Pettersen Cards 72 in First Competitive Round in Four Years as Mackova Leads in Korea

Suzann Pettersen is officially back. The two-time major winner played her first competitive round in four years on Thursday, opening with an even-par 72 at the Aramco Korea Championship to sit in a share of 41st at New Korea Country Club. The 45-year-old Norwegian walked away from golf in 2019, retiring on the spot after holing the winning putt for Europe at the Solheim Cup at Gleneagles. She made a one-off appearance at the Aramco Team Series event in Jeddah in 2022, then spent two campaigns as Europe's Solheim Cup captain. With her children now older, she decided to test her game again — arriving in Korea on Tuesday to the visible surprise of some players in the field. "I have nothing to prove to myself. I'm just doing this because I love the game," Pettersen told the Ladies European Tour. She was quick to rule out a full comeback, saying she could see herself playing five or six events a year, partly to keep her game alive for the Legends circuit and senior majors. While Pettersen shook off the rust, Patricie Mackova set the pace with a bogey-free 7-under 65 to lead a 108-player field chasing the $2 million purse. The tournament, running October 8-11, is being staged as a straight 72-hole individual event for the first time after two editions in a team format.