After playing on the Symetra Tour in 2021, Sweden’s Lisa Pettersson made the decision to come to Europe and try her chances at the LET’s Qualifying School in December.
The 26-year-old headed back home to Sweden after a disappointing end to her season in the United States, but she worked hard to fine tune her game ready for La Manga.
Feeling more comfortable with her irons was a particular part of her game Pettersson had struggled with but after the first week of Qualifying School, you wouldn’t have been able to tell.
The Swede carded rounds of 67 (-4), 70 (-3), 69 (-2) and 73 (E) to top the standings and headed into the Final Qualifier with more expectation and knowing she had a chance of securing her Tour card.
“I would say my irons are really strong and that’s very nice because I struggled with them the past few weeks at the end of the season in the US. It is really nice to finally get a grip of them and understand how I can control them again,” said Pettersson.
“I have been home in Sweden for the past month, and I got a chance to visit my swing coach and work on some technique changes and getting back to getting a good contact on the ball and controlling the clubface.
“When I’m on the course, I just try and think about not doing anything specific. I want to just swing the club and trust it and it has been working.”
Five rounds later and Pettersson had achieved her goal. Finishing in second place ensured she would have playing rights and be able to experience the LET.
And with a record-breaking LET schedule to look forward to this coming year, with the greatest number of tournaments and prize money in the organisation’s 44-year history, she is ready to get started.
“I came here with the goal of securing a card, so I’m really happy and I’m super excited to be playing on the LET in 2022,” explained the East Caroline University graduate.
“I didn’t know what to expect. I have never played on the LET before, so I didn’t know what the competition was going to be like. After pre-qualifying, I had some expectation on my game, but I tried to go out and take one shot a time, not look at the leaderboard and it worked!”
As one of the latest stars to join the Tour, here are a few quick fire questions with the LET Q-School runner-up.
Favourite Food?
I like my mum’s meatballs with mash potato and lingenberry jam – very Swedish!
Favourite Film?
I watch so many. I like the chick flicks you grew up with like Mean Girls and How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days but I like almost every movie.
Watching On Netflix?
I just finished watching the Spanish show – La Casa del Papel – or Money Heist which was really good.
Dream Fourball?
I would love to play with Tiger Woods because he is the best of the best and Annika Sorenstam because she is the best of the best on the female side. I would probably go with Rory McIlroy because he has the best swing ever.
Favourite Course?
I would say my home course Täby Golf Club. It is always so nice to come home, I don’t get to play it that often anymore but when I do it’s really nice.
Hero?
That is a tough one, I would probably say any one of my mum, my dad or my big sister. They are my role models at least.
Superstitions?
Where to begin! I have so many. I have to eat pasta before the round because I once learned when I was little that you have to carb-load, so I like pasta the day before. Right before I go to the first tee, I have to text my family group and say, ‘I’m going out now, fingers crossed’. My caddie has to give me a little kick in my butt with my left foot because that’s a good luck charm in Sweden. I have a lot and if I start to play good with something, I have to keep doing the same e.g. hairstyle and hat.
Karaoke Song?
I do love Beyonce, but I don’t have a very good singing voice, so maybe some ABBA or something from the Eurovision Song Contest that everyone knows.
Favourite Club In The Bag?
It’s different every day but I do like my 9-iron. It is solid and I know the distance and I hit it pretty good, but sometimes it’s my putter too.
