Nelly Korda chips on the inexperienced on the 18th gap throughout the closing spherical of LPGA Ford Championship golf event Sunday, March 31, 2024, in Gilbert, Ariz.
| Photograph Credit score: AP
Nelly Korda gained 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 via a soggy Sunday within the desert.
Korda grew to become 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 totally laborious mentally to be 100% particularly after a win, particularly enjoying in powerful situations,” Korda stated.
“In order boring because it sounds I used to be simply taking it shot by shot and seeing the place I used to be going to finish up. To get three in a row, that is only a dream come true.” Korda gained 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 outdoors Los Angeles to maneuver again atop the world rating.
Korda stayed regular via 4 days within the desert, getting into the ultimate spherical two photographs again via climate that bought progressively worse at Seville Golf and Nation Membership.
Korda almost holed out her second shot on the quick par-4 sixteenth to take the lead and birdied No. 18 to complete 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 gained 5 straight 1978.
“(It) simply truthfully appears like a blur,” Korda stated. “Taking it daily, actually attempting to remain very current and simply performed actually good golf, strong golf in powerful situations at present, which I am very comfortable 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 previous Pepperdine participant shot 66 to complete second at 18 underneath in her second profession begin.
Lexi Thompson briefly shared the lead and was inside a shot via 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, resulting in 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 loopy situations, nevertheless it was nearly identical to it will get to the place it is psychological in the case of these sort of situations,” Thompson stated. “You simply have to remain constructive with it and know that pars are a great rating. You probably have a great quantity, benefit from it; attempt 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 event 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 photographs 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 show 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 together with her close to holeout on 16, organising a birdie that gave her a one-shot lead. Korda hit a large drive on No. 18 and chipped to 3 toes for a closing birdie.
“Simply tried to remain actually aggressive and I knew I needed to shoot a low one to be in competition,” Korda stated “Simply performed actually good golf on the market at present.”
Naveed made the record-low reduce of 5 underneath on the quantity and raced up the leaderboard with a third-round 65 earlier than the winds picked up. She pulled right into a tie for the lead at 18 underneath with a birdie on the island par-3 seventeenth, however left her chip on 18 about 20 toes quick and missed the putt.
“It is simply respiration a sigh of reduction actually and simply saying, All proper, put your head down, there’s scoring alternatives on the market,’” Naveed stated. “Simply go on the market and attempt to do the most effective you may, commit to each shot, and attempt to gap some putts. So comfortable to do this on the weekend.” So is Korda after placing herself in place to make it 4 straight on the T-Cellular Match Play subsequent week in Las Vegas.