Nelly Korda won the Mizuho Americas Open by a shot over Hannah Green.
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Nelly Korda has done it again.
On the strength of a back-9 33 on Sunday at Liberty National, Korda is the champion again. This time, his name was engraved on the Mizuho Americas Open trophy.
“It’s a lot of fun,” said Korda. “For me it’s very rewarding that all the hard work I’ve done, all the rollercoasters I’ve been through since the end of 2021 with my injury until this year is very rewarding.”
The win extends Korda’s impressive run, which has seen him win six times in his last seven matches. Korda’s only “feature” during that time came last week at Upper Montclair Country Club, in northern New Jersey, where he tied for seventh.
Although Korda had a lot of power during his run, he didn’t have his best things on Sunday in the final pairing. Korda made three bogeys and just one birdie on the front nine during the final round as her playing partner, Hannah Green, posted even par. As the duo made their way back to the clubhouse, Korda and Green were tied at the top of the leaderboard.
“Not a good start to the day,” Korda said. “Nothing happened, with Jay [her caddie, Jason McDede] he basically told me to get my head out and reset and start over.”
That pep talk worked. On the opening hole on the back nine, the gettable par-5 10th, Korda made birdie. But with Green also making a 4, the two remained tied for the lead.
That theme continued through the last nine matches, when Green and Korda matched each other’s scores on holes 10-17, each refusing to back down.
“I felt like when one of us hit it really close or was able to take advantage of something on the back nine, the other one hit it close and made the putt,” Korda said. “It was just a battle until the 18th hole. You had to stay patient there and trust your game and that you will hit good shots.”
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But, as he has been doing all season, Korda found a way to win. After Green’s drive found trouble leading to a bogey on the par-4 close, Korda needed to make par to secure the win.
“There’s something special about the grind of not having your best stuff and still being able to mentally pull it off,” Korda said. “I just think there’s nothing better than fighting it if you don’t have your good stuff.”
The world No. 1 has now won 75 percent of his starts in 2024, winning six times in eight matches. With her win, she also joined Hall of Famers Babe Zaharias, Louise Suggs and Lorena Ochoa as the only women to win six times on the LPGA Tour before June 1.
Korda’s next start will be in two weeks at the US Women’s Open at Lancaster (Pa.) Country Club – an event she desperately wants to win.
“Obviously, it’s at the top of my priority list,” she said. “I just know that there is nothing good if you put pressure on yourself. I’ll just stay in my bubble that week and take a shot at the moment. “
That strategy has paid off so far this year. And if Korda can do it again at the US Women’s Open, we’ll likely be talking about her seventh win in eight events.
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