No bitter memories for upbeat major winner Pettersen

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

RANCHO MIRAGE, California (Reuters) - Twelve months after squandering a golden opportunity to clinch her first major title, Norway's Suzann Pettersen is back at the Kraft Nabisco Championship as one of the game's elite players.

Pettersen buried the disappointment of a stumbling finish at Mission Hills Country Club last year by securing her first grand slam crown just two months later at the LPGA Championship.

She ended a glittering 2007 campaign with five titles on the LPGA Tour, finishing second behind Lorena Ochoa in the money list with career-best earnings of more than $1.8 million.

"I'm excited to be here," Pettersen, 26, told reporters on Wednesday during preparation for Thursday's opening round at Mission Hills. "I have very good memories from here.

"Last year was a very good tournament and began my turnaround for the year into something positive. I have so many good memories seeing the course again. I'm just happy to be here."

Asked if there was anything in particular she had learned from her final-round collapse, the world number three replied: "Being in a position to win on the Sunday, you all learn stuff.

"If you stay in contention every week, sooner or later you'll find out what you need to get the job done."

A year ago, Pettersen squandered a three-shot lead with a bogey, double-bogey, bogey run from the 15th, slipping back into a tie for second place a stroke behind winner Morgan Pressel.

REBOUND

However, she rebounded the following month by winning her maiden LPGA title in a playoff for the Michelob Ultra Open at Kingsmill before making her major breakthrough at the LPGA Championship.

"I learned a lot from what happened here last year," the blonde-haired Norwegian said.

"It was a bit hard to take straight away but a couple of days later, I was still quite happy and then I had my best finishes on Tour for two weeks straight. It kind of kept me going.

"Then I got my revenge at Kingsmill quite soon after. Now I'm one year older and a bit calmer than I was a year ago. I'm more experienced than I was and I have more shots in the bag than I had a year ago.

"I've developed. I didn't sit down and do anything for a year. I tried to improve my game and what happened last year is history. I can't do anything about it. I'm not a person who wants to stand still. I want to improve."

Pettersen fervently hopes the media will also bury memories of her faltering final round at Mission Hills last year.