"THESE ARE THE MOMENTS I LIVE FOR"

Alison Root sits down for a chat with Anna Nordqvist, the three-time Major Champion and first playing assistant captain in Solheim Cup history

- Anna Nordqvist

To say the last 18 months have been tough for three-time Major Champion Anna Nordqvist would be an understatement. The 37-year-old Swedish golfer has endured challenges that no-one should face at her age, including divorce proceedings and the sudden passing of her husband of two years, Kevin McAlpine, the former caddie of Lexi Thompson.

While taking one step at a time to rebuild her life on and off the golf course, Nordqvist remains a fighter with a burning desire to win. Whether or not she makes this year's European Solheim Cup team for her ninth appearance as a player, she will be at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia as an assistant captain for the second time, serving alongside Caroline Martens, Dame Laura Davies and Melissa Reid under captain Suzann Pettersen, who she describes as one of her best friends.

At the Aramco Team Series London at the Centurion Club, I had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Nordqvist about the Solheim Cup and her role as assistant captain...

It’s no secret that you’ve gone through a very difficult time, so how are you doing?

The last year-and-a-half has been very tough and possibly too much for me to handle. Even though I’m doing a lot better than I have been, it’s all been taking a big toll on me and I’m mentally very exhausted. They say time heals a lot of things, but it’s been trying to go back to competing, trying to rebuild my life on and off the course. I think I just need to accept that it’s going to take me some more time. There are days where I’m smiling and then there are days I feel very overwhelmed, but in general, I just feel very exhausted.

You were the first playing assistant captain in Solheim Cup history last year at Finca Cortesin in Spain. Tell us about your experience there...