Nelly Korda chips on the inexperienced at the 18th gap through the closing spherical of LPGA Ford Championship golf match Sunday, March 31, 2024, in Gilbert, Ariz.
| Photo Credit: AP
Nelly Korda received her hometown occasion in a playoff after closing eagle-birdie. She withstood brutal wind in Southern California to win in one other playoff final week.
The world No. 1 made it three straight by staying regular by means of a soggy Sunday within the desert.
Korda turned the primary LPGA Tour participant in eight years to win three straight begins, capturing a 7-under 65 to rally for for a two-stroke victory within the Ford Championship.
“It’s very hard mentally to be 100% especially after a win, especially playing in tough conditions,” Korda stated.
“So as boring as it sounds I was just taking it shot by shot and seeing where I was going to end up. To get three in a row, that’s just a dream come true.” Korda received the Drive On Championship in late January in her hometown of Bradenton, Florida, earlier than sitting out all the LPGA Tour’s Asian swing. She was nonetheless sharp after a seven-week break, successful the Fir Hill Seri Pak Championship in a playoff final week exterior Los Angeles to transfer again atop the world rating.
Korda stayed regular by means of 4 days within the desert, coming into the ultimate spherical two pictures again by means of climate that bought progressively worse at Seville Golf and Country Club.
Korda practically holed out her second shot on the brief par-4 sixteenth to take the lead and birdied No. 18 to end at 20-under 268 for her eleventh profession LPGA victory. She’s the primary LPGA Tour participant to win three straight begins since Ariya Jutanugarn in 2016 and first American since Nancy Lopez received 5 straight 1978.
“(It) just honestly feels like a blur,” Korda stated. “Taking it day by day, really trying to stay very present and just played really good golf, solid golf in tough conditions today, which I’m very happy about.” Australian rookie Hira Naveed was in place to tie Korda after hitting her second shot excellent of the par-5 18th, however an detached chip led to a par. The former Pepperdine participant shot 66 to end second at 18 underneath in her second profession start.
Lexi Thompson briefly shared the lead and was inside a shot by means of 15 holes in her bid to win for the primary time since 2019. She hit driver on the sixteenth and despatched it manner proper into the water, main to a bogey.
Thompson additionally missed a brief par putt on No. 17 earlier than closing with a two-putt birdie on 18 to shoot 68. She completed in a five-way tie for fourth at 17 underneath.
“It was crazy conditions, but it was almost just like it gets to where it’s mental when it comes to these kind of conditions,” Thompson stated. “You just have to stay positive with it and know that pars are a good score. If you have a good number, take advantage of it; try to shoot for the pin and make some birdies.”
Temperatures dropped dramatically and regular rain fell many of the closing spherical, including a layer of problem at a match that began with two days of record-setting scores.
The inclement climate did little to gradual the leaders down, with 4 gamers tied for the lead and 11 inside two pictures early on the again 9.
Korda had consecutive birdies beginning on No. 4 to kick off her closing spherical and added one other on the par-4 ninth to flip in 3-under 33. She tied for the lead with a birdie on the par-5 twelfth and took it outright at 18 underneath by making a 6-foot birdie putt on 13.
Thompson and Haveed tied her, however Korda went again up along with her close to holeout on 16, establishing a birdie that gave her a one-shot lead. Korda hit a large drive on No. 18 and chipped to three toes for a closing birdie.
“Just tried to stay really aggressive and I knew I had to shoot a low one to be in contention,” Korda stated “Just played really smart golf out there today.”
Naveed made the record-low cut of 5 under on the number and raced up the leaderboard with a third-round 65 before the winds picked up. She pulled into a tie for the lead at 18 under with a birdie on the island par-3 17th, but left her chip on 18 about 20 feet short and missed the putt.
“It’s just breathing a sigh of relief really and just saying, All right, put your head down, there is scoring opportunities out there,’” Naveed stated. “Just go out there and try to do the best you can, commit to every shot, and try and hole some putts. So happy to do that on the weekend.” So is Korda after placing herself in place to make it 4 straight at the T-Mobile Match Play subsequent week in Las Vegas.
