(Reuters) – Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist captured the women’s British Open title with a one-shot win at Carnoustie on Sunday for her third major triumph after holding her nerve to beat Denmark’s Nanna Madsen in a tense final hole.
The overnight leaders were locked at 12-under heading into the 18th in a thrilling final round in which six players were tied for top spot at nine-under at one point.
But it was Nordqvist who delivered under pressure with a par after Madsen had found the bunker with her wayward approach shot en route to a double bogey that pushed her down the leaderboard to tied-fifth at 10-under.
England’s 2018 champion Georgia Hall was tied for second place at 11-under overall alongside Swede Madelene Sagstrom and American Lizette Salas.
The victory meant 34-year-old Nordqvist, who went three-under in the final round, became Sweden’s first women’s British Open champion since Annika Sorenstam in 2003. Her ninth career win earned her $870,000 in prize money.
“This is truly special. I’ve been waiting for this for a while,” Nordqvist told reporters. “I haven’t won one in a couple of years. There have been a lot of downs since then, which makes it even sweeter.
“I’m so happy to be here. My husband lives 20 minutes away from here and this place is truly special… I love the fans being back, I’ve loved the atmosphere.”
Nordqvist was flawless on the front nine in which she carded birdies on the sixth, eighth and ninth holes, before playing it safe after the turn following a bogey on the 12th with a sole gained shot two holes later.
Australia’s Minjee Lee produced a blistering six-under-par in the final round to finish tied fifth alongside Madsen.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; editing by Clare Fallon)
