Anna Nordqvist Facts: 20 Things You Didn’t Know About The Swedish Pro Golfer

Discover more about Swedish professional golfer Anna Nordqvist via these facts regarding her life and career

Anna Nordqvist ahead of the 2023 Solheim Cup
(Image credit: Getty Images)

A multiple-time Solheim Cup and LPGA Tour winner - including three Major Championships - Anna Nordqvist has achieved so much in the world of professional golf. Discover more about her life and career via these facts.

Anna Nordqvist Facts

1. Her full name is Anna Maria Nordqvist.

2. Nordqvist was born on June 10, 1987 in Eskilstuna, Sweden.

3. Nordqvist attended Arizona State University for 2.5 years. While there, she was named the 2007 Pacific Athletic Conference (Pac-10) Player of the Year.

4. According to her Arizona State University bio, her parents are called Urban and Maria. At the time of publication, they worked as a police officer and a pharmacist. Nordqvist also has two brothers called Mikael and Mattias.

5. According to the LPGA Tour website, Nordqvist first started playing golf at the age of 13. We also believe she played as many as seven different sports before deciding on golf.

6. She credits her family and Swedish national coaches Katarina Vangdal and Maria Bertilsk as the individuals most influencing her career.

7. Nordqvist had a successful amateur career in Europe and the United States. She was named Swedish Junior Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005. She was also named Swedish Amateur of the Year and won the Girls Amateur Championship in 2005. Shortly before turning pro, she won the British Ladies Amateur (2008) after two runner-up finishes in the two years prior.

8. Nordqvist won the Smyth Salver for low amateur at the Women's Open in 2008.

9. In December 2008, Nordqvist finished 25th at the LPGA Final Qualifying tournament and turned pro immediately after the final round.

10. Having already qualified for the LPGA Tour, the Swede then earned her Ladies European Tour card in January 2009 by winning the Final Q-School stage.

Anna Nordqvist won the 2009 McDonald's LPGA Championship

11. Nordqvist's very first win on the LPGA Tour arrived in the form on a Major - the McDonald's LPGA Championship in 2009. Heading into the final round, she had a two-shot lead and went on to win by four. It was just her fifth pro start on the LPGA Tour.

12. She won LET Rookie of the Year honors in 2009 but missed out on the LPGA Tour equivalent to Jiyai Shin.

13. Nordqvist made her Solheim Cup debut in 2009 after receiving a captain's pick from Alison Nicholas. The Swede went 2-2-0 as Europe lost 16-12 at Rich Harvest Farms.

14. Nordqvist is responsible for the first-ever hole-in-one at a Solheim Cup. It arrived on the 17th at Colorado Golf Club during the 2013 event and helped her and Caroline Hedwall win their alternate-shot match against Morgan Pressel and Jessica Korda 2&1 on Saturday morning.

15. At the 2016 US Women's Open, Nordqvist lost to Brittany Lang in a playoff as a result of a rules violation where she had touched the sand with her club in a bunker. Frustratingly for all concerned, it was not picked up until midway down the third of three playoff holes, with the infraction having occurred on the hole before.

Caroline Hedwall, Annika Sorenstam, Liselotte Neumann, Carin Koch and Anna Nordqvist helped win the 2013 Solheim Cup

16. Nordqvist collected her second Major victory at the 2017 Evian Championship in a playoff over Brittany Altomare, and the third was won at the 2021 AIG Women's British Open.

17. Nordqvist has played at nine consecutive Solheim Cup teams with an overall record of 15-13-3. In terms of overall result, she has been on the winning side four times with a tie in 2023 at Finca Cortesin. In 2023 and 2024, she was a playing assistant captain.

18. She is a three-time Swedish Golfer of the Year - 2009, 2017, 2021.

19. To date, she has had six regular victories on the LPGA Tour and three on the Ladies European Tour combined with her three Majors.

20. In 2022, Nordqvist won the first non-Major solo title of her career on the Ladies European Tour. She claimed the Big Green Egg Open by one stroke, having lifted two Majors and two team trophies previously in her career.

Anna Nordqvist Bio

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Full NameAnna Maria Nordqvist
BornJune 10, 1987 - Eskilstuna, Sweden
Height6ft (1.83 m)
CollegeArizona State University
Turned Pro2008
Current ToursLadies European Tour, LPGA Tour
Professional Wins (Non-Majors)9
Major Wins3
Career-High Rolex Ranking4th
Career Earnings$13.23 million

Anna Nordqvist Pro Wins

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EventTourWinning Score
2009 McDonald's LPGA ChampionshipMajor-15 (four strokes)
2009 LPGA Tour ChampionshipLPGA Tour-13 (two strokes)
2010 European Nations Cup (with Sophie Gustafson)Ladies European Tour-21 (playoff)
2011 Communitat Valenciana European Ladies Golf Cup (with Sophie Gustafson)Ladies European Tour-21 (three strokes)
2014 Honda LPGA ThailandLPGA Tour-15 (two strokes)
2014 Kia ClassicLPGA Tour-13 (one stroke)
2015 ShopRite LPGA ClassicLPGA Tour-8 (one stroke)
2016 ShopRite LPGA ClassicLPGA Tour-17 (one stroke)
2017 Bank of Hope Founders CupLPGA Tour-25 (two strokes)
2017 Evian ChampionshipMajor-9 (playoff)
2021 AIG Women's OpenMajor-12 (one stroke)
2022 Big Green Egg OpenLadies European Tour-7 (one stroke)
Jonny Leighfield
Staff Writer

Jonny Leighfield is our Staff News Writer who joined Golf Monthly just in time for the 2023 Solheim Cup and Ryder Cup. He graduated from the University of Brighton with a degree in Sport Journalism in 2017 and spent almost five years as the sole sports reporter at his local newspaper. During his time with Golf Monthly, Jonny has interviewed several stars of the game, including Robert MacIntyre, Ian Poulter, and Lee Westwood. An improving golfer himself, Jonny enjoys learning as much about the game as he can and is hoping to reach his Handicap goal of 18 at some stage. He attended both the 150th and 151st Open Championships and dreams of attending The Masters one day.