Suzann Pettersen: World No. 2 Golf Champion Reveals Her Success Secrets

Namita Nayyar (WF Team)

8 years ago

Suzann Pettersen: Exceptionally Talented Norwegian Golf Champion Reveals her Success Secrets

Suzann Pettersen is a golfer on the LPGA Tour, a multi-major winner, known for her intensity and athleticism. She was the first golfer from Norway to win on the LPGA Tour.

Suzann Pettersen grew up to be a fiery, intense competitor on the world stage – a golfer whose success, some thought, was held back a bit by just how self-critical she could be. She was known as one of the fittest, most athletic players in women’s golf. Before all that, Pettersen played her first golf tournament at the age of six. She played many sports growing up (and continued to as an adult), including – naturally, since she’s Norwegian – skiing. But golf quickly took precedence for her.

As an amateur, Pettersen won the British Girls Championship in 1999 and the 2000 World Amateur Championship, and won the Norwegian Amateur five consecutive years. She also represented Europe twice in the Junior Ryder Cup. Pettersen turned pro in 2000. In 2001, playing the Ladies European Tour, she earned her first victory at the French Open and was named the tour’s Rookie of the Year.

Pettersen played the Solheim Cup for the first time in 2002, a tournament that would come to be a major focus of her career. At the end of the year, she made it through LPGA Q-School. An LPGA rookie in 2003, Pettersen’s best finish was a tie for third. But she went 4-1-0 at the 2003 Solheim Cup, helping Europe to the victory.

She was in a dry spell in tournaments, however. After that 2001 win in France, Pettersen didn’t win again on either the LET or (where she mostly played) LPGA until 2007. The first few seasons of her LPGA career were interrupted by injuries, including elbow surgery and back problems.

But 2007 was Pettersen’s breakout year. She claimed her first LPGA win at the Michelob Ultra Open, then won her first major at the LPGA Championship. She wound up with five LPGA wins that year, plus one on the LET, and finished second on the LPGA money list.

There were many near misses in 2008-10 on the LPGA for Pettersen, including six seconds in 2010, but only one win. But she started winning more often in 2011, and posted multiple wins in 2011-13. From 2007 forward, Pettersen hasn’t finished lower than 9th on the LPGA money list, and hasn’t ended a season ranked lower than sixth in the world rankings.

Also since 2007, Pettersen posted many top 10 finishes in majors, including multiple runners-up. Her second win at a major happened at the 2013 Evian Championship in that tournament’s first year with major status.

In March 2013 Pettersen won the Mission Hills World Ladies Championship. In April, she won the LPGA Lotte Championship. In September, she won the Safeway Classic, then the Evian Championship. In October, she won her fourth event of the LPGA Tour season when she captured the Sunrise LPGA Taiwan Championship.

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Achievements of Suzann Pettersen

Ladies European Tour wins

7 Jun 2001 Open de France Dames
26 Aug 2007 SAS Masters
25 May 2008 Deutsche Bank Ladies Swiss Open
13 Jul 2008 AIB Ladies Irish Open
7 Aug 2011 Ladies Irish Open
10 Mar 2013 Mission Hills World Ladies Championship
15 Sep 2013 Evian Championship

LPGA Tour wins

13 May 2007 Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill
10 Jun 2007 McDonald’s LPGA Championship
7 Oct 2007 Longs Drugs Challenge
21 Oct 2007 Hana Bank-KOLON Championship
28 Oct 2007 Honda LPGA Thailand
6 Sep 2009 CN Canadian Women’s Open
22 May 2011 Sybase Match Play Championship
21 Aug 2011 Safeway Classic
21 Oct 2012 LPGA KEB-HanaBank Championship
28 Oct 2012 Sunrise LPGA Taiwan Championship
20 Apr 2013 LPGA Lotte Championship
1 Sep 2013 Safeway Classic
15 Sep 2013 Evian Championship
27 Oct 2013 Sunrise LPGA Taiwan Championship

Team appearances

Amateur

Espirito Santo Trophy (representing Norway): 1998, 2000
Junior Ryder Cup (representing Europe): 1997, 1999

Professional

Solheim Cup (representing Europe): 2002, 2003 (winners), 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011 (winners), 2013 (winners)
Lexus Cup (representing International team): 2005 (winners), 2007, 2008 (winners)

Suzann Pettersen exceptionally talented Norwegian Golf Champion, Ranked number of times World No. 2. She is in conversation with Namita Nayyar, President Women Fitness.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: You started playing golf at a very young age and played your first golf tournament at the age of 6 and reached the pinnacle of success by winning LPGA Championship in 2007 and The Evian Championship in 2013 and had also stood second in women golf world ranking several times. What factors you consider were responsible that made you achieve that?

