WORLD NO. 1 Nelly Korda continued her amazing victory run when she claimed her fifth consecutive LPGA Tour title on Sunday at The Chevron Championship.
The American carded a closing 69 at The Club at Carlton Woods for a championship record 13-under-par 275 total, two shots ahead of Sweden’s Maja Stark. Korda became the only player to shoot all four rounds in the 60s at The Chevron Championship with rounds of 68, 69, 69 and 69.
Following weather disruptions on Saturday, Korda had to finish the last seven holes of her third round on Sunday morning. She posted a three-under-par 69 to lie joint second with Canadian Brooke Henderson and one behind 54-hole leader Haeran Ryu of Korea.
Three birdies on the first nine of her final round gave Korda a three-shot cushion and the 25- year-old picked up another shot on the 10th hole. Despite dropping shots on 11 and 15, Korda stood on the 18th tee with a two-shot advantage, which was reduced to one when Stark birdied the closing par-five hole.
Korda did not falter and hit her second shot to the back fringe of the green, two-putting from 30 feet for a closing birdie and her second major title following the 2021 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
“My first-ever major, competing in a major, was at the 2013 U.S. Women’s Open at Sebonack, and that was when I dreamt of winning major championships. To have two under my belt now is a dream come true,” said Korda, who took her LPGA Tour title tally to 13.
Henderson’s closing 72 placed her in a tie for third place on 10-under-par with American Lauren Coughlin, who signed off with an excellent 68 to climb up the leaderboard. Ryu settled for sole fifth place one shot further back after a final round 74.
Korda tied the LPGA Tour record for most consecutive wins in tournaments participated in with five victories, and is the third player to achieve the feat since 1978, joining Nancy Lopez and Annika Sorenstam. She will have a chance to top that pair this week at the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro.
“I’m going to enjoy this right now, and then I’ll think about that. It’s been an amazing time. Hopefully, I’ll keep the streak alive. But I’ve been so grateful to compete week in and week out and get the five in a row,” noted Korda.
This was Korda’s ninth start at The Chevron Championship and her fourth consecutive topthree finish in the major. She was solo third in 2023, tied third in 2021 and tied second in 2020, and did not play in in 2022 due to injury. Korda is the youngest American to claim a second ladies’ major title since Juli Inkster in 1984.
The US$1.2million (RM5.8million) winner’s cheque bolstered Korda’s official season earnings to US$2.5m (RM12m), and propelled her past the US$11m (RM53m) mark in career earnings with US$11.4m (RM55m). She is the fastest player to reach US$2m (RM9.6m) in single-season earnings in LPGA Tour history.
