Jessica Korda opened the LPGA Tour season last month by winning the Tournament of Champions.
On Sunday, it was Nelly’s turn.
Nelly Korda followed in big sister’s footsteps with a 3-shot victory that looked easier than it felt. She seized control with three birdies through six holes, closed with 12 pars and shot a 3-under 69 at Lake Nona to win the Gainbridge LPGA.
“Yeah, Jess’ win, I was like, ‘OK, I got to get one now,'” Korda said. “We were close that one year. She won in Thailand, and I was leading in Singapore. But it’s nice to get back-to-back Korda wins now.”
But more than just matching her sister in this year’s totals, Korda won for the first time on American soil. The other three victories for 22-year-old Nelly were in Australia and twice in Taiwan. It also was the first time she won with her parents watching. Her father, Petr Korda, is a former Australian Open tennis champion.
“I’ve had an amazing week, and I made some clutch putts when I needed to and pulled it off,” Nelly Korda said.
Korda, who finished at 16-under 272, began the final round with a one-shot lead over rookie Patty Tavatanakit, the former UCLA star who fell back quickly and wound up with 74 to tie for fifth.
There wasn’t much drama on the final day. Korda made sure of that with a steady diet of pars and picking up enough birdies when she needed them. That doesn’t mean it was easy.