Galloway, NJ (SportsNetwork.com) - Anna Nordqvist carded a 2-under 69 in Sunday's final round and came from behind to win the ShopRite LPGA Classic by one stroke.
Nordqvist ended her fifth LPGA Tour win at 8-under-par 205. This was her first victory this season, but her third since February 2014.
"I worked really hard last week at home. I saw a lot of my team members to try to get my mind straight, and just keep me in the game and keep focusing on the good things," Nordqvist said. "I've been playing really solid all year, but hadn't gotten the win until today."
Christel Boeljon closed with a 3-under 68 to grab second place at minus-7. Morgan Pressel, who led after the first two rounds, stumbled to a 2-over 73 to fall into a share of third at 5-under-par 208. She was joined there by Kelly Shon (70).
Austin Ernst, who made the cut on the number, fired a 7-under 64 on the Bay Course at Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club to soar into a share of fifth. Ernst ended alongside Karrie Webb (66), Inbee Park (68), Mirim Lee (69) and Gerina Piller (71) at minus-4.
Stacy Lewis, the 2014 winner, managed a 1-under 70 and tied for 51st at 2- over-par 215.
Pressel, who led by one to start the day, moved to 8-under as she birdied the par-5 third. After a pair of pars, a poor chip at the sixth led to a bogey, which dropped her into a share of the lead with Boeljon and Nordqvist.
At the par-3 seventh, Pressel's tee shot came up well short. After chipping on, she 3-putted for double-bogey, which dropped her to minus-5.
That left Boeljon and Nordqvist alone in the lead at minus-7. Boeljon birdied the first, third and seventh to get there, while Nordqvist has six pars and a birdie at the fourth to move to 7-under.
Nordqvist's approach at the eighth bounced over the green and she failed to get up and down for par. She atoned for that bogey with an 8-foot birdie effort at the ninth.
After Pressel inched back within one, Boeljon birdied the 10th from four feet out to grab the lead at 8-under. Pressel made it two in a row as she birdied No. 10 to again move within one.
Nordqvist, who was in the final group with Pressel, also birdied the 10th to join Boeljon at minus-8. Boeljon dropped a shot at 13, then Pressel bogeyed 14 to give Nordqvist some breathing room.
The Swede missed a short par effort at the 15th to slip into a share of the lead with Boeljon. Nordqvist came right back with birdies at 16 and 17, both from inside eight feet, to jump to 9-under.
Boeljon missed a birdie putt at the 18th from inside three feet. That would have gotten her within one.
Nordqvist needed that extra shot as she also faltered to a bogey at the last to win by one.
"It was really tough this week and today was very windy. So I'm very proud of myself," stated Nordqvist. "Today, I played 15 as well as I could, it's such a hard pin there. You really don't want to leave it short there. I felt like I hit two good putts there, but made a bogey, and then a great putt on 16 and a great putt on 17. We kind of made a mess on 18 with the layup, but I'm very proud and very fortunate."
NOTES: Nordqvist has finished inside the top-13 in all six of her appearances at this event ... Nordqvist earned $225,000 for the win ... The LPGA Tour heads to Ontario next week for the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic, where Park will defend her title.
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