FORD CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY WILD HORSE PASS

March 25, 2026

Anna Nordqvist

Whirlwind Golf Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right, we are pleased to welcome Anna Nordqvist into the Ford Championship presented by Wild Horse Pass media center.

Just simple off the start here, second start of the season, how is the game feeling so far after a handful of rounds?

ANNA NORDQVIST: Yeah, unfortunately it was a short tournament last week, but game is actually feeling pretty solid. I've had the last couple months off to work on my game. So, yeah, since I live in town it's a home game this week; nice to sleep no my own bed.

Yeah, I feel pretty solid coming into the season. Still early for me playing the second event. I'm excited about the year ahead.

Q. Talk a little bit about that home game you mentioned, how nice it is to have a tournament in your backyard this week.

ANNA NORDQVIST: Yeah, so like, I mean, having gone to school here and having so much friends and what I consider family now, it's definitely special. Didn't sleep in my own bed last week and obviously I really missed it. I live a good 45 minutes away from here, but, yeah, I always loved Arizona and being a Sun Devil.

So just knowing I have a local support means a lot to me.

Q. And then also there is an Epson event coming up next month in the same area in Scottsdale. It is going to be the biggest purse on Epson Tour this year. What's it like to see women's golf in this area just boom recently?

ANNA NORDQVIST: It's exciting for sure just seeing all these opportunities girls have. I mean, I wouldn't be where I am today without the opportunity to come to Arizona State University and play college golf.

I still spend a lot of time around the team. Couple of the past players there just turned pro and you know how excited they are to get the opportunity to tee it up at home. Yeah, I'll be watching for sure.

Q. Speaking of opportunities, next week is ANWA. Just in general how excited would you be to play in ANWA and just that opportunity for amateur women golfers?

ANNA NORDQVIST: Yeah, I don't have many golf courses on my Bucket List, but Augusta was always one of them that I desperately wanted to play and I never have.

Obviously a little bit jealous of all these girls getting the opportunity to play there that time of year. It's a fantastic opportunity.

I know a lot of the Swedish girls had a chance to be there and creating like lifelong memories.

Yeah, obviously everyone that comes back there can't speak highly enough about it.

Q. Curious, what are you seeing in the next generation of up-and-coming golfers? Also like what's different for them as they try to navigate compared to what the landscape was like when you were coming up?

ANNA NORDQVIST: Yeah, I mean, it's quite a different generation. I think nowadays there is so much more technology available than when I went to college. Trackman was just coming out. It was this huge box and we had to try to take it out of the facility. We had a 50 yard extension cord. We were begging them to install some (indiscernible) in the computer so we can figure this out.

By the time, I mean, this was like a 45 minute long process just to get it our and you could just use your laser. We quickly realized like that was not something that we could use.

But the coaches are better. The coaches are out on Tour, if not every week, every other week. Everyone is just so much technically better.

Everyone seems to have a physio from early on; know how to train speed. If you're not coming out on Tour now and has a little bit of speed to your game, you might be a little bit behind.

Because I think that's where the biggest thing I noticed that the young girls, they have complete games. They hit it really far. They're fearless.

But I will say I think kind of my generation just having to maybe work a little bit harder for it and learning how to deal with adversity a little bit better. And also like I feel like those things can't always really be taught. You need to go through the learning experience, and, you know, the years of grind and the ups and downs.

So I feel like -- I know I sound so old, but kind of my generation it's like the way I had to learn the game I'm glad I had to learn it that way because I feel like I had to be way more independent than a lot of the younger and up and coming.

I mean, I left Sweden when I was, what, 19 in 2006. There was no FaceTime and I think text message cost $1.50, so it was really hard to communicate, so I feel like I really needed to learn how to be on my own and manage my game.

So I think that part you see less of because it's just so much. One is having the quads on the course instead of taking the natural feel. If you can blend both you're onto something really special.

Q. Obviously this week you're here in a player capacity but also the upcoming Solheim Cup captain. How do you manage those hats? Is that something you leave to the assistants when you're on site, or is that something that's in the back of your head?

ANNA NORDQVIST: It's definitely been a learning experience, a work in progress. Last week was very, very hard for me because I was -- I just felt really overwhelmed. I hadn't seen any of the players. Hadn't been on Tour for a couple months.

So, yeah, a lot of things to handle trying to be in both roles but not at the same time, because obviously I'm still playing full time and I always wanted it to be a pro, not a con, like doing both at the same time.

But I've never been one to be great at asking for help, but I think I'm realizing I have to rely on my team and the people around me to help me. It's been a lot more work than I expected, probably a little bit more practical work.

Also it being a Solheim Cup in Europe you have a little bit more say.

But it's been a fun process. Definitely I think last year I realized I needed to compartmentalize a little bit better so when I'm out on the course be a player, and then when I'm off the course.

But you're kind of always thinking about it. I mean, a day doesn't go by without me doing something Solheim Cup related. It's been a privilege of a lifetime so I'm very excited.

It's just nice to be so close to the girls and be approachable and see the position I've been the last what, 18 years trying to make the team. Yeah, very excited about it.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you so much.

ANNA NORDQVIST: Thank you.