AIG Women’s Open R4

Women’s Open 2021 R4
August 19-22
Carnoustie Golf Links, Carnoustie, Scotland
$5,800,000
Round 1, Round 2, Round 3

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

Anna Nordqvist claimed her third Major title after a thrilling success at the AIG Women’s Open at Carnoustie.

“I’ve been waiting for this win for a while (first win since 2017). There have been a lot of downs and hard times so this makes it feel even sweeter. I could only dream of winning the AIG Women’s Open.”

Women’s Open 2021 R4

The Swede closed with an excellent three-under-par 69 for a 12-under-par total and a one-shot victory over a trio of players over the famous links.

Nordqvist was level with Denmark’s Nanna Koerstz Madsen on the closing hole and the 34-year-old’s solid par-4 was good enough to triumph as her playing partner slipped to a double bogey.

Women’s Open 2021 R4

“I obviously played really solid in the beginning today. I hit a great hybrid in there on the sixth to two-putt for birdie. I managed to get the round going.

“I feel like things have been coming together. I saw a lot of good things coming last year and a lot of good things happening this year. To be able to get things clicking, I felt like last week at the Scottish Open I played really well. I hit the ball really well in that wind so I think that was a confidence boost for me. There’s just something about golf that keeps driving me.”

Women’s Open 2021 R4

Nordqvist, who won the Women’s PGA Championship in 2009 and the Evian Championship in 2017, celebrated with her husband, Kevin McAlpine, who hails from Dundee.

England’s Georgia Hall, the 2018 Champion, Lizette Salas from the USA and another Swede, Madelene Sagstrom, all finished tied second on 11-under-par. Koerstz Madsen had to settle for a share of fifth place with Minjee Lee from Australia on 10-under-par.

“I thought five or six-under-par was needed today so I’m very happy with the way I played,” said Hall. “I had some good eagles that helped me along the way. Walking down the last, obviously in a very different position to three years ago, it’s still the best feeling in the world contending at a tournament. My driving has been very consistent so that helped me hit a lot of fairways to make birdie chances.”

Nordqvist, a past winner of the R&A Girls’ and Women’s Amateur championships, ignited her final-day success with three birdies in four holes from the sixth before a key par-3 save at the testing 16th.

Women’s Open 2021 R4

A host of challengers mounted their bid on a star-studded leaderboard during a dramatic final day at the Angus venue, most notably Hall who eagled both the 6th and 12th holes in her 67. Salas, the runner-up in 2019, also had a chance on the 18th to reach 12-under-par but just missed.

“I’m not going to try to dwell on what could have happened. I played really well and I putted well, too,” said Salas. “Yeah, I think I played well all week. I only had a few bogeys, I kept it out of trouble, and I stayed patient coming down the stretch. I had some crucial up-and-downs and I’m really proud of how I finished. I think it was a great championship.”

It was Nordqvist’s day, as she claimed the winner’s cheque of $870,000 as part of the new largest prize fund in women’s major championship golf.

Coming out on top of the international field of 144 players, which contained as many as 32 nationalities, Nordqvist lifted the iconic trophy in front of the delighted Carnoustie crowds.

With the fans enjoying glorious spells of afternoon sunshine – total attendance for the week was 28,758 – Louise Duncan shone to claim the prestigious Smyth Salver for leading amateur.

Women’s Open 2021 R4

Ahead of her Curtis Cup debut at Conwy in Wales next week, the Scot raised hopes of a title challenge after making a birdie on the first to sit one off the lead. In the end, the 21-year-old had to settle for a level-par round of 72 and a tie for 10th place on seven-under-par, which secures her return for the 2022 AIG Women’s Open at Muirfield.

“I thought I handled it very well. I thought I would crumble a wee bit but seemed to hold my nerve out there and played well on the last day which was ultimately my goal,” said Duncan. “The fans were definitely out there. It was great to hear them cheering for me and I can’t thank them enough. I’ll definitely take this into the next few events and see whatever comes my way.”

Duncan joins an impressive roll of honour to claim the Smyth Salver, including Major champions Michelle Wie West (2005), Nordqvist (2008), Danielle Kang (2011), Lydia Ko (2012, 2013) and Hall (2013).

