After an eagle and a birdie conclude Nelly Korda beat Lydia Ko in the LPGA Drive On.
Lydia Ko’s entry into the LPGA Hall of Fame was delayed while Nelly Korda won the LPGA Drive On Championship in her hometown.
Korda beat Ko on the second course of a playoff after coming back from a three-stroke deficit through an eagle-birdie finish.
Korda won with a par putt from 4 feet away on the 18th hole, which was a par-4. Ko’s try from 5 feet away hit the lip and went out.
She said, “I always make it extremely dramatic and interesting.” “So, there’s nothing more satisfying than doing it in front of your fans.” “What a great day!”
Ko won the first tournament of the season last week in Orlando, Florida. It was her 20th win on the tour, and she is now just one point away from becoming a Hall of Famer.
When play at Bradenton Country Club on Sunday began, Korda was four strokes ahead of Ko. He shot a 2-over 73 to tie Ko at 11-under 273. Ko, who was in the group ahead of Korda, also made a 69 on the par-5 17th hole.
After making a bogey on the par-4 14th, a double bogey on the par-3 15th, and another bogey on the par-4 16th, Korda lost four strokes in a row. He came back with an eagle putt across the green on 17 and an approach to a foot on 18.
She said, “Gosh, I thought the tournament was over when it got to 17.” “I gave myself a chance.” I knew I had to birdie the last one if I rolled that eagle in.
Korda missed a 12-foot birdie attempt from the back fringe on the first extra hole down 18. Ko got up and down for par after hitting the grandstand wall over the green.
To win on the second playoff hole, Korda hit the ball long into the wall and chipped it in. Ko made a three-putt after missing a birdie putt from 30 feet away.
“Of course, I missed the putt on the second playoff hole, but other than that I don’t think I lost the tournament,” Ko said. “I had a great eagle on 17 and a great par on 18. Nelly then had an eagle and a birdie on the last.”
Korda, who is 25 years old, won her ninth LPGA Tour event and first since the Pelican Women’s Championship in 2022. She led from start to finish for the first time in her career, thanks to the support of her home crowd.
She said, “I think even when I was down, they were so, so positive and kept me in it.” “It was so hard out there, going back and forth all the time.” It seemed like I never got anything going. “I can’t believe it at all right now.”
The Bradenton resident was four strokes ahead going into the final round of the LPGA Drive On Championship on Sunday.
But she lost the lead on the back nine holes and then tied Lydia Ko on the last two holes to force a sudden-death playoff.
After that, the golfer who hadn’t won on the Tour since 2022 made 2024 different by winning the tournament at the Bradenton Country Club on the second playoff hole.
Korda won her ninth LPGA Tour title, but her first since winning the Pelican Women’s Championship in November 2022. She got $262,500 for her win and 500 points in the Race to the CME Globe.
She finished Sunday’s round with a score of 2 over par 73, giving her a minus-11 for the tournament. This was the same score as Ko, who won the first LPGA Tour event last week.