FM CHAMPIONSHIP

August 30, 2026

Anna Nordqvist

TPC Boston

Press Conference

SARAH KELLAM: All right, here with Anna Nordqvist. I know it's been a whirlwind of emotions the last 15 minutes. Just had your final moment on the ninth green. Walk us through what you're feeling right now.

ANNA NORDQVIST: Yeah, I'm not really sure how to feel. Nothing ever prepares you for this moment. I'm definitely going to miss it. Part of me feels like it's not really -- probably feels like it's -- I still have so much more left in me.

But, yeah, just forever grateful for everything this game and, you know, the LPGA family has done for me. I came out on Tour in 2009 as a 21 with no family in the U.S., and everyone has been just such a huge support.

You know, helped me keep pushing through ups and downs all these years. So. Yeah, just a lot of gratitude right now.

SARAH KELLAM: You had a ton of people there to congratulate you from caddies to fellow players. Ina Yoon even asked you ti sign one of your golf balls I think she got from your caddie. What did that mean, just to see those people and have them share in this moment?

ANNA NORDQVIST: Even May Jutanugarn, she made me cry on the first hole today because she was like, I'm so happy I got to pair with you for the last round. You know, I've been on Tour -- like May's first year was 2015 so she's obviously been there all these years.

But, yeah, just means a lot. People see who I am as a person and I keep doing my best. Yeah, like I had a couple of the guys walk with me the last couple holes and really means a lot that a lot of people support me and want the best for me.

SARAH KELLAM: Last one from me and we'll open it up: Speaking of people that were there and have seen the kind of person you are was LPGA Hall of Famer Pat Bradley there to give a big ole hug. I know she hasn't been around much this week so far, at the FM Championship, but what did that embrace mean to you just to be recognized by such a legend as a legend yourself?

ANNA NORDQVIST: Yeah, I mean, she's obviously been through this and know what it feels like. Obviously no one else on Tour knows what it feels like to be here. I've always looked up to Pat Bradley, how she carries herself and everything she's done for the game, how she keeps being around and showing up to Solheim Cups as a past captain.

I feel like I've had a really good relationship over the years, so seeing her face just really made me smile.

Q. Hi, what was the balance today between focusing on the next shot and reflecting on your career and thinking about how this was the last Sunday for you?

ANNA NORDQVIST: Yeah, I mean, I feel like it's probably the last couple weeks. Like, you know, AIG I finished really well on the Sunday after a little bit of a tough road Saturday. I feel like coming into Canada last week, like it's really amazing, the body, like what you put body through. It's been only jet lag, no sleeping, and I think last week I felt quite numb to be fair.

I think part of me just feels like I didn't want to count down the days because I just felt like I just want to keep playing.

But this week's been quite hard. I played so well on Friday; had so much momentum; finished with a double bogey from really nowhere, and maybe feel like killed a little bit of momentum.

Yesterday I just felt so tired and exhausted mentally. Today's I felt really good.

So, yeah, just a lot of emotions. The tears are really close but it's obviously happy tears, too. I think like just having everyone's support and Karen Stupples or the players and the caddies, was a lot of hugs this morning from guys who have been there throughout my whole journey.

Just really means a lot that everyone is supporting me.

Q. What was going through your mind down the stretch and what was the conversation between you and your caddie? Were you guys kind of remembering some of those big moments from your career and reminiscing on the good times?

ANNA NORDQVIST: I mean, I'm a competitor. I don't know how the putt doesn't go in on eight or how the putt doesn't go in on the last hole. You know, I'm just -- that's just who I am and who I think I will always be, just very competitive.

I'm kind of glad that I had this year to be able to kind of think back at some moments. I'm sure it's going to hit me when I have time. I feel like just haven't really had a lot of time for myself because the captaincy is taking up so much my time outside of me being inside the ropes.

Give me another two or three weeks and I feel like it's probably all going to hit me at once.

Q. Yeah. And then follow up, as you turn towards being a captain for the Solheim Cup, what is your kind of mindset heading forward and what do you look forward to now?

ANNA NORDQVIST: Well, I feel like the last 18 months, like all the work you put in, you put in for others to prepare for that one week, and some days it seems like you just do work. Not that you don't get a reward back, but I feel like the reward back you're going to get or the satisfaction of seeing your hard work pay off won't be until the actual Solheim Cup.

Hopefully the players are going to see a lot of difference and see all the hard work that me and the rest of the background team has put in, because it really takes a village to make an event like that happen.

Q. Just any number of things that you could be remembered for over the course of your career. What do you hope your legacy in this game is? What do you hope people remember you for?

ANNA NORDQVIST: I think I talked about it the other day. So many people think your career is a straight line upwards. I feel like I've gone through a lot of ups and downs both on and off the course.

I think what I want to be remembered is the fact that I never gave up. At times it took me a couple years to get back on my feet. At times in my life it's just been -- you know, I thought about quitting in 2012, 2013. I was really, really close to walking away.

If my younger brother hadn't come out and caddied from me that summer I don't think I would be sitting here. So he saved my career. And the last couple years too. It's been a little bit of an upward battle but I battled through it, and I think I hope to show a lot of people that never give up and keep fighting. You know, it's worth coming out on the other side. This game teaches you a lot.

