A busy Thursday in golf and tennis awaits the Korda family
MIAMI – Nelly Korda keeps asking her parents if she can book their flight to watch her and her sister play in the LPGA’s first major of the year this week. “Probably they’re going to change their schedule a little bit and hopefully stay with me,” Sebastian Korda said. 18 in the world; Nelly Korda, 22, is ranked No. Sebastian Korda is the little brother, at least in terms of age — he’s 20, but at 6-foot-5, he’s certainly not little. “He loves to pump up,” Nelly Korda said.
Ernst wins Drive On Championship for 3rd LPGA Tour title
Albane Valenzuela misses a putt during the final round of the LPGA Drive On Championship at Golden Ocala in Ocala, Florida on Sunday, March 7, 2020. [Alan Youngblood/Special to the Ocala Star-Banner]OCALA, Fla. – Austin Ernst won the Drive On Championship on Sunday for her third LPGA Tour title, pulling away to beat fellow former NCAA champion Jennifer Kupcho by five strokes at Golden Ocala. She won the NCAA title in 2011. It’s just unfortunate that’s when mine came for the week.”Winless on the tour, the former 23-year-old former Wake Forest star from Colorado won the NCAA title in 2018 and the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur in 2019. Nelly Korda, tied with Ernst and Kupcho for the first-round lead, had weekend rounds of 76 and 75 to tie for 28th at even par.
Trevor Simsby gets unusual shot at WGC and holds his own
Trevor Simsby took that to another level last week at the Workday Championship. Simsby finished his college career at Washington and tried the Korn Ferry Tour and the PGA Tour Latinoamerica without any success. However, a few hours before Collin Morikawa won the Workday Championship, Branden Grace won the Puerto Rico Open. ... International players had won five consecutive PGA Tour events in Florida until Collin Morikawa won the World Golf Championship at The Concession. STAT OF THE WEEKAmericans have won nine of the last 11 majors and 10 of the last 11 World Golf Championships.
Whoa, Nelly! Korda makes it 2 straight wins for her family
Nelly Korda followed in big sister's footsteps with a three-shot victory that looked easier than it felt. “Yeah, Jess' win, I was like, ‘OK, I got to get one now,’" Korda said. But it's nice to get back-to-back Korda wins now.”More than just matching her sister, Korda won for the first time on American soil. Sorenstam finished 29 shots behind Korda, who won by three over Lexi Thompson and Lydia Ko. Korda made sure of that with a steady diet of pars and picking up enough birdies when she needed them.
Nelly Korda leads LPGA as Sorenstam falls to bottom of pack
Sorenstam, playing for the first time in more than 12 years after retiring, had no expectations and no excuses. That put her in last place by four shots, 22 shots behind Korda. “Any time you can get ahead of the pack going into Sunday is a positive,” Korda said. Not going to lie, coming down the stretch, those putts were a little shaky.”But she made them, and she's in great position going for her first LPGA Tour victory. “Normally, I hit the ball straight, and today was everything but straight,” Sorenstam said.
Back after 12 years, Sorenstam gets 2 more days on LPGA Tour
Annika Sorenstam chips a shot to the ninth green during the first round of the Gainbridge LPGA golf tournament Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)ORLANDO, Fla. – Annika Sorenstam went more than 12 years without playing on the LPGA Tour. Sorenstam, making a one-time appearance because the LPGA Tour is at her home course, finally got some putts to drop and ran off three birdies on her second nine. She wanted a little competition as she contemplates playing he U.S. Senior Women's Open this summer, and she said she wouldn't have played an LPGA tour event if it wasn't on her home course. But for someone out of competition for nearly as long as her career on the LPGA Tour, she still has ample game. 1 in the world who won her first LPGA Tour event at 15.
Jessica Korda rallies to beat Kang in playoff at LPGA opener
It was the sixth LPGA victory for the 27-year-old Korda, her last one coming nearly three years ago. “I knew I was going to have to go low today,” said Jessica Korda. Saturday, Jessica Korda became the sixth player in LPGA history to shoot 60 or better with her sparkling 11-under 60. Jessica Korda had owned the back nine all week (she would play it in 21-under par despite her three closing bogeys Friday). Kang, also seeking her sixth LPGA victory, had spoken all week about not being able to prepare for the event as she normally would.
