Nordqvist wins LPGA Championship

HAVRE DE GRACE, Maryland (Reuters) - U.S. Tour rookie Anna Nordqvist held off a late charge by Australian Lindsey Wright and won the LPGA Championship going away, taking a four-stroke victory at Bulle Rock Sunday.

Nordqvist shot a four-under-par 68 in the final round, capping it off with a four-foot birdie at the last, for a total of 15-under 273.

The Swede made the women's major her first victory in an LPGA tournament in her fifth start on the circuit.

Nordqvist, who won last year's British Amateur title and was competing in her first major as a professional, began the round with a two-shot lead over Wright and stretched it to five by the seventh hole.

Wright, playing in the final pairing with Nordqvist, stormed back with birdies at eight and nine. A birdie at the par-three 12th brought the Australian within two of the Swede.

Then Nordqvist, who had putted superbly throughout the championship, produced her first three-putt of the tournament to bogey the 13th and drop to 12 under par, just one shot ahead of the Australian.

However, the tall Swede rose to the challenge.

Nordqvist, world-ranked 214th, drained a 35-foot birdie putt at the 14th and followed with a 14-footer for birdie at 15 to restore a comfortable lead.

Finishing tied for third place was British Open winner Shin Ji-yai, who shot 68 for 10-under-par 278, one stroke better than her fellow South Korean Bae Kyeong, who posted 68 for 279.

Americans Nicole Castrale, Angela Stanford and Kristy McPherson were knotted at eight-under-par 280.

(Editing by Dave Thompson)