Coach not surprised with rookie's win

HAVRE DE GRACE, Maryland (Reuters) - Swedish golf coach Katarina Vangdal was more impressed than surprised that her star pupil Anna Nordqvist was able to capture the LPGA Championship on Sunday in her first major as a professional.

"She's been winning, not at this level, but she's used to winning," coach Vangdal told Reuters on Sunday as she followed the 22-year-old Swede around the Bulle Rock course.

"That's not a new thing for her."

Nordqvist won last year's British Amateur and won the European Tour Qualifying School tournament. At Arizona State University she was named U.S. college Freshman of the Year.

Winning in a major was brand new, however, and Vangdal contributed to celebrations by showering Nordqvist in a spray of champagne on the 18th green before the trophy presentation.

Nordqvist's four-stroke LPGA Championship triumph over runner-up Lindsey Wright of Australia, came in only her fifth start on the U.S. tour.

"She was good early, at 15, 16 years old," said Vangdal, who has coached Nordqvist since her years in junior golf with the Swedish national team.

"Everything she does is for the long term, no shortcuts. She works hard, very good quality in everything she does.

"That's been her approach for a long time, practicing hard with high quality. She's doing things for the long run."

With Annika Sorenstam as her role model, Nordqvist projects a stoic calm on the course and focuses on her own game.

"She was just coming here to learn, to get experience," the coach said. "Get to know the course, get to know the life. That was her goal for this week. She never talked about winning."

Then the putts began to fall and the tall Swede was one shot off the pace in the first round, took the lead in the second round and never let go.

"Her putting has been very good this week," the coach said. "Her wins in her career have had good putting, too, but as solid as this week, I haven't seen."

Nordqvist needed only 101 putts, 12 fewer than Wright.

"I'm really proud of her," the coach said. "I like the way she handled the situation.

"As good as she was doing, I'm not surprised. She has played like this many times, but not in this situation. Impressed is the better word."

(Editing by Ian Ransom)