A swinging time with Suzann Pettersen

I  am very thrilled to have the world’s number two golfer Suzann Pettersen here,” said Mark Watkinson, HSBC president and CEO, when Suzann visited the country recently. 

HSBC sponsored the HSBC Women’s Championship tournament in Singapore recently, where 30 of the world’s best players took part, Suzann included.

“We were very fortunate to persuade Suzann to come and join us here in the Philippines for a day of golf after the tournament,” added Watkinson. “HSBC is really planning over the next few years to try and bring in some of the world’s most outstanding golf talents to the Philippines. This way, we can share the experience with the golfers and the golfing community.”

Suzann Pettersen was born in Oslo, Norway on April 7, 1981.  The 27-year-old is a Norwegian professional golfer who plays mainly on the US-based LPGA Tour and is also a member of the Ladies European Tour. Her career best world ranking is second. She is a five-time Norwegian Amateur Champion (1996-2000) and she won the British Girls Championship in 1999. 

“When I grew up, golf was still a snobbish sport back home, and it was quite expensive to play,” quipped Suzann. “I started playing when I was five because all my family played.  It was kind of an easy access to the golf course.”

Suzann shared that it was her father who influenced her to play golf. She also has two older brothers who were also golfers and she wanted to be able to compete and play better than them.

“One day you can play perfect and think that you’ve got it, and then the next day you don’t play too well and you think that you lost it,” added Suzann. But, because she was always around great golfers back home, she never gave up interest in the sport. 

At the age of 10, Suzann decided she was good enough to go professional as a golfer and told her dad about it.

“My dad said, ‘Well, good luck,’” she laughed.

In September 2000, at 19, Pettersen turned pro and gained her LET Tour card with an 11th place finish at the 2001 LET Qualifying School. In her 2001 Ladies European Tour rookie season, she played in 10 events without missing a cut and won the French Open in only her second start as a professional after beating Becky Morgan in a playoff. In 2006 Pettersen played five times on the LET, recording two top-10 finishes including a third place at the Scandanavian TPC. On the LPGA tour, she had three top-10 finishes with a season’s best of fifth at the Florida’s Natural Charity Championship. Pettersen became the first Norwegian LPGA winner at the 2007 Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill. On December 31, 2007, Pettersen reached the number two position in the Women’s World Golf Rankings, surpassing Karrie Webb and Annika Sörenstam.

Suzann was happy that she had a day with HSBC at the Wack Wack Golf Club to be able to spend it with Filipino golfers. “I believe that golf is really all about friendship, connecting and meeting new people,” she said. “There are a lot of great golfers in the Philippines and you have at least two great golfers on the LPGA golf tournament, Jennifer Rosales and Dorothy Delasin. They are great ladies, good golfers and good ambassadors for the Philippines.”

Does Suzann ever tire of playing golf?

“I think golf is the world’s best job,” added Pettersen. “I love doing what I am doing. If I didn’t have the heart and the passion for what I do, I don’t think I would be able to do what I do week in and week out, putting in all the effort all the time.”

PHILIPPINE STAR: What do you look for in a man?

SUZANN PETTERSEN: He should be sporty and confident and preferably with Brad Pitt looks and style…

Does he have to like golf?

It’s not exactly a requirement but as golf is such a huge part of my life it’s hard to imagine someone getting to know and like me without liking golf at all.

What inspires you to play your best?

Knowing what I am capable of and wanting to exploit that potential.

If you were not a golfer, what would you want to be?

A skier, another type of athlete, a physiotherapist or a coach.

Do you have pets?

No, but I wish I could have a dog! I love dogs but life on the road makes it impossible.

What’s your favorite sports clothing brand?

Peak Performance, which I use both for golf and for leisure.

When you’re not in golf clothes, what do you like to wear?

Sports clothes. I have a lot of pairs of Nike sneakers.

Do you pray?

No, I’m really not a religious person.

Who are your favorite players (men and women)?

Tiger Woods is just leagues ahead of everybody else — in every aspect. I also have a lot of respect for what Annika Sörenstam has achieved.

What kind of workout or fitness program do you do for golf?

A combination of cardio and strength training, with daily work on my back using my Record equipment for a personalized program.

Do you think about what you are going to wear when you play?

When I play golf I want to feel well and look good too. With the new generation coming up in the LPGA tours, players have a lot of interest in fashion trends and different styles; that is why you see a wide mixture of clothes on the tour. I think it is a great asset.