Nelly Korda finished 7th
Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images
It’s still 2024, so Nelly Korda still wins.
Korda started the final day the closest player to Charley Hull in the ANNIKA Driven by Gainbridge in the Pelican, but doubled that deficit on the back nine after three early bogeys.
But Korda then caught the same fire that led to one of the greatest seasons in LPGA history, making five consecutive birdies to turn a two-shot deficit into a three-shot victory at 14 under, his seventh of the season, over. Hull and two others.
“You should have felt the feelings I felt after nine, and then after taking a break due to injury, it feels good to be back here,” said Korda. “There’s nothing like being on the road, the adrenaline feeling after nine, and being in contention. I really like it.”
Korda becomes the first player since Yani Tseng in 2011 to win 7 or more titles in a season with one event remaining in the program. Korda already clinched the LPGA Player of the Year award last week, despite not playing since September with a neck injury.
He had another big week at the Pelican, starting it off by teaming up with women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark in the pro-am.
Now a win at next week’s CME Group Tou tournament would make her the first player to win eight in an LPGA season since Lorena Ochoa in 2007.
But on Sunday, that proved to be a long way off as he got off to a bad start for the second straight day. He credited longtime teammate Jason McDede for helping start his back-9 30, a theme he echoed throughout the season.
Caitlin Clark meets Nelly Korda, proves she’s human | Rogers report
Claire Rogers
“There aren’t many happy thoughts at first,” she said. “But, yeah, I mean, I have such a great team. [McDede] and I have been together because I think that next year will be our ninth year. Having him by my side helps because he knows what he’s going to say if I let myself down.”
Korda was also surprised on the 18th green by his brother, professional tennis player Sebastian Korda. Although Korda’s parents and sometimes her sister and fellow LPGA player Jessica were instrumental in Nelly’s win, she said it was the first time Sebastian had seen her win in person.
“It’s great to see him do his thing,” Sebastian Korda said. “He did very well this year; he worked incredibly hard. He’s been through a lot and always comes back fighting and he just got back to work. One of the things I admire about him is how hard he works.”
It was also Korda’s first win of the season since switching to the putter that won his first six majors earlier this year, including his second major at the Chevron Championship.
Ahead of the AIG Women’s Open, Korda introduced the TaylorMade Spider Tour X with an L neck and short sight line. He’s kept it in the bag ever since, but due to injury, this is just Korda’s fourth event playing the new flatstick, including the Solheim Cup.
Safe to say, it works.
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