Major win for LPGA Rookie Anna Nordqvist
15 June 2009
Congratulations to Anna Nordqvist (Sweden) for winning her first Major, the LPGA Championship. Having finished as the leading girl in the 2005 and 2006 DOY YCT, Anna achieved a glittering amateur career including the 2008 British Amateur title before turning Professional in December last year and now has the honour of being the first Past Player of The Duke of York Young Champions Trophy to win a Major!
Having been frustrated this season only being able to compete in four LPGA Tour events, Anna resolved the problem when, as the second rookie in as many years, she won the McDonald’s LPGA Championship Presented by Coca-Cola in her first appearance.
Her final 15-under-par 273 (66-70-69-68) outdistanced runner-up Lindsey Wright, of Australia, at 11-under-par 277 (70-68-69-70). It was a career-best finish for Wright, who has never finished lower than a tie for 20th in five years at the event.
In addition to the $300,000 winner’s cheque and major champion title, Nordqvist no longer has to go through sectional qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Open tomorrow. Her entry into future LPGA events should be a bit easier, as well.
’I think I haven’t realized I won a major yet. I mean, I just tried to focus on what I can do,’ said Nordqvist, just days after celebrating her 22nd birthday. I really can’t do anything about what the other players are doing on the course.’
Nordqvist played with the composure of a veteran over the 6,641-yard Bulle Rock Golf Course track. After a career-low 6-under-par 66 in the opening round, Nordqvist still found herself one-stroke behind Nicole Castrale, who finished tied for fifth at 8-under-par 280 (65-72-74-69). During the second round, Nordqvist and Castrale switch positions on the leaderboard. Weather moved in during the third round and forced a 2 hour, 19 minute delay and play to be suspended at 8:10 p.m. due to darkness. Nordqvist still had three holes to play and a one-stroke lead over Wright thanks to a 15th hole birdie. She returned to the course on Sunday morning at 7:30 and managed to gain another stroke on her lead to end the third round two strokes ahead of Wright.
Nordqvist extended her lead to as much as five after a Wright bogey on hole seven. However the duo would go back-and-forth until Wright evened the score with a birdie on hole 16. However, a bogey on hole 17 gave Nordqvist the one-stroke edge and she sealed the deal landing her 21-degree hybrid to three feet for the birdie on 18. Despite her runner-up finish, Wright was pleased with the week.
’Under that amount of pressure, not being in that position before and in a major and being a rookie? You can’t get any better than that,’ said Wright, who is now ninth on the LPGA Official Money List with nearly $518,000 in season earnings. ’The week’s been amazing. I played really consistent and held it together mentally and physically, which is something I’ve not been able to do as well in the past.’
Nordqvist attributed her win to strong putting - 101 for the week after rounds of 22, 26, 26 and 27.
’I mean, my putting has been awesome this week. I’ve been working with PING in the putting lab just trying to get a good roll of the ball,’ said Nordqvist, who is just the fifth player in tournament history to win the event in their first appearance. ’I feel like the last couple weeks, I’ve been putting well. I mean, obviously making putts gives you confidence and I felt very confident on the greens and I saw the lines. I mean, my putting has just been awesome this week.’
Nordqvist by the numbers
2nd - 2009 rookie to win an event this season; Jiyai Shin captured the HSBC Women’s Open who defeated Australian Katherine Hull for the win;
80 - the jump she made on the LPGA Official Money List thanks to her win; she’s now 17th on the list with $331,246;
356 - Points in the race for the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year. She is second behind Jiyai Shin (648 points) and tied for sixth with 60 points in the Rolex Player of the Year race. Points were doubled for both awards this week.;
6 - ranked player in driving accuracy (81.9 percent) and putts per green in regulation (28.60);
T17 - her previous career-best finish on the LPGA prior to this week.
Interviewed after the victory:
DANA GROSSRHODE: Thank you all for joining us. Anna Nordqvist, congratulations for winning your fifth start as a professional on the LPGA Tour at the McDonald’s LPGA Championship. You were saying earlier it has not sunk in yet, so continue building and explaining those feelings.
ANNA NORDQVIST: Obviously it’s a great feeling and I think it’s going to take a couple of days to realize that I actually won. It’s just been an incredible week. I’ve had so much fun and I’ve learned a lot. It’s just been great.
Q. You talked about Annika earlier in the week; have you spent much time with her, talked to her before, and what was the message you got from her before the final round?
ANNA NORDQVIST: Well, I got the opportunity to meet Annika a couple of times. I mean, it’s been a great experience and she’s been very supportive. I mean, just sharing some thoughts about her career, and I mean, before the round, she just told me I got a few words from her through a couple of friends and she said just try and take one shot at a time and just enjoy it.
Q. You’re not supposed to win a major championship in your fifth start; that’s not supposed to happen. How did you prevent that kind of thinking from getting in the way?
ANNA NORDQVIST: Well, I think I haven’t realized I won a major yet. I mean, I just tried to focus on what I can do. I really can’t do anything about what the other players are doing on the course.
I just try to focus on my own game and keep doing what I’m doing, and then at the end, I mean, the results, there isn’t anything I can do about it. Just give it my best and then we’ll see at the end. I mean, this time, it was my time.
Q. How surprising was the champagne bath you took at the end, and who were the people spraying the stuff on you?
ANNA NORDQVIST: Oh, yeah, that was great. I couldn’t see anything, but it was my coach, Katarina Vangdal, who flew in from Sweden to support me this week. And it was my best friend, Louise Stahle, her caddie, Ryan Fisher, and my caddie, Gustaf, and his wife and fellow player, Louise Friberg. I think those were the ones I saw. There was probably a few more.
Q. You putted magnificently all through the tournament. I’m just wondering, is that the strength of your game, or were you surprised by how on fire you were, or can you talk about your putting?
ANNA NORDQVIST: I mean, my putting has been awesome this week. I’ve been working with PING in the putting lab just trying to get a good roll of the ball. I think in the beginning of the year I was struggling with my putting, and I didn’t think I rolled them that bad, but they didn’t want to go in.
But I mean, I feel like the last couple weeks, I’ve been putting well. I mean, obviously making putts gives you confidence and I felt very confident on the greens and I saw the lines. I mean, my putting has just been awesome this week.
