Nanna Koerstz Madsen was playing in the final pairing of a major championship for the first time on Sunday at the AIG Women’s Open. Going into the round, she was obviously nervous. The Dane was holding a 54-hole co-lead for the first time in her LPGA Tour career, looking to become the seventh Rolex First-Time Winner of the season.
“I was nervous all day,” said Koerstz Madsen. “Did really well in trying to still hit good shots, trying not to make mistakes and on 18, I tried to not make a mistake and that was the only thing I shouldn't do.”
Koerstz Madsen went birdie-bogey-birdie on Nos. 4-6, then raced back up the leaderboard with birdies on Nos. 11, 12 and 14 to hold the solo lead before a bogey on 15. Teeing off on the 18th, she was tied for the lead with Anna Nordqvist. Her approach from the fairway landed in the right greenside bunker, leading to an unfortunate slice on the 72nd hole, where the ball landed on the opposite side of the hole and off the green. A double bogey to close out the day and a tie for fifth weren’t the two prizes Koerstz Madsen was hoping for, but in the end, she said she takes away a wealth of knowledge, confidence and experience from her week at Carnoustie.
“I'm really proud,” said Koerstz Madsen. “I had a chance all the way till 18, also on 18 fairway. So I haven't even had a chance on the back nine on a Sunday yet, so I'm very pleased and I now have a way to get there, and I just need to finish the last hole, as well. I'm really proud of what I've been working on and I do believe that it's going to come in the future.”
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