Pettersen's year steadily improving

Since the Norwegian's April meltdown, she's won twice, including her first major

SOUTHERN PINES -- Two summers ago, Suzann Pettersen's back hurt so badly, she could barely walk, let alone swing a golf club. Now it's sore from carrying around all her trophies.

The 26-year-old from Norway isn't getting too much attention heading into this week's U.S. Women's Open at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club, but may have as good a chance to win as anyone.

Pettersen has rebounded from career-threatening injuries and a precipitous collapse at the season's first major, the Kraft Nabisco Championship, to win twice this summer, including her first major three weeks ago at the LPGA Championship.

"You go through tough times and through those tough times you set new goals," Pettersen said. "And it's probably not to do with golf. But those goals are going to get you back on the golf course, and once you get back on the golf course you want to start competing again and you want to compete with the best players in the world.

"I never stopped believing that I could do it."

Pettersen went without a victory in her first 81 tour events -- spanning four full-time seasons on the tour, elbow surgery and a slipped disk in her back that nearly ended her career in 2005, keeping her off the course for eight months.

It looked like Pettersen might break through in April at the Kraft Nabisco. But up three strokes with four holes to play, she collapsed, finishing bogey-double-bogey as Morgan Pressel made the leap into the pond next to the 18th green instead.

It was the latest batch of adversity for someone who had dealt with more than her share.

"I've been able to see the potential there for many years," said Annika Sorenstam, a frequent partner of Pettersen's at the Solheim Cup, the women's version of the Ryder Cup. "I'm very happy for her. She's quite the competitor, I would say. She's been struggling with some injuries the last few years, and she's come back so strongly.

"I think people have made a big deal out of her, the last few holes at Kraft Nabisco, but she bounced totally back and won Kingsmill, which is a huge event, and then McDonald's. It's great to see. I'm happy for her."

But Pettersen was healthy, and she knew her time was coming. It didn't take long. After winning for the first time at the Michelob Ultra Open in May, she captured her first major by rallying to win the LPGA Championship with a final-round 67, hitting every green in regulation on the back nine.

She's third on the tour in driving distance at 273.1 yards and second in greens in regulation at 73.4 percent.

"I guess I'm a bit more relaxed about everything," Pettersen said. "I know I've done it and I know I can pull it off."