Anna Nordqvist facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Anna Nordqvist |
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Nordqvist at the 2013 Kingsmill Championship
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| Personal information | |
| Full name | Anna Maria Nordqvist |
| Born | 10 June 1987 Eskilstuna, Sweden |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Nationality |  Sweden |
| Residence | Orlando, Florida, U.S. |
| Career | |
| College | Arizona State University (2.5 years) |
| Turned professional | 2008 |
| Current tour(s) | LPGA Tour (joined 2009) Ladies European Tour (joined 2009) |
| Professional wins | 16 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| LPGA Tour | 9 |
| Ladies European Tour | 5 |
| Other | 4 |
| Best results in LPGA Major Championships (Wins: 3) |
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| Kraft Nabisco C'ship | T4: 2015 |
| LPGA Championship | Won: 2009 |
| U.S. Women's Open | 2nd: 2016 |
| Women's British Open | Won: 2021 |
| The Evian Championship | Won: 2017 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| NGCA Freshman of the Year | 2007 |
| Pac-10 Player of the Year | 2007 |
| Swedish Golfer of the Year | 2009, 2017, 2021 |
| LET Rookie of the Year | 2009 |
| LET Lowest stroke average | 2017 |
Anna Maria Nordqvist (born 10 June 1987) is a professional golfer from Sweden. She plays on two major golf tours: the U.S.-based LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour. Anna is famous for winning three major championships in golf. These big wins were the 2009 LPGA Championship, the 2017 Evian Championship, and the 2021 Women's British Open. She is the only woman from outside America to win major championships in three different decades (the 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s).
Contents
Anna Nordqvist's Early Golf Days
Anna Nordqvist was born in Eskilstuna, Sweden. Before she became a professional, she was a very successful amateur golfer. She won many awards in Europe and the United States.
Amateur Achievements
- In 2004 and 2005, she was named Swedish Junior Player of the Year.
- She became the Swedish Amateur of the Year in 2005.
- Anna won the Girls Amateur Championship in 2005.
- She earned a bronze medal at the European Ladies Amateur Championship in 2005.
- She was the runner-up at the British Ladies Amateur in both 2006 and 2007.
- Finally, she won the British Ladies Amateur in 2008.
Anna also played in the Ricoh Women's British Open in 2007 and 2008. She made it past the first two rounds in both years. In 2008, she won the Smyth Salver award for being the best amateur player in the tournament.
Team Play and College Golf
Anna was part of the winning Swedish team at the 2008 European Ladies' Team Championship. She also helped Sweden win the 2008 World Amateur Team Championships for the Espirito Santo Trophy. In that event, she finished second individually, right behind her teammate Caroline Hedwall.
She went to Arizona State University in the U.S. In her first year (2007), she was a co-champion in the Pac-12 Conference. She was also named Freshman of the Year and Player of the Year by the National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA). She earned top honors in academics and golf in both 2007 and 2008. In 2008, she tied for fifth place at the NCAA Women's Golf Championship.
In December 2008, Anna turned professional after finishing well in the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament.
Anna Nordqvist's Professional Golf Career
Anna quickly became a professional golfer. She qualified for the LPGA Tour and then won the Ladies European Tour Final Qualifying School in January 2009. This meant she could play on both major tours.
First Major Wins
In June 2009, in only her fifth tournament on the LPGA Tour, Anna won her first professional event. It was a major championship, the 2009 LPGA Championship in Maryland. This big win helped her get chosen for the 2009 Solheim Cup team. Later that year, in November, she won the LPGA Tour Championship. She was named Rookie of the Year on the Ladies European Tour.
At the 2013 Solheim Cup, Anna made history. She hit a hole-in-one on the 17th hole during a match with her partner Caroline Hedwall. This was the first hole-in-one ever in Solheim Cup history!
In May 2015, Anna won her fifth LPGA Tour tournament. She won by just one stroke in New Jersey.
More Major Success
In 2016, at the 2016 U.S. Women's Open, Anna had a tough loss in a playoff. She lost to Brittany Lang because of a rule violation. She accidentally touched the sand in a bunker with her club. The rule violation was not told to the players until later in the playoff.
In September 2017, she won her second major championship, The Evian Championship in France. She won in a playoff against American Brittany Altomare during very bad weather.
In August 2021, Anna won her third major. She won the Women's British Open at Carnoustie Golf Links in Scotland. This win was a huge boost to her earnings for the year. With this victory, she became only the second golfer, after Georgia Hall, to win three important R&A events: the Girls Amateur, the British Ladies Amateur, and the Women's British Open.
In 2022, Anna won the Big Green Egg Open in the Netherlands. This was her first individual win on the Ladies European Tour that was not a major championship.
In February 2025, Anna Nordqvist was chosen to be the captain of the 2026 Solheim Cup team for Europe. This is a big honor in golf.
Anna Nordqvist's Life Outside Golf
Anna Nordqvist lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, in the United States.
Amateur Tournament Wins
- 2005 Girls Amateur Championship
- 2008 British Ladies Amateur Championship
Professional Tournament Wins (16)
Anna has won 16 professional tournaments. Here are her wins on the LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour:
LPGA Tour Wins (9)
- 2009 McDonald's LPGA Championship (a major championship)
- 2009 LPGA Tour Championship
- 2014 Honda LPGA Thailand
- 2014 Kia Classic
- 2015 ShopRite LPGA Classic
- 2016 ShopRite LPGA Classic
- 2017 Bank of Hope Founders Cup
- 2017 The Evian Championship (a major championship)
- 2021 AIG Women's Open (a major championship)
Ladies European Tour Wins (5)
- 2010 European Nations Cup (with Sophie Gustafson)
- 2011 Communitat Valenciana European Ladies Golf Cup (with Sophie Gustafson)
- 2017 The Evian Championship (a major championship, also an LPGA Tour win)
- 2021 AIG Women's Open (a major championship, also an LPGA Tour win)
- 2022 Big Green Egg Open
Swedish Golf Tour Wins (3)
- 2004 Rejmes Ladies Open (as an amateur)
- 2005 Gullbergs Ladies Open (as an amateur)
- 2008 SM Match (as an amateur)
Other Wins (1)
- 2010 The Mojo 6 (an unofficial tournament)
Major Championships Summary
Anna Nordqvist has won 3 major championships. These are the biggest tournaments in women's golf.
| Year | Championship | Winning score | Margin | Runner(s)-up |
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| 2009 | McDonald's LPGA Championship | −15 (273) | 4 strokes |  Lindsey Wright |
| 2017 | The Evian Championship | −9 (204) | Playoff |  Brittany Altomare |
| 2021 | AIG Women's Open | −12 (276) | 1 stroke |  Georgia Hall, Madelene Sagström, Lizette Salas |
Anna Nordqvist's Team Appearances
Anna has represented Sweden and Europe in many team golf events.
Amateur Teams
- European Girls' Team Championship (Sweden): 2005
- Junior Solheim Cup (Europe): 2005
- Espirito Santo Trophy (Sweden): 2006, 2008 (winners)
- Vagliano Trophy (Continent of Europe): 2007 (winners)
- European Ladies' Team Championship (Sweden): 2007, 2008 (winners)
Professional Teams
- Solheim Cup (Europe): 2009, 2011 (winners), 2013 (winners), 2015, 2017, 2019 (winners), 2021 (winners), 2023 (tied, cup retained, playing vice-captain), 2024 (playing vice-captain)
- European Nations Cup (Sweden): 2010 (winners), 2011 (winners)
- International Crown (Sweden): 2014, 2018, 2023