Women’s Open 2021 R4

Pos.	Player	To Par	Scores	Total
1	Anna Nordqvist	-12	71-71-65-69	276
T2	Georgia Hall	-11	68-69-73-67	277
T2	Madelene Sagstrom	-11	67-73-69-68	277
T2	Lizette Salas	-11	69-69-70-69	277
T5	Minjee Lee	-10	71-69-72-66	278
T5	Nanna Koerstz Madsen	-10	70-69-68-71	278
T7	Patty Tavatanakit	-9	71-72-69-67	279
T7	Leonie Harm	-9	70-73-69-67	279
9	Moriya Jutanugarn	-8	72-67-71-70	280
T10	Marissa Steen	-7	73-70-69-69	281
T10	Ariya Jutanugarn	-7	71-71-68-71	281
T10	Louise Duncan (a)	-7	68-73-68-72	281
T13	Stephanie Kyriacou	-6	72-70-71-69	282
T13	Mina Harigae	-6	70-67-76-69	282
T13	Leona Maguire	-6	72-67-72-71	282
T13	Brooke M. Henderson	-6	71-69-70-72	282
T13	Nelly Korda	-6	67-73-70-72	282
T13	Yealimi Noh	-6	70-69-71-72	282
T13	Sei Young Kim	-6	67-71-72-72	282
T20	Alice Hewson	-5	73-70-71-69	283
T20	Matilda Castren	-5	73-68-72-70	283
T20	Ayaka Furue	-5	74-70-67-72	283
T20	Lexi Thompson	-5	69-70-70-74	283
T24	Paula Reto	-4	72-70-72-70	284
T24	Wichanee Meechai	-4	71-68-73-72	284
T26	Elizabeth Szokol	-3	72-72-71-70	285
T26	Nasa Hataoka	-3	70-72-71-72	285
T26	Sanna Nuutinen	-3	70-71-68-76	285
T29	Haeji Kang	-2	73-72-72-69	286
T29	Albane Valenzuela	-2	70-73-73-70	286
T29	Stacy Lewis	-2	73-71-71-71	286
T29	Lydia Ko	-2	72-71-72-71	286
T29	Gaby Lopez	-2	70-73-71-72	286
T34	Carlota Ciganda	-1	69-75-72-71	287
T34	Angel Yin	-1	73-72-70-72	287
T34	Perrine Delacour	-1	73-71-71-72	287
T34	Hinako Shibuno	-1	70-70-72-75	287
T34	Su Oh	-1	71-69-71-76	287
T39	Megan Khang	E	77-66-71-74	288
T39	Yuka Saso	E	68-71-74-75	288
T39	Brittany Lincicome	E	71-72-69-76	288
T42	Brittany Altomare	+1	70-75-74-70	289
T42	Lauren Walsh (a)	+1	74-69-76-70	289
T42	Emily Kristine Pedersen	+1	71-74-72-72	289
T42	Nicole Broch Larsen	+1	75-68-74-72	289
T42	Eun-Hee Ji	+1	72-69-73-75	289
T42	Jenny Shin	+1	71-71-71-76	289
T48	Gerina Piller	+2	72-70-73-75	290
T48	Jeongeun Lee6	+2	72-72-70-76	290
T48	Hannah Green	+2	73-70-71-76	290
T48	Atthaya Thitikul	+2	71-73-68-78	290
T52	Inbee Park	+3	70-75-77-69	291
T52	Jenny Coleman	+3	72-69-77-73	291
T52	Pajaree Anannarukarn	+3	72-72-68-79	291
T55	Andrea Lee	+4	68-75-80-69	292
T55	Marina Alex	+4	72-70-75-75	292
T55	Kelsey MacDonald	+4	75-70-71-76	292
58	Lauren Stephenson	+5	71-73-74-75	293
T59	Jessica Korda	+6	73-72-77-72	294
T59	Chella Choi	+6	71-72-78-73	294
T61	Christine Wolf	+7	73-72-78-72	295
T61	Aditi Ashok	+7	71-74-75-75	295
T61	Annabell Fuller (a)	+7	71-73-76-75	295
64	Jennifer Kupcho	+8	71-73-79-73	296
