Nelly Korda Reclaims World No. 1 Ranking with Dominant Victory
Nelly Korda, 28, from the United States, has successfully reclaimed her position as the world number one in golf after eight months of absence. This achievement came following a remarkable “wire-to-wire” victory at the first LPGA Tour major of the season, the Chevron Championship.
Korda concluded the tournament with a final-round score of 2-under 68, finishing at an impressive 18-under-par 270. The event took place at the Memorial Park Golf Course in Texas, which has a par of 72 and spans 6,638 yards. She started the competition with a two-stroke lead, extended it to six strokes after the second round, and maintained a five-stroke advantage heading into the final day. Her performance was so dominant that she defeated co-runners-up Lin Yuxin from China and Patty Tawatanakit from Thailand by five strokes. Korda took home a prize of $1.35 million (approximately 2 billion Korean won), marking her 17th LPGA Tour victory and third major title, following her wins at the 2021 Women’s PGA Championship and the 2024 Chevron Championship.
Despite a challenging year last season where she did not secure any victories and only managed two runner-up finishes, Korda has made a strong comeback this season. She has already secured two wins and three runner-up finishes in five starts, surpassing Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand to reclaim the top ranking. Her success can be attributed to focused training with a new coach, emphasis on improving her putting, and a mental shift towards accepting mistakes rather than overthinking during play.
As part of the tournament tradition, Korda jumped into a temporary swimming pool located next to the 18th green. This tradition originated when the tournament was held at California’s Mission Hills and continued after the event moved to Texas in 2023. This year, the pool was installed at Memorial Park. Yun In-ae tied for fourth place with a score of 12-under-par, marking her best result in a major championship. Kim Hyo-joo finished sixth with a score of 7-under-par.
Fitzpatrick Brothers Win Zurich Classic
In the Zurich Classic of the PGA Tour, which had a total purse of $9.5 million, the Fitzpatrick brothers from England, Matt and Alex, claimed victory in the team event. They played at TPC Louisiana, which has a par of 72 and spans 7,425 yards. The brothers shot a final-round score of 10-under 62, bringing their total to 31-under-par 257. This was enough to defeat Alex Smoly and Hayden Springer by a single stroke.
Matt Fitzpatrick secured his third win of the season and fifth career PGA Tour victory with this consecutive win, while Alex earned his first PGA Tour title. Their success in the alternate-shot foursomes format was highlighted by a dramatic moment on the par-5 18th hole, where Alex’s second shot landed in a bunker beside the green. However, Matt executed a chip that landed within 35 centimeters of the hole, sealing their victory.
Before this tournament, Matt was ranked third in the world, while Alex was ranked 141st. Their performance demonstrated significant growth and teamwork, making this win a memorable achievement for both players.
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