Solheim Cup 2019: Suzann Pettersen scores the winning point, then announces retirement from professional golf

GLENEAGLES, Scotland — Suzann Pettersen announced her retirement from professional golf after holing the winning put for Team Europe in the Solheim Cup at Gleneagles on Sunday.

Pettersen was picked for the Solheim Cup by captain Catriona Matthew, who was criticized for choosing a player who had been away from golf for nearly two years on maternity leave. Pettersen had played only two events before Matthew chose her and missed the cut in both. At the time, Pettersen was ranked 620th in the world.

Related: Europe wins Solheim Cup

That pick proved to be astute, as Pettersen holed her birdie putt on the 18th to defeat Marina Alex, 1 up, to win the Solheim Cup for Europe.

Almost immediately after making the putt, the 38-year-old from Norway announced that she'd no longer play professional golf.

"I think this is a perfect closure," Pettersen said. "A nice 'the end' for [my] professional career. It doesn't get any better."

Pettersen said it with her team surrounding her in the press room, all of whom nodded when Anna Nordqvist said Pettersen had been a role model to each.

Laura Davies called her "the toughest competitor I've ever come up against."

Pettersen retires having won 15 times on the LPGA Tour, including two majors: the 2007 Women's PGA Championship and the 2013 Evian Championship.

"Life's changed so much for me over the last year," Pettersen said. "He's [son Herman] obviously the biggest thing that's ever happened for me. But now i know what it feels like to win as a mom. I'm going to leave it like that."