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| Meet Anna Nordqvist - Winner of the Shoprite Classic |
Closing with a 7-under-par 64 on a windy day at Seaview's Bay Course, Nordqvist finished at 17-under 196.
Anna became the first in event history to win back-to-back ShopRite titles, and joined Sorenstam, Betsy King, Juli Inkster and Stacy Lewis as players to win more than one.
Said Nordqvist, ". . . You know, there's a lot of opportunities out there for us even though we don't have the weather in our favor. But definitely, Sorenstam has been a huge inspiration over the years, and I'm looking forward to making her Solheim Cup team and playing under her next year."
Continued Nordqvist, "It was a little bit hard to judge the wind there and I was in between clubs. I just tried to put it up there and give myself a good putt for par. We've been reading the greens pretty well this week, and it was a pretty distinct left-to-right putt. I just put a good stroke on it, and I was pretty excited to see it go in, not going to lie."
Nordqvist, who at 28 is the oldest winner on the LPGA Tour this year, went bogey-free for the day and hit every green until she reached the par-5 18th, where her third shot flew over the green to the left. But she came back and sank a 12-foot par putt, pumping her fist in the process.
Nordqvist's sixth win of her career and first of 2016 came just at the right time, with the season's next major, the KPMG Women's PGA, coming up next week. While she had been consistent all season, she had just two top-10 finishes to show for it entering this event.
"This year has been kind of slow for me. I've been playing really well, but I just haven't got anything out of it. For a long time, it was hard staying patient and you just keep working on things. Sitting here now, it almost feels even sweeter, being back in the winner's circle, just knowing that I've been playing well. I have been staying patient, and it finally paid off," concluded Nordqvist.
"Yes it did - to the tune of $225,000 - the check for first place," said Philly.com.
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