Anna Nordqvist closed the chapter on an 18‑year professional golf career with an emotional farewell at the FM Championship on Sunday, just 12 days before she steps into the role of European 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 Boston would host her final round, finished her last tournament on the ninth green at TPC Boston surrounded by fellow competitors and their caddies. She posted a level‑par 72 in the final round, ending the week one stroke under par and sealing a dignified exit. Over the span of her career, Nordqvist amassed 16 professional victories, three of which are major championships, and recorded 19 top‑10 finishes in majors.
She also contributed to five Solheim Cup triumphs across nine straight appearances, cementing her status as one of the most accomplished European golfers of her generation. Her résumé places her among the elite, with a legacy that will be remembered for both consistency and resilience. The emotional moment was highlighted by a warm embrace from LPGA Hall of Famer Pat Bradley, while her 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 the legendary Swede.
"Nothing ever prepares you for this moment. I'm definitely going to miss it," Nordqvist said, her voice tinged with both sadness and gratitude. "A 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 done for me.
I came out 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 asked about how she would like to be remembered, Nordqvist reflected on the non‑linear nature of a sporting career. "So many people think your career is a straight line upwards. I feel like I've gone through a lot of ups and downs both on and off the course.
What I want to be remembered for is the fact that I never gave up," she explained. She recalled moments when she seriously considered quitting in 2012 and 2013, saying that her younger brother’s decision to caddie for her that summer likely saved her career. "If my brother hadn't come out and caddied for me, I don't think I would be sitting here.
So he saved my career," she added. Nordqvist’s first major came in her rookie season in 2009, and she later added the Evian Championship in 2017. However, the victory that holds the most personal significance is her triumph at the 2021 AIG Women’s Open at Carnoustie.
"It's still one of those moments I pinch myself for," she said. "Did this really happen? No one can ever take that away from me, and it's definitely the most proud moment of my career." Her nine consecutive Solheim Cup appearances resulted in 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 role she has been preparing for over the past 18 months.
"All the work you put in, you put in for others to prepare for that one week," Nordqvist noted. "The satisfaction of seeing your hard work pay off won’t be until the actual Solheim Cup.
Hopefully the players will see all the hard work that me and the rest of the background team have put in, because it really takes a village to make an event like that happen." Family has been a central theme in Nordqvist’s decision to step away from competition. She admitted that the demanding schedule caused her to miss many birthdays over two decades, and she looks forward to reuniting with nieces and nephews in the Netherlands in two weeks, where Bernardus Golf will host her first assignment as captain. The farewell gifts began even before the final round.
Former world No. 1 Lydia Ko presented her with a bottle of champagne earlier in the week, which turned out to be from 2009—the year Nordqvist’s rookie season began. A second bottle, dated 2017, commemorated her Evian Championship win, providing a symbolic bookend to her playing career.
The tournament concluded with China’s Ruoning Yin claiming the title by two strokes over South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim, who finished with a two‑under‑70 and a birdie on the final hole. Yin’s victory marked her sixth career win and placed her among a select group of players who have captured six LPGA titles, including a major, before turning 24—a distinction previously held by Nelly Korda. Yin’s decisive moment came on the closing par‑five, where she ignored caddie David Jones’s conservative advice and went for the pin, a risk that paid off.
Other notable finishes included Allisen Corpuz in third place, while World No. 1 Nelly Korda tied for 50th in what turned out to be her final tournament before the Solheim Cup. English teammates Charley Hull and Lottie Woad tied for 18th and 27th respectively. The LPGA and Ladies European Tours will now pause for a week ahead of the 20th Solheim Cup, scheduled to be played at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands.
Team Europe hopes to reclaim the trophy from the United States. The opening ceremony of the Solheim Cup will be broadcast live on Thursday, September 10, at 4 p.m. on Sky Sports+, followed by comprehensive coverage across all three days of the biennial event on Sky Sports Golf. Coverage begins at 6 a.m.
on Friday, September 11, and continues with two sessions each day, culminating in a singles showdown on Sunday, September 13, starting at 9 a.m. Golf enthusiasts can also explore deals on Sky Sports or stream the action without a contract via NOW. Beyond the competition, the event offers fans the chance to book tee times at over 1,700 courses throughout the UK and Ireland, ensuring that the excitement of the Solheim Cup extends far beyond the tournament itself.