Korda made bogeys on her final two holes Sunday, forcing a playoff in the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship.
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Nelly Korda returned from a seven-week break and immediately picked up another win on the LPGA Tour, though she certainly kept fans on their toes. On Sunday, she wound up tied after making two bogeys in her last rounds at the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship. However, Korda quickly clinched the victory in the playoff with a birdie from 12 feet out, edging out Ryann O’Toole and climbing back to the top spot in the women’s global rankings.
Nelly Korda, finishing the day 2-under 69, marked her second win of the season, both featuring dramatic turnarounds. Her previous victory came at the Drive On Championship in Florida, where she lost her lead with a few bad holes but made a stunning comeback with an eagle and a birdie at the end, leaving Lydia Ko behind.
Having taken a break during the Asian tournaments, Korda shook off any rustiness when she returned. She grabbed everyone’s attention with a brilliant shot on the 14th hole—a challenging uphill par-5—where her ball ended up just 18 feet from the hole, setting her up for a successful eagle putt. But the drama wasn’t over. O’Toole stayed in the mix with a long par putt on the 18th, aiming for what seemed like a sure second place.
Then Korda’s lead looked shaky. She missed a short par putt on the 15th, got past the green on the 16th yet managed a birdie, came up short on the 17th, and finally, on the 18th, missed another par-saving chance. Regardless of the suspense, Korda’s consistent excellence shone through, securing her the win and the top position in women’s golf.
She said the course’s elevated position and uneven fairways added to the challenge, but she expressed satisfaction with her performance under these conditions. Playing for the second time at this tough course, Korda enjoys the variety and challenge, requiring creative play that differs from her usual experiences on Bermudagrass.
This course demands shots to deal with the wind and the hilly terrain, which she finds enjoyable despite the difficulties. Korda’s presence at the FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship marks her third tournament of the 2024 LPGA Tour season since her tournament-winning playoff against Lydia Ko in Florida after a seven-week break.
A win here would mark back-to-back wins for her on the tour, something she hasn’t achieved since the summer of 2021. It could also make her the 39th American with ten LPGA victories and potentially put her at the top of the Women’s World Golf Rankings for the sixth time, the first since August 2023.
However, with challenging weather expected and a two-shot gap to close, Korda is concentrating on her final round, focusing on par-5s and careful play to claim her tenth LPGA Tour win. She’s planning to maximize the opportunities the wind provides, minimize mistakes, and push toward victory at Palos Verdes.
This past weekend at the Seri Pak Championship, the competition was fierce as many golfers contended for the top spot, but only one could claim victory on March 24. Some unexpected players didn’t advance, but the highlight was the intense showdown between two leading players. Korda was in fine form, with her ranking fluctuating from the front of the pack to slightly behind, before ultimately tying for first place and securing her win in the decisive playoff.
O’Toole also put forth a strong performance, working her way up to the top of the leaderboard and sharing the lead after the final round. After a modest start, Zheng expressed renewed confidence in her abilities, stating, “We’re slowly getting there. Being able to come back and stay focused is rewarding. I missed the thrill of being committed to the game in competition, and it feels great to give it your all.”
In contrast, Thompson’s efforts were not enough to advance, despite an early promise with two initial birdies. Her game fell apart and she finished seven strokes over par, missing the cut by a wide margin. Not proceeding to the next round were also Nordqvist, Yoshida, Castren, Then, and Gillman.
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