ORLANDO, Fla. — Even one of the best gamers on the earth come up quick typically, even when placing forth their best effort.
World No. 1 Nelly Korda suffered this destiny on Sunday on the Hilton Grand Holidays Event of Champions, the place a 7-under 65 was not sufficient ultimately. She started the day at 11-under par, made a flurry of birdies on the entrance 9, and rapidly discovered herself close to the highest of the leaderboard when she made the flip.
However a brief miss for birdie on the par-4 tenth briefly stymied her momentum. But, hree birdies over her subsequent 5 holes adopted. By the point she walked off the fifteenth inexperienced, she held a share of the lead with A. Lin Kim at 17-under par.
“That is what I like about golf, being within the hunt on a Sunday taking place the again 9,” Korda stated.
Since Kim performed within the group behind Korda, she nonetheless had the straightforward par-5 fifteenth to play. The South Korean simply birdied that gap, regaining the lead — one which she didn’t relinquish. Kim then made birdie putts on the sixteenth and 18th holes to cement herself because the champion, making Korda’s prolonged birdie on the final all however out of date.
“I simply tried to plot my means across the golf course,” Korda stated.
“It’s by no means good once you get too forward of your self and get antsy and anxious, so I simply actually took it one shot at time. That’s one thing my caddy Jason all the time jogs my memory of as nicely. You simply have to remain very current. I believe that’s one instrument that I take advantage of to essentially keep calm and current on the market.”
Regardless of making a ferocious run on Sunday, Korda regarded as cool and calm as ever. She by no means regarded tense, nor did she look pressured. She remained even-keeled all through.
“I used to be simply actually considering of 1 shot at a time,” Korda added.
“I knew it was going to take a very good spherical right now to catch her.”
Korda nearly pulled it off, however sadly, it was not sufficient.
Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By way of. Comply with him on X @jack_milko.
