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THE EVIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

September 17, 2017

Anna Nordqvist

Evian-les-Bains, France

CHRISTINA LANCE: Well, it's much warmer in here, Anna, than it is outside, and we're very happy to welcome into the nice, warm media center our 2017 Evian champion, Anna Nordqvist.

Anna, congratulations. I know for me, it's still a whirlwind. I can only imagine how it is for you. How are you feeling?

ANNA NORDQVIST: Yeah, I'm still trying to catch my breath or trying to get warm. Just really speechless right now, and that usually doesn't happen.

CHRISTINA LANCE: Well, you had a wonderful comeback today; if I remember correctly, it was a five-stroke comeback for your victory. As you were standing over your putt on that first playoff hole, what was running through your mind?

ANNA NORDQVIST: Well, I mean, 18 was playing so hard. So we pretty much knew it was going to play as a par 5, and I think I had 135 in. I was hitting 6-iron, which is usually my 165 club. I actually didn't that bad of a shot.

Hit a great chip shot and then she made a great comebacker there.

My playing partner had a similar putt this morning, or this afternoon, so I knew it was going to break a little bit. But definitely a little bit nervous and just very excited when I saw it go in.

CHRISTINA LANCE: One last question from me before I open it up. Two months ago, roughly, you were diagnosed with mono. I know two months after I had mono I was not able to do anything like this. How did you get the willpower to come out and put on this charge that we saw from you today?

ANNA NORDQVIST: Yeah, it's been 2 1/2 months since I was diagnosed with mono. It was during U.S. Open, and it wasn't -- I wasn't feeling very well that week, but still battled through; eventually found out that I had mono.

The last couple months have been tough. I love competing and I prove practicing, and staying in bed hasn't been the most exciting. Solheim Cup ended up being my goal. I wanted to play for Annika and I really wanted to make that team.

It was really about forcing myself to rest so I could tee it up, but I was exhausted after. I ended up teeing it up last week and then coming back here, but I hate to give up. My grandpa was always my biggest role model. He always used to tell me to never give up, and that's what I never did today.

CHRISTINA LANCE: We're very happy to have you here today.

Q. Did all that make this sweeter? Do you think it feels sweeter because of all that you had to overcome?
ANNA NORDQVIST: Definitely. I played a -- the few tournaments that I have played the last couple weeks, I feel like I've played pretty well, and I had a great Solheim Cup.

But definitely knowing -- you know, I felt so well rested last week, and even teeing it up on the first tee this week; it's the middle of summer, but I was so excited just to play, and usually I'm exhausted about this time of year. But then now I'm rested and I'm very keen to play. So this week was all about, you know, being excited to play. But definitely having the start that I had the last coupling weeks made it even sweeter.

Q. Can you share with us a little about your grandfather?
ANNA NORDQVIST: Yeah, my grandfather passed away a few years ago and it's been really tough for me. He used to always be my biggest supporter. He used to always send me text messages or e-mails, and it used to be to never give up and everything -- I refuse to withdraw.

The U.S. Open was a typical example. I didn't feel very well but I refused to not play once I teed off.

Even today, I didn't get off to the best start, even though I felt like I was hitting it pretty good. Then caught some momentum on 6 when I made a putt there, and definitely, you know, just keeping my head high and just remember to never give up.

Q. Was your grandfather a sports person?
ANNA NORDQVIST: No, but he loved following me and watching me play.

Q. Did he teach you at all?
ANNA NORDQVIST: No.

Q. You say never give up, but coming off the fifth, you're not just seven shots behind Moriya. There's about 15 other players ahead of you. At that point, are you thinking that you're still in it?
ANNA NORDQVIST: I mean, I went out there today, just trying to focus on my score. I was actually playing pretty good yesterday and I wasn't too excited leaving the ninth green with a bogey yesterday.

So I just felt like I wanted to go out there today and focus on what I could do. Winning didn't really cross my mind until I was having a great couple birdies and eagles there down the stretch.

But I just tried to keep my head high today. It's a tough golf course, and just really proud of myself for even putting myself in the situation to win.

Q. Got a little gnarly out there in the playoff. Have you ever had played in hail before, and do you think maybe you might stop play at some point during that?
ANNA NORDQVIST: Well, I mean, when it starts hailing, we're over the third shot and they tell us to go; I guess we go.

But I did grow up in Sweden, even though -- I mean, I've been in the US for ten years now, so there's no -- you know, I really struggle with the cold, and I couldn't feel my hands on the last few shots in the playoff.

But definitely, I mean, growing up, I played a lot in bad conditions and even during winters with all the guys at the club. So I feel like I'm pretty used to bad conditions but that was probably some of the worst I've seen.

Q. Can you just remind me, I feel like you made some changes to your team earlier in the year with your swing coach.
ANNA NORDQVIST: Yeah, I mean, this year, I tried to cut down my team a little bit. I tried to, it's just very easy to surround yourself with a lot of people and listen to a lot. So I tried to just a little more do my own thing, and that's kind of been a goal all year.

I was on my own without a swing coach for a few months, and I started working with Cameron McCormick just the week before the U.S. Open this year. We've been working quite a bit on my short game, and a little bit on the swing. It's been fun.

But I like to keep it light, and it's a little bit less people around. I knew I was close, finishing second at the U.S. Open last year, so I was trying to stay patient. But winning this week, obviously made a lot of the hard work worthwhile.

Q. Can you go back to that second place at the U.S. Open?
ANNA NORDQVIST: I shot -- I think I shot 67, 5-under par the final round on the course when I think one more player broke 70. So I knew I could play really well on a Sunday.

Obviously I didn't really have many expectations going into today, other than just trying to, you know, play well. But yeah, I didn't win that playoff but I think it definitely helped me a little bit today knowing that I've been in a playoff before.

Q. I would like to know, what were you thinking when you did a great chip? Are you thinking you're going to win?
ANNA NORDQVIST: No, I mean, it was a decent lie, and I knew it was going to be pretty wet. So I just tried to focus on where I was going to hit it. It just came out great and was obviously very pleased, but I felt like it was in a good angle into the pin there, having the green a little bit pitched into me. So I knew I could be pretty aggressive.

CHRISTINA LANCE: I'll close with one more question. It had to be quite an honor to take that win with Gary Player and Annika Sorenstam, two of the game's greatest names standing just off the green.

ANNA NORDQVIST: Yeah, definitely. I didn't know Gary Player was here. I got to meet him for the first time in China end of last year, and I was very surprised about his demeanor and how positive and happy. He'll probably come down for a picture there on the 18th green. But yeah, I was excited to see him.

An I can't, Annika was a really good captain for us at the Solheim Cup this year. I was very impressed with the way she made us believe in ourselves, and yeah, we didn't win, but I feel like at the end, we were all winners. Yeah, Annika has been a huge role model and a huge inspiration for me and it's great to see her this week.

CHRISTINA LANCE: Well, we'll close. Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen, our 2017 Evian champion, Anna Nordqvist.

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