Nordqvist Triumphs as Thai Trio Claim Top-10 Finishes

Carnoustie, Scotland: Anna Nordqvist claimed her third Major title after a thrilling success at the AIG Women’s Open.

The Swede closed with a three-under-par 69 for a 12-under total at Carnoustie and a one-shot victory over a trio of players over the famous Scottish links.

Nordqvist was level with Denmark’s Nanna Koerstz Madsen on the closing hole and the 34-year-old’s solid par-four was good enough to triumph as her playing partner slipped to a double-bogey.

The leading Asia-Pacific representative was Australian Minjee Lee who ended in joint fifth place on 278. She had the distinction of posting the best round of the final day, a six-under 66.

Three Thai players finished in the top-10 with Patty Tavatanakit soaring into a tie for seventh place on 279 on the back of a brilliant closing five-under 67. Moriya Jutanugarn was a further stroke back in ninth place with her sister, Ariya, in a share of 10th spot on 281.

Australian Steph Kyriaciou and Korean Kim Sei-young were among a group in equal 13th (282), while Japan’s Ayaka Furue was joint 20th (283) and Thai Wichanee Meechai equal 24th (284).

Nordqvist, who won the Women’s PGA Championship in 2009 and the Evian Championship in 2017, celebrated with her husband, Kevin McAlpine, who hails from Dundee.

Nordqvist said: “I’ve been waiting for this win for a while (first win since 2017). There have been a lot of downs and hard times so this makes it feel even sweeter. I could only dream of winning the AIG Women’s Open.

“I played really solid in the beginning today. I hit a great hybrid on the sixth to two-putt for birdie. I managed to get the round going.

“I feel like things have been coming together. I saw a lot of good things coming last year and a lot of good things happening this year. To be able to get things clicking, I felt like last week at the Scottish Open I played really well. I hit the ball really well in that wind so I think that was a confidence boost for me. There's just something about golf that keeps driving me.”

England’s Georgia Hall, the 2018 champion, American Lizette Salas and Swede Madelene Sagstrom finished tied second on 11-under. Koerstz Madsen had to settle for a share of fifth place.

Nordqvist, a past winner of the R&A Girls’ and Women’s Amateur championships, ignited her final-day success with three birdies in four holes from the sixth before a key par-three save at the testing 16th.

A host of challengers mounted their bid on a star-studded leaderboard during a dramatic final day at the Angus venue, most notably Hall who eagled both the sixth and 12th holes in her 67. Salas, the runner-up in 2019, also had a chance on the 18th to reach 12-under-par but just missed.

It was Nordqvist’s day, as she claimed the winner’s cheque of US$870,000 as part of the new largest prize fund in women’s Major championship golf.

Coming out on top of the international field of 144 players, which contained as many as 32 nationalities, Nordqvist lifted the iconic trophy in front of the delighted Carnoustie crowds.

With the fans enjoying glorious spells of afternoon sunshine – total attendance for the week was 28,758 – Louise Duncan shone to claim the Smyth Salver for leading amateur.