Anna Nordqvist: Player Profile
Who is Anna Nordqvist?
Anna Nordqvist is one of the most decorated European players in women’s golfing history, having won major championships in three decades.
The Swede didn’t take up the game of golf until the age of 13. That makes her career all the more incredible. She was a force to be reckoned with at Arizona State University, winning several awards including Pac-10 Player of the Year during her three-year stint in collegiate golf. She also won many titles as an amateur, including the British Ladies Amateur.
Nordqvist turned professional in 2009 and her first victory was a major title. She won the Women’s PGA Championship, winning by four shots. That has been followed by a victory at the Evian Championship in 2017 and most recently, a win at the AIG Women’s Open in 2021. Nordqvist has also finished inside the top five at the sport’s other two majors.
In total, Nordqvist has 13 professional titles, and that first major win saw her receive a captain’s pick for the 2009 Solheim Cup. She is yet to miss the team in eight editions of the competition. Following the 2023 edition, in which she was a playing vice-captain for compatriot Suzann Pettersen, Nordqvist has 16.5 points in her Solheim career.
Anna Nordqvist | An Overview
Personal Information
Name: Anna Maria Nordqvist
Born: June 10, 1987
Nationality: Sweden
Residence: Orlando, Florida, United States
Career
College: Arizona State University
Turned Pro: 2008
Professional Wins: 13
Highest World Ranking: 4 – September 18, 2017
Best Results In Majors
Best Finishes:
– Chevron Championship – T4 (2015)
– Women’s PGA Championship – WON (2009)
– US Women’s Open – 2nd (2016)
– Evian Championship – WON (2017)
– AIG Women’s Open – WON (2021)
Professional Wins – 13
2009 (2) – Women’s PGA Championship, LPGA Tour Championship
2010 (2) – European Nations Cup, The Mojo 6
2011 (1) – Communitat Valenciana European Nations Golf Cup
2014 (2) – Honda LPGA Thailand, Kia Classic
2015 (1) – ShopRite LPGA Classic
2016 (1) – ShopRite LPGA Classic
2017 (2) – Bank of Hope Founders Cup, Evian Championship
2021 (1) – AIG Women’s Open
2022 (1) – Big Green Egg Open
Achievements and Awards
Swedish Golfer of the Year – 2009, 2017, 2021
Ladies European Tour Rookie of the Year – 2009
Anna Nordqvist | What’s In Her Bag?
Nordqvist plays with mainly Titleist clubs in her bag. The only exceptions are the PXG hybrids and the Swag ‘The Boss’ putter. Her Titleist clubs include a TSi3 driver and TSi2 fairway woods, along with a full set of T100 irons. A trio of Vokey Design SM( wedges complete the bag, with the Swede playing the Titleist Pro V1x golf ball.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Anna Nordqvist
When and where was Anna Nordqvist born?
Anna Nordqvist was born in Eskilstuna, Sweden on June 10, 1987. She began playing golf at the age of 13.
When did Anna Nordqvist turn professional?
Nordqvist turned professional in 2009 after studying at Arizona State University, where she was a PAC-10 co-champion and named the NCGA Freshman of the Year, PAC-10 Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. She was also a first team All-American in both 2007 and 2008. The Swede quickly had cards on both the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour after turning professional.
How many major titles has Anna Nordqvist won?
As of September 2023, Nordqvist is a three-time major champion, and has won three different major titles. Her first came in 2009, when she won the Women’s PGA Championship, what was her first LPGA Tour title. The Swede also has the Evian Championship and the AIG Women’s Open in her trophy cabinet as well, as part of 13 professional titles.
Who is Anna Nordqvist married to?
Nordqcist is married to Scottish caddie Kevin McAlpine. The Scot caddies mainly for Martin Laird, but met Nordqvist when he was on the bag for Lexi Thompson on the LPGA Tour.
Did you Know?
Amateur Success
Nordqvist was Swedish Junior Player of the Year (2004, 2005), Swedish Amateur of the Year (2005), Girls Amateur Champion (2005), bronze medallist at the European Ladies Amateur Championship (2005), and British Ladies Amateur Champion in 2008, having finished runner-up the two years prior.
She was part of the winning Swedish team at the 2008 European Ladies’ Team Championship and was a member of the victorious Swedish team at the 2008 World Amateur Team Championships for the Espirito Santo Trophy.
By the end of her freshman year at Arizona State University in 2007, she was Pac-10 co-champion and was named National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) Freshman of the Year, Pac-10 Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. NGCA First-Team All-American and Academic All-American honors were gained in both 2007 and 2008.
Solheim Cup Ace
At the 2013 Solheim Cup, Nordqvist hit the first hole-in-one in Solheim Cup history. The ace on the 17th hole won her foursomes match alongside Caroline Hedwall.
LET Rookie Awards
In her first season as a professional, Nordqvist won the Mcdonald’s LPGA Championship (now the Women’s PGA Championship). That win, plus other solid performances saw the Swede win the LET Rookie of the Year award. She almost did the double, but finished 2nd behind Jiyai Shin in the LPGA Rookie of the Year honours.
Other Anna Nordqvist Articles
Who has qualified to play at the Solheim Cup?
The Slam: Who will be the star of Solheim Cup week?
The Slam: Nordqvist hangs on at brutal Women’s Open
Just how good has Anna Nordqvist been throughout her career? Let us know your thoughts with a post on X, formerly Twitter!
Matt Coles
Mention a European country, and Matt will tell you which resorts make the National Club Golfer Top 100s: European Resorts list. He might even throw in who designed the golf course and how many rooms the hotel has got at each one…
Matt got into the game of golf from a young age, following his old man to the local golf club. He fell for the sport, and now can’t seem to go a day without thinking about how to improve his game (Thanks Dad!). Matt has been a member of Howley Hall GC in Leeds since 2020, and is just about managing to maintain a single-figure handicap. He likes to remind people that he once broke 75, but won’t tell people that it was on a shortened course during the winter.
He moved to Leeds after graduating from the University of Central Lancashire with a First Class Honours degree in Sports Journalism. Matt joined NCG after almost five years travelling the world with the Professional Squash Association, working on events in all four corners of the globe.
Matt currently plays a Cobra King LTDx driver and RadSpeed 3-wood. TaylorMade monopolise the rest of his bag, with a SIM UDI, M5 irons and both Milled Grind and HI-TOE wedges, along with a Monza Redline putter. He uses a Vice Pro Plus golf ball, because he’s a bit different…
Away from golf, Matt is a Manchester United fan, and a keen runner, having ran the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon (his first and possibly last), in May 2023.
