Anna Nordqvist retires after 18 years, becomes Solheim Cup captain

Anna Nordqvist, the Swedish golfer, ended her 18-year professional playing career at the FM Championship on Sunday. She finished with a level-par final round and one-under-par for the tournament. Immediately after, she will lead Team Europe into the Solheim Cup as captain, just 12 days after her farewell. Her career is remarkable: 16 wins, including 3 majors, and 19 top-10 finishes in majors. She also made nine consecutive Solheim Cup appearances, winning five times. Fellow player Ariya Jutanugarn made her emotional on the first hole, and Lydia Ko gifted her a bottle of champagne. Nordqvist spent the last 18 months preparing for the captaincy. 'I want to be remembered as someone who never gave up,' she said. She left the course smiling, ready for the next chapter at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands.