Dual Sweden and US citizen Carl Pettersson has taken out European Tour membership with the goal of trying to qualify for the 2014 Ryder Cup.
Pettersson revealed ahead of teeing-up in this week’s Volvo World Match-Play Championship in Bulgaria he will endeavour to play the mandatory 13 events this year on the European Tour and then seek to do the same next year.
The 35-year old North Carolina-based Pettersson was very much in line for a ‘wildcard’ pick for the 2012 Ryder Cup after a back-to-back second and first early last year before a third and fourth place finish in the opening two events of the FedEx Cup Play-Off Series.
However not being a member of the European Tour ruled Pettersson out of selection.
Carl Pettersson’s victory in last year’s Heritage Classic would have seen the Swede qualify for the European Ryder Cup team.
“I became a member of the European Tour for the start of this year and I’m going to be a member next year,” he said.
“It was a bit of an unfortunate thing last year but I don’t really regret or thing back on anything like that.
“I hope to make the European Team some day and I think it would be great to play on the Ryder Cup.
“The Ryder Cup is phenomenal, it’s great golf and great drama. It’s probably one of the biggest starting events in the world and I’d love to be a part of it someday.”
Pettersson was born in Gothenburg and while he maintains his Swedish citizenship, he has lived in the States since his junior year of high school.
He then acquired US citizenship early in 2002 at age 35 years and lives in Raleigh with his wife and family.
Pettersson has also since 2003 played much of his career on the PGA Tour but will never be eligible for the USA Ryder Cup team as he would have had to acquire American citizenship before turning 18 years of age.
He has won five times on the PGA Tour and this year Pettersson’s best finish has been eighth in his very first event of 2013, the season-opening Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.
Aside from the dual PGA Tour and European counting Majors and WGC events, Pettersson ‘s last regular European Tour event was 2006 Scandinavian Masters.