No longer a surprise, Shibuno leads by 3 at US Women's Open
Hinako Shibuno, of Japan, smiles after putting on the 17th green during the second round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament in Houston, Friday, Dec. 11, 2020. That was bright as ever Friday as the Japanese star posted a 4-under 67 and opened a three-shot lead going into the weekend of the U.S. Women's Open. She looked the part of a major champion at the U.S. Women's Open, where the forecast of rain and strong wind never quite materialized. The USGA used two courses for the first time because the pandemic forced the Women's Open to be postponed six months to December with limited daylight. Kerr played bogey-free at Jackrabbit and shot 69, and the 43-year-old former Open champion says the injury at least has tempered her expectation.
Olson comes up aces and takes 1-shot lead in Women's Open
Amy Olson watches her shot off the third tee during the first round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament in Houston, Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020. You have to put four really good days together.”She got one out of the way Thursday in the U.S. Women's Open. She also had the 18-hole lead at Royal Troon in the Women's British Open before following that with an 81. And even on a perfect day for scoring, it was clear this Women's Open would be a stern test. And now she's already in the mix at the U.S. Women's Open, along with so many others.
Sei Young Kim has late birdie run to take Women’s PGA lead
Kim birdied five of the final six holes as darkness fell Friday at Aronimink for a 5-under 65 and the second-round lead in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. She tied Karrie Webb (2001) and Sarah Kemp (2011) for the lowest nine-hole score in the Women’s PGA Championship. “The birdie on 14 was pretty good because it was a long birdie putt, and that’s when I started the four-birdie streak,” Kim said. A 10-time LPGA Tour winner, Kim is looking for her first major victory. She was runner-up at the 2015 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and tied for second at the Evian Championship in 2018.
Mirim Lee wins a stunner in a playoff at the ANA Inspiration
Chiu)RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Mirim Lee chipped in three times Sunday, the last one for eagle on the final hole that got her into a three-way playoff at the ANA Inspiration that she won on the first extra hole with a birdie. Her birdie putt missed on the left side. Lee hit 5-wood just over the back of the putting surface, chipped to 5 feet and made the winner. The Canadian took her only lead on the 12th hole when Korda made bogey, and it didn't last long. Henderson's 8-foot birdie putt curled in the left side of the cup on No.
Henderson charges into a share of lead at ANA Inspiration
Brooke M. Henderson watches her tee shot on the 17th hole during the third round of the LPGA's ANA Inspiration golf tournament at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif., Saturday Sept. 12, 2020. Chiu)RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Brooke Henderson tied a Mission Hills record with a 30 on the front nine and did just enough the rest of the round Saturday for a 7-under 65 and a share of the lead with Nelly Korda in the ANA Inspiration. Henderson started the weekend six shots behind and wanted only to get as close to the lead as possible. She rallied with three birdies on the back nine, however, for a 71 that allowed her to join Henderson at 12-under 204. “Sort of an easy start which was nice, and relaxed a little bit,” Henderson said.
Korda rides hot putter in the desert to early 36-hole lead
One hole later, after hitting a fat shot from the fairway, she again had to make a par putt from some 25 feet. Korda was at 11-under 133, two shots clear of Mirim Lee, who also played bogey-free in the rising heat for a 65. If the lead holds, it would be the first time she takes a 36-hole lead into the weekend at a major. “I didn't miss a lot of shots, so I look forward to the next couple rounds,” Lee said. “The thing out here is you hit a solid putt and it keeps on going,” Korda said.
Kang beats desert heat and shares early lead in LPGA major
Kang, who won two straight in Ohio when the LPGA Tour resumed after five months because of the COVID-19 pandemic, is projected to take over at No. Early tee times typically are favorable because the greens are smooth and the wind is not as strong. Her sister, Brittany, was among caddies who took advantage of a policy allowing them to drive carts because of the extreme heat. Kang drilled a 5-iron from 191 yards that landed in the middle of the green and rolled toward the pin. A woman sitting on a hill by the green screamed out, “Get in the hole!” Kang had no trouble identifying who it was.
Mission Hills familiar place in an familiar spot on schedule
Lewis is one of the past champions playing this week in the ANA Inspiration in California. Ko, who has played three times on the Korean LPGA this year, likely wont see an LPGA event his year. The ANA Inspiration presents an opportunity for Nelly Korda, who reached No. 2 and looking for her second majorKang has experience on Mission Hills that dates to her junior days, including one she thought she was going to win. This is her first LPGA event since November, and only her second event this year she played once on the Korean LPGA.