As the LPGA Tour heads into one of the most exciting stretches of the season including four of the five majors of the year as well as increased purses and points, players are prepping themselves for success this summer.
Anna Nordqvist has quietly positioned herself as one of those to watch not only this summer but also this week at the ShopRite LPGA Classic, where she birdied her final two holes Friday to move within one shot of leader Morgan Pressel.
“I was home last week in Orlando, seeing my team and just really kind of running and getting ready for a busy summer,” Nordqvist said after her round Friday. “But I feel like my game is right there, just getting a little bit of momentum. And hopefully I can get on top soon.”
It isn’t the first time Nordqvist has found herself near the top of the leaderboard this season, she has yet to miss a cut and notched five top-11 finishes. Despite carding six sub-par final rounds, including an 8-under 64 on Sunday at the JTBC Founders Cup, the four-time winner on the LPGA Tour has yet to break through in 2015.
“Been working a lot on endurance, just having my energy and not being at the coming Sunday I still have energy, so I'm still ready to compete,” Norqvist said. “Just trying to keep it simple and my swing, trying to keep it very consistent.”
The Swede enjoys the windy conditions of the Bay Course along Reeds Bay near Atlantic City and has consistently played well on this track, including three top-5 finishes in the last four years at the ShopRite LPGA Classic.
“It's definitely a challenge. You know, pretty small greens and I'm happy I hit a lot of them,” Nordqvist said Friday. “But definitely, I mean knowing that it's a three‑day event, you really gotta come off the blocks.”
Nordqvist’s hot start might be enough for her to get that first win of the season and peaking just in time for summer.
Grouped with Christina Kim and Angela Stanford, Nordqvist will tee off at 2:17pm Saturday afternoon due to a one-hour fog delay in the morning.