An exciting finish to this year’s Bank of Hope Founders Cup, Anna Nordqvist held off In Gee Chun, Stacy Lewis and Ariya Jutanugarn to pick up her first win of the 2017 season.
Nordqvist held a two-stroke lead entering the final round at Wildfire Golf Club and fired final round 4-under par, 68. She had an impressive four days carding 26 birdies, one eagle, and three bogeys to finish at 25-under par for the tournament.
Winning in front of a ‘hometown crowd’ in Arizona was something special for Nordqvist.
“Yeah, I mean, of all the wins probably of the ones that’s going to be more special. Like if it wouldn’t be for me getting an opportunity to come to Arizona State University about ten years ago, I wouldn’t be here today,” said Nordqvist. “This truly still feels like home, even though I’m based in Florida.
“I have so many friends and family here. They feel like family, my U.S. family. You know, couldn’t think of a better place to be. I’m just so happy to be back. I wasn’t even going to play a couple weeks and just ended up adding it last minute. Maybe it was meant to be.”
This was Nordqvist’s seventh LPGA win but her ninth in total, as she also won the LET’s European Nations Cup in 2010 and 2011, partnering Sophie Gustafson.
With her seventh career win, Nordqvist ties Helen Alfredsson for the third most LPGA wins by a Swedish player all-time – only Liselotte Newman (13) and Annika Sorenstam (72) have more.
Annika is the Captain of this year’s European Solheim Cup team and will no doubt have been pleased to see Nordqvist, a four-time team member in 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015, playing well.
