Anna Nordqvist fires superb 64 to retain ShopRite LPGA Classic

By Keith Jackson

SKYSPORTS.COM

Anna Norqvist became the first player to successfully defend the ShopRite LPGA Classic title as she fired a flawless 64 to snatch a one-shot victory in New Jersey.

Nordvist defied strong breezes on the final day at the Stockton Seaview Golf Club to make five birdies in an outward 32, and she picked up further shots at the 12th and 16th to claim the outright lead.
The Swede almost faltered at the par-five last, but she held her nerve to hole a clutch par putt from 12 feet and her clubhouse target of 17 under proved to be enough for her sixth LPGA Tour win after Haru Nomura's valiant 66 left her one stroke adrift.

Anna Nordqvist became the oldest winner on the LPGA Tour this year

Nordqvist, who celebrates her 29th birthday on Friday, also became the oldest winner on the Tour this year by some distance, with all the previous 14 events being won by players aged 23 or under.
"It feels really special because I've been playing pretty good all spring," said the Solheim Cup star. "I just haven't really got any results, and it really got frustrating there for a while.
"My caddie just told me to stay patient and so did the rest of my team, because they knew how well I was playing, getting really zero out of it. Sometimes the longer you have to wait and the more patient you have to stay, the sweeter it feels when it finally pays off."
Nomura moved to 15 under after making her fifth birdie of the day at the 11th, but she was unable to convert any further chances until closing with a four at the 18th.

Karine Icher was left to rue two bogeys in her closing 69

Overnight leader Karine Icher had to settle for outright third place on 14 under after the French player birdied the last to complete a two-under 69 which featured costly dropped shots at the fourth and 13th holes.
Charley Hull produced a confidence-boosting finish as she fired a 67 to earn a tie for 14th on seven under, but Scottish veteran Catriona Matthew, who was just one off the lead after opening with a 65, stumbled to a 73 to slip to three under and finished T31.

FINAL TOTALS
 PAR 213 (3X71)

1	Anna Nordqvist	64	68	64			196	$225,000
2	Haru Nomura	65	66	66			197	$138,191
3	Karine Icher	68	62	69			199	$100,248
4	Christina Kim	69	66	65			200	$77,549
5	Jing Yan	67	69	66			202	$62,419
T6	Mika Miyazato	70	69	64			203	$39,116
T6	Brittany Lang	69	70	64			203	$39,116
T6	Annie Park	67	73	63			203	$39,116
T6	Christel Boeljon	66	68	69			203	$39,116
T6	I.K. Kim	69	66	68			203	$39,116
T11	Danielle Kang	67	69	68			204	$26,555
T11	Jacqui Concolino	68	66	70			204	$26,555
T11	Na Yeon Choi	67	64	73			204	$26,555
T14	Charley Hull	73	66	67			206	$19,577
T14	Beatriz Recari	66	72	68			206	$19,577
T14	Jennifer Song	69	70	67			206	$19,577
T14	Sakura Yokomine	67	72	67			206	$19,577
T14	Kim Kaufman	68	69	69			206	$19,577
T14	Samantha Richdale	68	68	70			206	$19,577
T14	Jodi Ewart Shadoff	66	69	71			206	$19,577
T14	Mariajo Uribe	69	65	72			206	$19,577
T22	Sandra Gal	72	67	68			207	$13,955
T22	Jenny Shin	70	69	68			207	$13,955
T22	Lizette Salas	67	71	69			207	$13,955
T22	Karrie Webb	67	70	70			207	$13,955
T22	Pernilla Lindberg	69	68	70			207	$13,955
T22	Celine Herbin	70	67	70			207	$13,955
T22	Sarah Kemp	71	69	67			207	$13,955
T22	Ashleigh Simon	71	69	67			207	$13,955
T22	Ai Miyazato	64	71	72			207	$13,955
T31	Elizabeth Wang	73	66	69			208	-
T31	Katherine Kirk	66	72	70			208	$9,021
T31	Maude-Aimee Leblanc	66	72	70			208	$9,021
T31	Ayako Uehara	68	70	70			208	$9,021
T31	Ssu-Chia Cheng	68	69	71			208	$9,021
T31	Cydney Clanton	72	68	68			208	$9,021
T31	Paula Reto	64	75	69			208	$9,021
T31	Mi Hyang Lee	70	70	68			208	$9,021
T31	Xi Yu Lin	67	69	72			208	$9,021
T31	Kelly Tan	70	70	68			208	$9,021
T31	Catriona Matthew	65	70	73			208	$9,021
T31	Marissa Steen	67	73	68			208	$9,021
T31	Gaby Lopez	68	67	73			208	$9,021
T31	Gerina Piller	68	73	67			208	$9,021
T45	Brooke Henderson	69	70	70			209	$6,431
T45	Lee Lopez	70	69	70			209	$6,431
T45	Wei-Ling Hsu	69	68	72			209	$6,431
T48	Hannah Collier	71	68	71			210	$5,361
T48	Kelly Shon	70	69	71			210	$5,361
T48	Ilhee Lee	71	67	72			210	$5,361
T48	Giulia Sergas	70	68	72			210	$5,361
T48	Amelia Lewis	66	73	71			210	$5,361
T48	Daniela Iacobelli	68	68	74			210	$5,361
T48	Hee Young Park	70	71	69			210	$5,361
T55	Sarah Jane Smith	68	70	73			211	$4,171
T55	Caroline Hedwall	69	70	72			211	$4,171
T55	Holly Clyburn	69	70	72			211	$4,171
T55	Simin Feng	71	67	73			211	$4,171
T55	Joanna Klatten	72	68	71			211	$4,171
T55	Stephanie Meadow	66	70	75			211	$4,171
T55	Kris Tamulis	67	68	76			211	$4,171
T55	Anne-Catherine Tanguay	71	70	70			211	$4,171
T63	Tiffany Joh	75	64	73			212	$3,594
T63	Nannette Hill	73	68	71			212	$3,594
T65	Marina Alex	72	68	73			213	$3,442
T65	Nontaya Srisawang	72	69	72			213	$3,442
T67	Jennifer Johnson	70	70	74			214	$3,253
T67	Stacy Lewis	66	74	74			214	$3,253
T67	Maria McBride	69	72	73			214	$3,253
T70	Lindy Duncan	67	73	75			215	$3,039
T70	Brittany Altomare	72	69	74			215	$3,039
T70	Mina Harigae	71	70	74			215	$3,039
73	Ji Young Oh	70	71	76			217	$2,950
74	Casey Grice	65	76	80			221	$2,912
75	Bertine Strauss	70	71	82			223	$2,875