Nordqvist's form can land her the title

Dubai: Anna Nordqvist had hoped to gain rich experience from her rookie season on the Ladies European Tour in 2009. On Saturday, when the Dubai Ladies Masters signals the end of the 2009 calendar, the Swede could leave with at least one title.

Nordqvist is at the summit of the Ryder Cup Wales Rookie of the Year standings after scripting three Top 10s finishes on the LET and with 80,791 in the bag she has a healthy lead of over 20,000 euros (Dh108,164.28) over second placed Florentyna Parker of England. Nordqvist's success on the LPGA Tour has been even bigger and better. She claimed two victories, including a Major, when she won the LPGA Championship, in only her fifth start on the Tour and also won the LPGA Tour Championship.

The 22-year-old is among the top players teeing off at the Emirates Golf Club, the venue of the Dubai Ladies Masters. Her tournament didn't start as well as she had hoped, with an even-par-72, which put her six strokes off the pace set by countrywoman Maria Hjorth, who finished with a six-under-66. However, Nordqvist is confident of recovering over the next three days as she says she has a lot of positive people around her to keep her motivated.

"It's been a big learning experience. I'm just going to keep working hard. I have a lot of good people around me and that helps. This is a great course and it suits my eye. I had heard so much about this tournament and I always wanted to come down here so I'm excited about the days ahead," said Nordqvist, who is also seventh in the Women's World Rankings.

"I'll make a few changes and just continue what I'm doing and hopefully I'll have some success."

Nordqvist says tweaks to her golf set-up early in the year helped her step up to the winners circle. "I changed my swing coach in March and started working with Henry Rice and I feel that really worked wonders. It has done a lot for my short game. I have also been working with a new caddie since the Solheim Cup. It's been a lot of fun really and I think I've got a good team out there. Those were the two main changes I made and I think that made the difference.

"I've been working hard as well and it was sad that I didn't get the chance to play in more tournaments, so just getting the opportunity to play and be out in this environment really helps."

Nordqvist says she would have loved to be part of the playing party when sporting idol Annika Sorenstam was around. "I've never had the chance to be on Tour the same time as her so in that respect I'm a bit too late, but she's done so much for the game of golf and she's really inspired me to get this far."