Nordqvist prevails in Evian play-off
Wayward shot at 13th derails Moriya’s quest
EVIAN: Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist overcame glandular fever and terrible weather to claim her second major title with a play-off win over American Brittany Altomare at the Evian Championship on Sunday.
Both players shot five-under-par 66 to tie on nine-under 204, and a bogey five at the first play-off hole — the 18th — was good enough for the 30-year-old to add another major to the 2009 LPGA Championship.
Overnight leader Moriya Jutanugarn of Thailand (72), former top-ranked player Lydia Ko of New Zealand (69) and Australia’s Katherine Kirk (70) were joint third, one shot behind the leading duo.
The championship was reduced to 54 holes after Thursday’s play was wiped out by severe storms.
Moriya was two ahead at the turn, but her chances of a first win on the LPGA Tour were blighted by a drive out of bounds at the 13th.
She came to the tough 18th needing a par to make the play-off. But she had to lay up with her second shot, hit it way left, and ended up making bogey for a round of 72.
It was another close call for Moriya who has now earned eight top-five finishes of her career.
“A lot of lip-outs. Just probably not really my day,” Moriya said.
As always, the 23-year-old from Bangkok was positive after her round.
“What I learned this week, you know, is [to] play in the last group in a major event is great,” said Moriya.
“I think I learned to be a lot patient, just how I can relax on the golf course and just have fun with the game and just be myself and play my game.”
Little sister Ariya, already a major champion, walked all 18 holes with big sister Moriya, serving as an ever-present source of support.
“Just go out and enjoy it, play your game and whatever is going to happen is going to happen,” Moriya said of advice from Ariya.
Ariya has now missed the cut at four consecutive majors after her failure at the Evian.
Meanwhile, for the past two and a half months, Nordqvist has been suffering from glandular fever, but she leant on the words of her late grandfather, who said to “never give up”.
A brilliant final round that included two eagles and four birdies helped Nordqvist storm to the title on Sunday.
“That’s what he always told me and that’s what I try to do,” said Nordqvist who won the 2014 Honda LPGA Thailand.
“Because of the illness, it definitely makes this win sweeter.”
With rain and then hail lashing the course, the play-off was staged in horrendous conditions and the 18th green had to be squeegeed before the players could putt.
Both women laid up short of the water in two and then Altomare took three from the edge of the green for a six. Nordqvist got up and down from left off the green for a winning five.
Last year, she lost in a play-off at the US Women’s Open when she was penalised two shots for brushing sand in a bunker with her club.
“I’m still trying to catch my breath, I’m speechless,” she added.
“The play-off hole was so hard and the weather was about the worst I have ever played in. My hands were numb for the last couple of shots. But I grew up in Sweden so I am used to playing in pretty bad weather.”