LPGA Championship winner Anna Nordqvist

coming over for Ricoh Women's British Open

NEWS RELEASE FROM I M G
Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist won her first major title in only her fifth professional start on the LPGA Tour, the McDonald’s LPGA Championship at the weekend, and immediately confirmed her entry into the 2009 Ricoh Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club, from July 30 to August 2.
Having finished as the leading amateur at the 2008 Ricoh Women’s British Open, the same year as her countryman Annika Sorenstam competed in her final Major before stepping away from the game; Anna Nordqvist has now demonstrated her potential to follow in Annika’s legendary footsteps.
Anna, who also made the cut in the 2007 Ricoh Women’s British Open, had an extremely successful amateur career with highlights including winning the 2008 Ladies’ British Open Amateur, the 2005 Girls' British Open Amateur Championship and finishing tied fifth in the 2008 NCAA Championships representing Arizona State University.
Playing on a conditional card with limited playing rights following a 25th place finish at LPGA qualifying school for the 2009 season, Nordqvist was understandably delighted at securing her first victory.
She explained; “Of course it hasn’t sunk in and I think it will take a couple of days for me to realise that I have won a Major Championship. The rest of the season looks pretty different to me now, no more Monday qualifying events which is definitely a relief.
"I can’t wait to get to Lytham for the Ricoh Women’s British Open. I obviously had a great tournament at Sunningdale last year and finishing highest amateur is certainly one of my best achievements until now.
"I really enjoy links golf and had a lot of amateur successes in Britain so I feel really excited about what can happen at the Championship this year.
"I didn’t expect to fulfil my ambition of winning a Major so early in my pro career and it feels great. But now I am really going to concentrate on building on this success during the rest of the season and the Ricoh Women’s British Open is certainly a tournament I am looking forward to. "It is also the week that the Solheim Cup teams get announced so there will be an amazing atmosphere at what is the final Major of the year”
Shona Malcolm, Ladies’ Golf Union’s CEO, added; “It is very exciting to see one of our amateur winners graduate into a Major Champion. Anna has such an exciting career ahead of her and we are thrilled at her amazing victory this weekend ”
This year’s Championship will take place at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club in the Northwest of England. Its credentials as a Championship venue are impressive. As well as holding three Women’s British Opens - in 1998, 2003 and 2006 - Royal Lytham has hosted an impressive 10 men’s Open Championships and two Ryder Cups.
With Annika Sorenstam, the winner at Royal Lytham in 2003, recently retired from the Tour and Sherri Steinhauer, the 1998 and 2006 Champion, having played no events in over 6 months, the Lancashire golf fans look set to witness a new winner crowned at Royal Lytham and St Annes Golf Club in August.
Steeped in history and the only Major to take place outside of the USA, the 2009 Ricoh Women’s British Open is set to be one of the highlights on this year’s golfing calendar. It is the most international of all the Majors with millions tuning into the 2008 Championship coverage as it was televised around the world, including on the BBC in the UK, ABC network television in the USA and on TV Asahi in Japan.
The Women’s British Open was founded by the Ladies’ Golf Union in 1976 and is staged in conjunction with IMG, the world’s largest sports marketing company. The event has been co-sanctioned by the LPGA and LET since 1994 and gained Major status in 2001.
For more information, including the latest news and advance ticket offers, please visit www.ricohwomensbritishopen.com or call our ticket line on +448719459421.