65	Felicity Johnson	+9	75-69-74-79	297
66	Laura Davies	+16	74-70-78-82	304
	Austin Ernst	CUT	76-70	146
	Ssu-Chia Cheng	CUT	75-71	146
	Jennifer Song	CUT	75-71	146
	Mi Hyang Lee	CUT	73-73	146
	Sarah Schmelzel	CUT	73-73	146
	Emma Talley	CUT	73-73	146
	Lindsey Weaver	CUT	73-73	146
	Celine Herbin	CUT	72-74	146
	Alison Lee	CUT	72-74	146
	Rose Zhang (a)	CUT	72-74	146
	Trichat Cheenglab	CUT	78-69	147
	A Lim Kim	CUT	76-71	147
	Cydney Clanton	CUT	75-72	147
	Gabriella Cowley	CUT	75-72	147
	Amy Yang	CUT	75-72	147
	Ashleigh Buhai	CUT	73-74	147
	Kristen Gillman	CUT	73-74	147
	Maha Haddioui	CUT	73-74	147
	Whitney Hillier	CUT	73-74	147
	Bronte Law	CUT	73-74	147
	Agathe Sauzon	CUT	73-74	147
	Celine Boutier	CUT	72-75	147
	Ally Ewing	CUT	72-75	147
	Sophia Popov	CUT	72-75	147
	Olivia Cowan	CUT	71-76	147
	Kylie Henry	CUT	71-76	147
	Charley Hull	CUT	77-71	148
	Sung Hyun Park	CUT	76-72	148
	Prima Thammaraks	CUT	76-72	148
	Serena Aoki	CUT	75-73	148
	Laura Fuenfstueck	CUT	75-73	148
	Christina Kim	CUT	75-73	148
	Johanna Gustavsson	CUT	74-74	148
	Esther Henseleit	CUT	72-76	148
	Angela Stanford	CUT	72-76	148
	Manon De Roey	CUT	76-73	149
	Chloe Williams	CUT	76-73	149
	Erika Hara	CUT	75-74	149
	Mel Reid	CUT	75-74	149
	In Gee Chun	CUT	74-75	149
	Azahara Munoz	CUT	74-75	149
	Marianne Skarpnord	CUT	74-75	149
	Karolin Lampert	CUT	73-76	149
	Magdalena Simmermacher	CUT	73-76	149
	Ryann O’Toole	CUT	71-78	149
	Cheyenne Knight	CUT	78-72	150
	Ursula Wikstrom	CUT	78-72	150
	Pia Babnik	CUT	77-73	150
	Gemma Dryburgh	CUT	76-74	150
	Jaye Marie Green	CUT	75-75	150
	Jodi Ewart Shadoff	CUT	73-77	150
	Mi Jung Hur	CUT	72-78	150
	Katherine Kirk	CUT	72-78	150
	Ingrid Lindblad (a)	CUT	77-74	151
	Tsubasa Kajitani (a)	CUT	76-75	151
	Danielle Kang	CUT	76-75	151
	Muni He	CUT	74-77	151
	Aline Krauter (a)	CUT	74-77	151
	Annabel Dimmock	CUT	73-78	151
	Nuria Iturrioz	CUT	78-74	152
	Giulia Molinaro	CUT	78-74	152
	Luna Sobron Galmes	CUT	78-74	152
	Pornanong Phatlum	CUT	75-77	152
	Caroline Masson	CUT	73-79	152
	Ana Belac	CUT	72-80	152
	Mo Martin	CUT	78-75	153
	Catriona Matthew	CUT	78-75	153
	Amy Olson	CUT	78-75	153
	Pernilla Lindberg	CUT	75-78	153
	Anne van Dam	CUT	75-78	153
	Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras	CUT	74-79	153
	Sarah Kemp	CUT	78-76	154
	So Yeon Ryu	CUT	76-78	154
	Lucie Malchirand	CUT	79-76	155
	Cloe Frankish	CUT	78-78	156
	Kirsten Rudgeley (a)	CUT	86-76	162
	Lee-Anne Pace	WD	73
	Jasmine Suwannapura	WD	75