Nelly Korda gained for the seventh time
Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Pictures
It’s nonetheless 2024, so Nelly Korda continues to be successful.
Korda began the ultimate day the closest purser and one again of Charley Hull on the ANNIKA Pushed by Gainbridge at Pelican, however had doubled that deficit after the entrance 9 after three early bogeys.
However then Korda caught the identical hearth that has led to one of many biggest seasons in LPGA historical past, making 5 birdies in a row to show a two-shot deficit right into a three-shot victory at 14 below, her seventh of the season, over Hull and two others.
“You need to have felt the nerves that I used to be feeling on the again 9, after which simply after taking a while off with an harm, it feels nice to be again out right here,” Korda mentioned. “Nothing like being within the hunt, the adrenaline feeling on the again 9, and being in rivalry. I like it a lot.”
Korda turns into the primary participant since Yani Tseng in 2011 to win 7 or extra titles in a season with only one occasion remaining on the schedule. Korda had already locked up the LPGA’s Rolex Participant of the 12 months award final week, regardless of not taking part in since September attributable to a neck harm.
She had one other huge week at Pelican, beginning it by teeing it up with girls’s basketball celebrity Caitlin Clark within the pro-am.
Now a win in subsequent week’s CME Group Tou Championship would make her the primary participant to eight victories in an LPGA season since Lorena Ochoa in 2007.
However on Sunday, that appeared removed from seemingly as she began poorly for the second straight day. She credited longtime caddie Jason McDede for serving to jumpstart her back-nine 30, a theme she has echoed all through the season.
Caitlin Clark tees it up with Nelly Korda, proves she is human | Rogers Report
“Not numerous comfortable ideas originally,” she mentioned. “However, yeah, I imply, I’ve such a terrific teammate. [McDede] and I’ve been collectively for I believe subsequent yr happening our ninth yr. Having him by my aspect clearly helps as a result of he is aware of what to say after I do get down on myself.”
Korda was additionally shocked on the 18th inexperienced by her brother, skilled tennis participant Sebastian Korda. Whereas Korda’s mother and father and typically sister and fellow LPGA professional Jessica have been mainstays in Nelly wins, she mentioned this was the primary time Sebastian had seen her win in individual.
“It’s fairly cool to observe her do her factor,” Sebastian Korda mentioned. “She’s executed so effectively this yr; labored unbelievably arduous. She’s gone via numerous issues and at all times comes again preventing and has simply gotten again to work. That’s one of the issues I like about her is simply how arduous of a employee she is.”
That is additionally Korda’s first win this season since altering from the putter that gained her first six titles earlier this yr, together with her second main on the Chevron Championship.
Earlier than the AIG Girls’s Open, Korda inserted a TaylorMade Spider Tour X with an L-neck and shorter sightline. She has saved it within the bag ever since, however attributable to harm, that is simply the fourth occasion Korda has gamed the brand new flatstick, together with the Solheim Cup.
Secure to say, it’s working.
