Making her first LPGA appearance since the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in early October, Anna Nordqvist finds herself tied for first at -4, well-rested from traveling back home and taking some time off.

“I felt like I needed a little bit of a break. Went back to Sweden for a while after KPMG just to see my family, and I'm so glad I did because all the timing of it with all the COVID spread keep increasing over there, so I'm glad I got to see everyone. I hadn't seen them since Christmas and I don't know when I'm going to see them next,” said Nordqvist.

Though she rested, she also competed on the Ladies European Tour, making a pit stop in Saudi Arabia for the Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by PIF and the The Saudi Ladies Team International before coming back to the states.

“Missed Georgia when I went home and then I went down to Saudi Arabia to play a couple weeks ago and it was such a cool experience. Played in Dubai before and Qatar, but I was very pleasantly surprised. I know they're making a huge push for ladies golf down there, so it was really cool to be part of history,” said Nordqvist. “It was like 95 and blowing quite a bit, but I prefer that over this cold.”

Maybe it was growing up in the cold, but the eight-time LPGA Tour champion said she now prefers the heat.

“Obviously I grew up playing in cold conditions, me and all the guys at the club, Torshälla, used to play like every Saturday and Sunday. I just haven't done it for so long and I've been in the sun for so long, so I'm not really used to the cold anymore and my body doesn't do very well with it any longer. Just definitely have to try to manage it a little bit better than I have in the last couple years. Obviously live in the sun in Arizona and there's a reason why,” said Nordqvist.

WEAVER IN CONTENTION CLOSE TO NEW HOME WITH FAMILIAR FACE ON THE BAG IN THE COLONY

Lindsey Weaver has fallen in love with the Dallas community. She and her fiancé Zach Wright moved to the area “on a whim” after visiting last year. Six months later, they bought a house together, the same one she’ll be going back to tonight after a second-round 68 at the Volunteers of America Classic just 30 minutes away from The Colony, Texas.

“It's great to be here. I love living in a big city. It's so easy to travel in and out of. I was telling him last week it's like I leave on Monday morning and I come back on Sunday night that's two extra nights in my bed. Just can't put a price on that,” said Weaver, who also calls Old American Golf Club her home course. “And just being able to sleep in my own bed. It's kind of weird, kind of feels like a normal day, like we have the two dogs at home, kind of business as usual and just come out going to the golf course, but it's like we're playing in a tournament. We're here this week. So it's a little weird and it's kind of different, but good so far.”

Weaver, who sits in a tie for second one stroke off the lead at -3, has Wright on the bag this week. It’s the first time the Korn Ferry Tour player has caddied for his partner since the 2020 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, and Weaver gives him a passing grade. “He's doing very well. He's a 10. If I said anything else, he might not show up tomorrow,” joked the 27-year-old.

Heading into the weekend, Weaver said she’s up for the challenge’s her home course may bring with 36 holes ahead of her. “I've just been hitting the ball pretty well, just kind of trying to hang in there and attack when you can and kind of just play safe when you can't really attack the pins because I mean this course is obviously playing very difficult,” said Weaver. “There's so many runoffs and the greens are really quick and very grainy so they can be difficult to read. So it's just about staying patient really.”

ANNA NORDQVIST MAY BE FROM SWEDEN, BUT “THERE’S A REASON” WHY SHE MOVED TO ARIZONA

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