For a great portion of the again 9 on Saturday, Nelly Korda was neck-and-neck with Lydia Ko on the LPGA Drive On Championship.
However then Korda, the hometown favourite in Bradenton, Florida this week, seized management of the match with an unbelievable end.
She eagled the par-5 seventeenth, then rolled in a 20-footer for birdie on 18 to cap it off.
“Only a confidence enhance understanding I can climb up the leaderboard, contend, and keep in rivalry. I undoubtedly didn’t have a fantastic begin right now. I feel I used to be one again after 9 holes, after which type of turned it round,” Korda stated of her 3-under 68.
“However each single time I get to be in rivalry, I be taught extra about myself and deal with these conditions. Hopefully, I can put collectively a great spherical for the hometown [Sunday].”
On the 475-yard par-5 seventeenth, Korda hit a 7-wood off the tee. After discovering the green, Korda pulled out her 7-wood once more however hit her second shot into the greenside bunker left of the inexperienced.
Then, Korda knocked it in from the sand for an eagle three, eliciting a large roar from the Bradenton crowd.
That exceptional bunker shot vaulted her as much as 12-under general, extending her lead from one to 3. She completed the day at 13-under, and now leads by 4.
“It’s not the way you begin. It’s the way you end,” Korda stated.
“Hopefully, I can lean that into tomorrow.”
Korda will play her last spherical alongside longtime good friend Megan Khang, who carded a formidable 5-under 66 Saturday to get to 9-under. Like Korda, Khang completed superbly, making 4 birdies over her final seven holes to get into the ultimate group.
Humorous sufficient, these two mates are staying in the identical home this week.
After enjoying collectively on Thursday and Friday, they may spend much more time alongside one another on Sunday.
“I don’t know if she’ll speak to me tonight,” Khang stated after her spherical.
Korda assured the press that will not be the case.
“Megan and I are usually not sick of one another but,” Korda joked. “Possibly I’ll simply go away her stuff outdoors the door right now. Have her discover a new place. I’m simply kidding. I don’t know. We’ll see, I assume.”
Last spherical protection of the LPGA Drive On Championship begins at 2 p.m. ET on Golf Channel. Korda, Khang, and Ayaka Furue of Japan—additionally 9-under—will tee off at 11:56 a.m. ET.
Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By way of. Make sure to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You possibly can observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as properly.