Ms. Suzann Pettersen: I think the major factor for my success in golf has been my hard work over time, the genuine passion for the sport and the desire to compete and test myself on a regular base.

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Ms. Namita Nayyar: What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine you shall like to share?

Ms. Suzann Pettersen: I think everyone finds their own way that fits their need. For me I like to keep the cardiovascular condition on a good level, it will help you focus, stay sharp and stay the course in tough periods. I also find core and back strength really important and of course staying flexible and lose.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: Do you take some special diet or have a strict menu that you follow to remain healthy and physically fit?

Ms. Suzann Pettersen: I’ve always had a normal diet. I obviously eat fairly healthy for the most part, a lot of veggies, berries and fish. But I also can enjoy a treat or two every now and again.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: You have glowing skin and gorgeous hairs. Do you take some kind of skin treatment to keep it young and glowing and secondly what you do to your hairs to make them look so stunning?

Ms. Suzann Pettersen: I consider myself a pretty natural girl. I try make sure I always stay on top of using sunscreen, and good creams day and night. We are very exposed in the sun playing golf, and I must be the worst client my hairdresser has. I come in three or four times a year for some lighter highlights, and that’s about it.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: Advice and motivational words to the inspiring and budding professional golfers who all are your fans, they shall like to know from you, what they should do for their climb to ladder of success in field of professional golf?

Ms. Suzann Pettersen: I’ve always believed that hard work will pay off no matter what! Dedication and passion for what you do is the key to be able to get the job done. It has to come from your heart and it’s also a key to build your own dreams.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: How did you feel before and after winning The Evian Championship in 2013?

Ms. Suzann Pettersen: Early in the week before Evian, I was super tired after a hectic playing schedule. I used most of my spare time to just sleep and recharge my batteries. After I realized I had won, it was a massive relief and excitement as my second major was a reality.

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Ms. Namita Nayyar: At age 19 you decided to move from Norway to Orlando, Florida to play and practice more professional golf. For a player adjusting to new countries with their own cultures it must be difficult and then to adjust your playing habits and style, what advice you can give to fellow sports person in a similar situation?

Ms. Suzann Pettersen: I knew what my goal was with the game of golf, so for me the decision to move to America, to have the best practice facilities and play among the best players in the world, was a must. It was an easy transition for me and a huge difference in having great conditions 12 months a year.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: Who has been your greatest influencer and motivator in your success in the field of your career in competitive professional golf?

Ms. Suzann Pettersen: Obviously my family, mum and dad and my brother. It was always a competitive edge around the house growing up. And it still is;)

Ms. Namita Nayyar: Tell us what factors were catalyst that you consider led you to win in 2007 McDonald’s LPGA Championship?

Ms. Suzann Pettersen: I knew I had the game to win big tournaments. It was nerve racking at the time , but a fun process. Life is a learning curve, and you learn as you go.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: You have done bold photo shoots for 2012 edition of ESPN Body Issue. What advice you wish to give to the women of today to be body confident in order to do such bold modeling?

Ms. Suzann Pettersen: The espn body shoot that I did was one of the weirdest shoots I’ve ever done, but at the same time as natural as it gets. I was humbled to be asked and join such a great group of athletes. Been there, done that :))

Ms. Namita Nayyar: With exceptional training and hard work you are credited with all your achievements. Do you believe that does the hand of Providence (Supreme Being) played a role in your success?

Ms. Suzann Pettersen: I think when you choose a certain path and road for your life it requires some major rules and commitments. I’ve always dreamed big and living by there are no limitations of how good you can be. I think that has helped me come where I am today.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: You have been awarded Ladies European Tour Rookie of the Year 2001 and Ladies European Tour Order of Merit in 2013. What responsibilities these awards bestow upon you towards the game of golf?

Ms. Suzann Pettersen: All stats and awards won, is a result of great playing and winning over a longer time. In golf you really work to be consistent over time.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: What you wish to say about the website Womenfitness.net and message for its visitors?

Ms. Suzann Pettersen: Stay fit, be healthy and take the right decisions for you in your every day life!

To know more about Suzann Pettersen: Check out at:

Women Fitness Team thanks Suzann Pettersen for giving her valuable time for this interview and quenching the thirst of her fans to know more about her and shall also like to thank Tom Gundersen from Norwegian Golf Federation who made this interview happen.

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