Nelly Korda seized control with three early birdies and finished with 12 straight pars for a 3-under 69 to win the Gainbridge LPGA on Sunday, giving the Korda family two victories to start the season.
Her older sister, Jessica, won the season-opening Tournament of Champions last month in Orlando.
Korda won for the first time on American soil — her other three LPGA wins were in Australia and twice in Taiwan — and the first time with her parents watching. Her father, Petr Korda, is a former Australian Open tennis champion.
Nelly Korda plays a tee shot on the first hole during the final round of the Gainbridge LPGA golf tournament Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021, in Orlando, Fla. (AP PhotoStan Badz)
On the other side of the course, Annika Sorenstam wrapped up her return after more than 12 years of retirement with a par on the ninth hole for a 76, finishing last among the 74 players who made the cut. The 50-year-old Swede was making this one-time appearance because Lake Nona has been her home course for two decades.
“I'm just thankful being here, playing here and being able to make the cut,” Sorenstam said. “I think I never gave up, even though it was not really going my way and I wasn't hitting as well as I should be to be out here. The purpose was to get some tournament rounds, and I did that.”
She has said she plans to play the U.S. Senior Women's Open this summer and she'll need to get sharp, though Sorenstam said preparing for that would not include another LPGA event.
Nelly Korda plays a tee shot on the eighth hole during the final round of the Gainbridge LPGA golf tournament Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021, in Orlando, Fla. (AP PhotoStan Badz)
“I have so much respect for these players,” she said.
Sorenstam finished 29 shots behind Korda, who won by three over Lexi Thompson and Lydia Ko.
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.
Annika Sorenstam of Sweden dressed in red and black waves to fans on the putting green during the final round of the Gainbridge LPGA golf tournament Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021, in Orlando, Fla. (AP PhotoStan Badz)
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.
“Honestly, I did not play very good golf today, and I just stayed really solid,” Korda said. “I don’t even know what I did. It was definitely very stressful.”
Ko, a former world No. 1 trying to end nearly three years without winning, had a 69. Thompson closed with a 68.
Jin Young Ko, the current No. 1, took bogey on the par-5 second hole and dropped too many shots along the way to mount any sort of a rally. She shot 71 and finished fourth.
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Jin Young Ko had five back-nine birdies in a 7-under 64 at demanding Wilshire Country Club for a share of the second-round lead Friday with Nasa Hataoka in the DIO Implant LA Open.
Five strokes behind first-round leader Alison Lee after a 71, the top-ranked Ko moved into position for her second victory of the season in the first of two straight LPGA Tour events in the Los Angeles area.
“My putting was so good today,” Ko said. “I wasn’t expecting to play really well today because in the afternoon it’s always hard to play this course. But my putting was good, so I’m happy with it.”
Jin Young Ko waves to fans after sinking a putt on the first green during the second round of LPGA's DIO Implant LA Open golf tournament at Wilshire Country Club on Friday, April 22, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP PhotoAshley Landis)
Hataoka birdied her final three holes for a 68 to match Ko at 7 under. Eighteen players were unable to finish the round because of darkness.
After dropping a stroke on the par-4 ninth, Ko birdied Nos. 11-14 and added her eighth birdie of the day on the par-4 17th.
“I didn’t think I played 5 under on the back nine,” Ko said. “I didn’t know that. I was in the zone.”
Jin Young Ko tees off at the second tee during the second round of LPGA's DIO Implant LA Open golf tournament at Wilshire Country Club on Friday, April 22, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP PhotoAshley Landis)
The 26-year-old South Korean star won in Singapore early last month for her 13th LPGA Tour title. She won five times last year.
“I have two more rounds and nobody knows how it goes,” Ko said. “So working hard and focus on it and go get it”
Hataoka had seven birdies and four bogeys. The 23-year-old from Japan has five LPGA Tour victories, winning twice last season.
Nasa Hataoka tees off at the 17th tee during the second round of LPGA's DIO Implant LA Open golf tournament at Wilshire Country Club on Friday, April 22, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP PhotoAshley Landis)
“The wind was pretty strong,” Hayaoka said. “The greens are pretty tight, narrow. So my plan was to hit the green, not try to be too aggressive. On the back nine, the wind kind of got weaker, so I was able to hit at the pin.”
Hannah Green was third at 5 under after a bogey-free 67. The Australian won her two LPGA Tour titles in 2019.
“I’m very pleased,” Green said. “I guess today’s round kind of felt like even more under par than what it was. I was pretty solid with my putting all day today which was nice because yesterday I had a couple three-putts.”
Nasa Hataoka, right, fist bumps her caddie, after sinking a shot on the 17th green during the second round of LPGA's DIO Implant LA Open golf tournament at Wilshire Country Club on Friday, April 22, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP PhotoAshley Landis)
Fellow Australian Minjee Lee, the 2019 winner, had a 68 to match Haeji Kang (69) at 4 under. Inbee Park (67) topped the group at 3 under.
“You’ve got to really be careful how you play the holes — and you can’t get too greedy,” Park said. “Even though the course is short, it’s just really tough.”
Lee was 2 under, following her opening 66 with a 74.
Maddie Szeryk hits from the sand on to the first green during the second round of LPGA's DIO Implant LA Open golf tournament at Wilshire Country Club on Friday, April 22, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP PhotoAshley Landis)
Defending champion Brooke Henderson, playing alongside Ko, shot 76-72 to miss the cut.
The Palos Verdes Championship is next week.
Inbee Park tees off at the fifth tee during the second round of LPGA's DIO Implant LA Open golf tournament at Wilshire Country Club on Friday, April 22, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP PhotoAshley Landis)