Q. What would you say to an LPGA rookie who is just starting on a career and hope to have one as long as years?

ANNA NORDQVIST: Knock on wood, like I've never had an injury my whole career. I think in 18 years I missed one major and that year I was filing for divorce.

Yeah, I think I've been able to stay injury-free. I think it was because I kind of did things my way. I was never going to be an explosive player and have a lot of distance in me. You know, I kind of had my swing and tried to own that part of the game.

There are so many people wanting you to do things a different way, and I think it's even more with more technology and more coaches nowadays. So it's easy to fall into what everyone else thinks you should be doing.

Deep down I think what carried me through all these years was really listening to my heart. I think all the best decisions came from my heart and what I wanted to do, whether that was to maybe not -- to whoever I was working with on the swing, but I felt I've been fortunate to be surrounded by a lot of great coaches and mentors and psychologists all my career.

Yeah, hopefully that's forever like friendships that we'll always have.

Q. Anna, one of the perks that come with retirement are retirement gifts. Did you get a cool bottle of wine or something funny from anybody this week?

ANNA NORDQVIST: Yeah, I got a really, really nice bottle of I think it was champagne maybe. I'm not sure. I don't drink a ton. From Lydia Ko the other day. Ended up being a vintage of 2009 and that was my rookie year.

Now that I got greeted off the 18th hole I just received another one like of the same brand, and then it was 2017, and that was obviously a very important year in my life because that was when I won my first major in Europe.

So 2017 was a memorable one.

So, yeah, I've had a lot of messages and a lot of support this week, so I'm very grateful.

Q. Okay. And then what would you say -- we have certainly seen some LPGA golfers who either start a family or for whatever reason maybe retire in their early 30s; you obviously played until you're 39, almost 40. What would you say to other pros about what made it so special for you to play through 39?

ANNA NORDQVIST: Well, honestly, I never really thought I would still be playing at 39. I thought I would probably have -- would've been married and have kids by now, but my journey never really quite worked out that way.

Family has always been my number one priority and it always came before golf, so it was always something that I worked really hard to try to accomplish on the side. But, yeah, things didn't quite work out the way maybe I thought, but I kind of -- my career kind of got a second chance.

I feel like my life off the course is probably better -- like it's better than it's ever been and I'm very happy and I have a very supportive boyfriend.

So, yeah, I couldn't be more grateful. I hope there is going to be a day when I get to be blessed to have my own family, too. That's obviously part of why I'm stepping away now. Might not be an easy journey to get there, but I'm going to at least give myself a chance.

Q. Okay. And then also, obviously an emotional week for you and I'm sure some coming weeks as well, but having to be able to transition to the Solheim Cup, how much do you think that kind of helps you transition from retiring as a player to having something else to work on her in the next couple weeks?

ANNA NORDQVIST: Yeah, it's like the last two or three months it's been quite crazy with the Solheim Cup stuff and knowing AIG was my last major and that was the week I was doing my team selection. It was really hard to do both.

I felt like I did the best I could and I am proud of myself for it. But, yeah, it's obviously nice to have a different focus, but also that's a focus where you look after everyone else. So I think there is going to have to be a time in the next couple weeks where I have to sit down and kind of look at myself, like be proud of myself, too, for what I've accomplished.

But probably all going to hit me after I come back from the Solheim Cup and all of a sudden I'm -- I don't really have anything on the schedule for the near future.

But I love the game and I hope to still be involved in one way or another. I always said I was going to focus on my career and put everything into it until the last shot, and then once I hit the next chapter I was kind of like going to work about what was going to happen next.

Q. Okay, last one from me. Part of taking care of yourself will be celebrating with that champagne. How do you envision doing that?

ANNA NORDQVIST: I can't wait to see my family and all my nieces and nephews in the Netherlands in two weeks and then just spend some time with loved once.

I haven't really been home in Sweden much, and haven't been home in Arizona. I just look forward to have a little bit more time with loved ones where I can fully be there and be fully focused and not feel like I'm just going from one thing to another.

Q. Congrats, thank you.

ANNA NORDQVIST: Thank you.

SARAH KELLAM: Anna, last thing from me. Is there anything you want to say to your family, to your supporters, those around, your team, as we wrap up this moment for you at the FM Championship?

ANNA NORDQVIST: I mean, they all know who they are. They all know how appreciative I am of them.

My family has been very far away but they've supported me every step of the way. You know, all the Solheim Cups that I got to play, that was my highlight because those were the weeks they would come out and fully support me.

I think Spain is special because I think that was the first time my nieces and nephews were old enough to understand why I don't live in Sweden and why I barely get to see them and why miss I miss every single of their birthdays.

So being able to share those moments with loved ones means a lot, and I just hope to be able to, you know, be the sister that I want to be and be the aunt that I want to be and be the daughter that I want to be, because I'm going to have a little bit more time.

SARAH KELLAM: On behalf of the LPGA Tour and of the FM Championship, this event, just thank you so much for what you've down for the Tour over the last 18 years. We really appreciate, we really respect you, and we wish you all the best in this next chapter.

ANNA NORDQVIST: Thank you. I appreciate it. My mascara is obviously waterproof, so that's a good sign.

SARAH KELLAM: Thanks, Anna.

ANNA NORDQVIST: Thank you.