Anna Nordqvist closed the curtain on an 18‑year professional playing career with a heartfelt farewell at the FM Championship on Sunday, just 12 days before she steps into the role of Team Europe captain for the Solheim Cup, a match that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. The 39‑year‑old Swede, who earlier this week confirmed that the Boston venue would host her final round, completed her last round on the ninth green at TPC Boston surrounded by teammates, caddies and friends. She posted a level‑par 72 for the day, finishing the tournament one stroke under par for the week. Over the span of her career Nordqvist amassed 16 tour victories, three of which were major championships, and she recorded 19 top‑10 finishes in majors.
Her Solheim Cup résumé is equally impressive, featuring five team victories across nine consecutive appearances. In the context of European golf, her résumé places her among the most accomplished players of her generation.
The emotional moment was amplified when LPGA Hall of Famer Pat Bradley embraced her, and playing partner Ariya Jutanugarn moved her to tears on the very first hole by expressing how honored she felt to share the final round with a Swedish legend. "Nothing ever prepares you for this moment.
I'm definitely going to miss it," Nordqvist said, her voice wavering. "Part of me feels like I still have so much more left in me, but I'm forever grateful for everything this game and the LPGA family have given me. I arrived on tour in 2009 as a 21‑year‑old with no family in the United States, and everyone has been such a huge support." When pressed about the legacy she hopes to leave, Nordqvist reflected, "People often picture a career as a straight line upward.
In reality, I've experienced many peaks and valleys both on and off the course. I want to be remembered for never giving up." She recalled the dark moments in 2012 and 2013 when she seriously considered quitting. "If my younger brother hadn't stepped in to caddie for me that summer, I don't think I would be standing here today. He literally saved my career." Nordqvist's first major arrived in her rookie season in 2009, and she later added the Evian Championship in 2017.
However, the triumph that she cherishes most is the 2021 AIG Women's Open at Carnoustie. "It still feels like a dream," she said. "Did this really happen? No one can ever take that away from me, and it remains the proudest moment of my career." Her nine straight Solheim Cup selections produced five European victories, and after serving as a playing vice‑captain in the two most recent editions, she now turns her full attention to the captaincy—a responsibility she has been preparing for over the past 18 months.
"All the work you put in is for others to benefit during that one week of competition," she explained. "The real satisfaction will come when we see our preparation translate into performance at the Cup. It truly takes a village to make an event of that magnitude happen." Family considerations have also guided her decision to retire. Nordqvist admitted that the demanding schedule caused her to miss many birthdays over two decades.
In two weeks she will travel to the Netherlands, where Bernardus Golf will host the opening chapter of her post‑playing life, and her nieces and nephews will be waiting for her. The farewell gifts began even before the final round. Former world No. 1 Lydia Ko presented Nordqvist with a bottle of vintage champagne earlier in the week.
At first, Nordqvist was unsure what the drink was, noting, "I don't drink a lot, so I had to figure it out." The bottle turned out to be from 2009—the year her rookie season began—making it a symbolic token. A second bottle, from 2017, the year she captured the Evian Championship on home soil, was waiting for her as she stepped off the course.
"My mascara is obviously waterproof, so that's a good sign," she joked, smiling through the tears. The tournament itself was won by China's Ruoning Yin, who edged out South Korea's Hyo Joo Kim by two strokes, posting a final‑round 70 that included a decisive birdie on the last hole.
Yin's victory marked her sixth career win and, together with her 2023 KPMG Women's PGA Championship, placed her among an elite group of players who have secured six LPGA titles—including a major—before turning 24. Her decisive moment came on the 12th hole, where she ignored caddie David Jones' conservative advice and attacked the pin, a risk that paid off. Kim's challenge unraveled after a three‑putt bogey on the 16th, while fellow South Korean Sei Young Kim dropped four strokes over three holes after an earlier chip‑in lead, ultimately sharing fourth place with Rose Zhang. World No.
1 Nelly Korda finished tied‑50th in what will be her final event before the Solheim Cup, while England's Charley Hull and Lottie Woad tied for 18th and 27th respectively. Both the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour will observe a brief hiatus before the 20th edition of the Solheim Cup, set to be contested at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands.
Team Europe hopes to reclaim the trophy from the United States. The opening ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, 10 September, at 4 p.m. on Sky Sports+, followed by round‑the‑clock coverage across the three‑day event on Sky Sports Golf, with sessions beginning at 6 a.m.
on Friday and Saturday and singles play kicking off at 9 a.m. on Sunday, 13 September.
Viewers can also stream the action via NOW without a contract.