catriona Matthew & # 39; s team to regain the trophy, Pettersen announced her retirement for professional golf.

The 38-year-old Norwegian details about the events that led to the emotional climax of her career in a long open letter to her 14-month-old son Herman. It is published on LPGA.com.

Pettersen describes how around 11 p.m. on that tumultuous September Sunday, with the victory party in full swing, she took herself away from the celebrations to spend some time with her young son.

"I sat in one of those comfortable chairs in the dark room of the Gleneagles Hotel listening to your breath," she wrote in the letter.

"I looked at my phone and it was blown up with thank you messages from people around the world. LPGA players, staff, Europeans, Americans – it didn't matter. Messages are typing each other in succession.

"I had become much more emotional as a mother. But this was overwhelming. I cried as if I hadn't done that for many years. For the first time as a golfer I was completely, completely satisfied, satisfied and peaceful. "

Pettersen explains that she spent most of her career in a selfish" insular bubble "that burst when she became pregnant at the end of 2017.

She also talks about the difficulties she had with husband Christian Ringvold trying to conceive and how a problematic pregnancy did not allow her to compete on tour.

The two-time great champion, who celebrated 22 professional victories, recognizes that she has a controversial wildcard selection and when she was first approached as a possible choice, she thought the idea was "crazy".

Suzann Petterson has canceled the Solheim Cup four times in her career

This is the first time that Pettersen has elaborated on the build-up and aftermath of the amazing climax of her career that came to Scotland last month.

The letter is almost 3000 words long and starts with a recognition that many of her playing success led to a loss of personal perspective.

"For half a dozen years, I was consistently ranked as one of the top 10 female golfers in the world, reaching number 2 several times," she wrote.

"But there were costs involved with that implementation. I didn't realize it at the time, but the tour life became so intertwined with my personal life that sometimes I couldn't separate them.

" My identity was linked to my work. How I played, how my practice sessions went on a particular day, how many putts I made or missed – all of that affected my mood, my priorities, my relationships, and most of my decisions. "

Pettersen admits there was a & # 39; selfish & # 39; existence and that she had zero doubts about saying & # 39; no & # 39; to everything that impedes her wave

She says that her view changed radically when she became pregnant. The letter, Pettersen said: "You taught me an invaluable lesson about the things in life that really matter.

"About patience and perspective; about the extraordinary work ethic and monumental balancing act that women display throughout the world; and about the sacrifices and selfless choices that working mothers make every day.

" a few days before Christmas 2017. Then your father and I heard that we were four weeks pregnant.

"It had not been easy. We wanted you so badly that I had an in vitro fertilization treatment and received a series of injections to prepare my body for pregnancy."

Pettersen planned to continue competing during the first months of her pregnancy, but was overcome by debilitating fatigue, requiring hours of extra sleep.

The problem reached its peak when she was flying to a tournament in Thailand and doctors told her she was grounded. "I was stranded in Oslo, which in retrospect was the biggest that could have happened to me," she revealed.

"I was surrounded by family and friends, all to support me, even though I was a complete basket the first month and worried about every moment that something went wrong."

Herman was born in August 2018, 13 months before his mother played such a crucial role at Gleneagles.

Pettersen hardly competed for two years and only came back in July to play in the Great Lakes Invitational because she felt responsible for one of her old sponsors.

She played alongside the captain of Europe Matthew who, together with teammates Anna Nordqvist and Caroline Hedwall, wanted to persuade Pettersen to practice further and get ready for the Solheim Cup.

Europe has won the Solheim Cup six out of 16 times

"I think I was a controversial leader for that Solheim Cup," she said. "After not having played much for two years, I understood the sentiment.

" But I also knew that matchplay in a team environment was much different than 72 holes of strokeplay. "

Pettersen played two warm-up events and describes the pain she felt from her young son. She also acquired a new perspective on mothers who continue to compete during the tour.

" I can imagine "Don't imagine how the players on Tour travel with their children," she said. Beanie (the nickname of Matthew) did it with two children. Juli Inkster did that. "

The slogan for the Solheim Cup was" it all leads to this moment "and that had extra resonance for Pettersen, especially as it was up to the Norwegian to hit the winning six-foot putt against Marina Alex.

It was the last putt of the last race on the track and it came to the final green after Bronte Law had put a European victory at a moving distance just seconds before.

"I hit a perfect putt but in golf you never know what will happen, "she said.

" When I saw the ball disappear and the tens of thousands of fans roared around the green, I immediately realized that the line I The entire week I saw was a perfect summary of my career. It all led to that moment. "

It was an occasion of absolute fulfillment. In the letter she wrote:" What you cannot see on video is the relief that I felt. I knew at that time that I would never have to ask myself & # 39; what if …? & # 39;

"I should never have wondered if I would return. I had answered all those questions. It was a fairytale ending that I could not have imagined."