Nordqvist captures LPGA
A long and memorable day for Anna Nordqvist ended with a well-deserved champagne shower on the 18th green.
Playing in only her fifth professional tournament, the steely nerved rookie from Sweden shot a 4-under 68 on Sunday to win the LPGA Championship by four strokes over Lindsey Wright.
Nordqvist finished at 15-under 273 in the tournament’s final stand at Bulle Rock Golf Course in Havre de Grace, Md. After letting a five-shot lead dwindle to one, Nordqvist sank a 12-foot birdie putt on No. 14 and essentially clinched her first career victory with a 35-foot putt for a birdie on No. 15.
When the shot dropped into the cup, the 22-year-old Swede pumped her fist with delight.
Not that she ever felt the need to panic. Throughout the week, Nordqvist appeared more nervous in the interview room than on the course. So after her advantage fell to a stroke, her mind-set never changed.
“I just kept being patient. I think that’s really what paid off at the end,” she said.
Wright, who shot a 70, said: “It was amazing. 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. She really didn’t falter today. She didn’t show any nerves at all.”
Nordqvist completed the final four holes of the suspended third round at 7:30 in the morning, then teed off as part of the final twosome shortly after 2:30 p.m. She took a two-shot lead into the fourth round, quickly increased the margin and held on to earn the $300,000 top prize.
After Nordqvist concluded the tournament with a birdie putt on 18, her coach and several friends rushed onto the green to spray her with champagne.
“That was great. I couldn’t see anything,” Nordqvist said, grinning.
Nordqvist celebrated her birthday Wednesday, shot a 66 on Thursday, took the lead in the second round Friday and held onto it throughout the weekend.
Her best previous finish this year was a tie for 17th in the Corona Championship.
“Obviously, it’s a great feeling. It’s been an incredible week,” Nordqvist said. “I had so much fun.”
Jiyai Shin (68) was third at 10 under; Kyeong Bae (68) was 9 under, and Angela Stanford (69), Nicole Castrale (69) and Kristy McPherson (70) followed at 8 under.
PGA Tour
Brian Gay played his way into the U.S. Open in his last possible chance, completing a wire-to-wire victory in the St. Jude Classic at Memphis, Tenn.
Gay earned his berth at Bethpage Black with his second win in his last five events and third of his career. He beat David Toms and Bryce Molder by five strokes to grab the Open exemption as a multiple winner in the last calendar year.
He grabbed the $1,008,000 winner’s check at TPC Southwind in runaway style, too.
Gay led by only a stroke after each of the first three rounds, then shot a third straight 4-under 66 to pull away. He birdied three of the first six holes to take all the suspense out of the final round, and birdied the 18th to finish at 18-under 262.
Toms finished with a 65, and Molder had a 70. John Senden (64), Paul Goydos (68) and Robert Allenby (69) tied for fourth at 12 under.
Phil Mickelson, in his first event since announcing wife Amy has breast cancer, and John Daly, returning from a six-month PGA Tour suspension, tied for 59th at 1 over. Mickelson closed with a 75, and Daly shot a 70.
Pinehurst back-to-back
The USGA plans to hold the U.S. Open and the U.S. Women’s Open at Pinehurst No. 2 a week apart in 2014, according to Golf World magazine.
It would be the first time the men and women played the U.S. Open on the same course in the same year, let alone in consecutive weeks.