JERSEY CITY, N.J. — She’s baaaack. But really, Nelly Korda never left.
Some wondered how the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings No. 1 would play this week at the Mizuho Americas Open after her win streak was snapped by Rose Zhang at the Cognizant Founders Cup. But Korda wasn’t too fazed by her 73s on the weekend at Upper Montclair Country Club and expressed plenty of gratitude for the opportunity to make history in the first place with her five consecutive LPGA Tour victories.
“It hasn't even sunk in. Probably maybe now or maybe in like 10, 15 years it'll sink in,” said Korda of her streak on Sunday in Clifton, N.J. “Hopefully someone beats it one day. But to do that with all the competition out here is super, super rewarding with how much work that I've put in.
“I think to get a streak like that in any sport, in general, is amazing with the amount of talent that every athlete has in their sport. Just an amazing feeling, and hopefully, one day, it'll sink in.”
Though last weekend was a bit of a grind for the 25-year-old, Korda has once again been making golf look easy on Thursday and Friday at Liberty National Golf Club. She opened her week at the Mizuho Americas Open with a solid 2-under 70, making one bogey and three birdies on holes two, six and eight on Thursday in the Garden State.
Friday then saw Korda fire a 4-under 68 in milder conditions, carding one bogey and five birdies, including two pairs of back-to-back birdies on the par-5 8th, par-4 9th, par-5 13th and par-3 14th holes at Liberty National. Her second-round performance vaulted the 13-time LPGA Tour winner from T17 to T3 with 36 holes to play at the Mizuho Americas Open, and after feeling like her ball striking was a bit off last weekend, Korda was pleased to see the shots fly where she intended in round two.
“I think I struck it really well. I gave myself a lot of chances,” said Korda, who is three shots off the pace. “I would've liked to capitalize on a few more of them, but overall, I can't complain with a 4-under and being in contention. It's why we put in so much work, to go out and give it our all and hopefully to contend.
“I played with Atthaya (Thitikul) today, and my round felt like poop compared to hers. She's playing phenomenal golf the past two days. I'm happy to be in it, three back at the halfway point, but hopefully, I can give it my best.”
Liberty National is a deceptively tricky venue, seemingly straightforward off the tee but with teeth that aren’t easily recognizable to the naked eye. But even though she is making her tournament debut, Korda’s two-day total of 6-under indicates that she has learned a thing or two over the last few days about how to play this golf course well, lessons she’ll continue to implement over the next two days at the Mizuho Americas Open.
“In a sense, you feel like you're playing a British (Open), but it's a lot softer,” said Korda. “It's a ball-striking golf course. You can't just send one up there and not think about it too much. You really have to plot your way around here.
“Last week, I was hitting it really well, and then I came to the weekend, and I was not hitting it well. If you're not hitting it well and not giving yourself chances, you're never going to capitalize on this. Hopefully, everything is flowing for me. Going to go practice a little after my round and try to get things a little bit more dialed in for the weekend.”
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