It’s becoming a tradition (again) with Nelly Korda holding a huge lead heading into the final round of an LPGA event. At the 2026 Riviera Maya Open, this time in Mayakoba, Korda reached 14 under after three rounds.
This is enough to give him a three-stroke lead over his closest challenger, Arpichaya Yubol.
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Korda’s latest LPGA blitz comes just one week after his last win. At the 2026 Chevron Championship, the first LPGA major of the year, Korda won by five strokes, earning his second Chevron title and third career major victory.
With this victory, Korda regained the number one spot in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking.
Nelly Korda, 3 strokes behind: “I’ll never have my best game”
This week, Korda built an advantage with a 68-67-67 over the first three rounds at El Camaleon Golf Course.
Despite his dominant performance so far, Korda surprisingly admitted in a press conference on Saturday night that he hasn’t had a “game” this week.
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“I feel good, I love competing,” Korda said.
She elaborated on her point, explaining that no matter how great a player is, when the game isn’t in perfect condition, you have to find a way to win.
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Nelly Korda celebrates Chevron Championship win
“When I talk to a lot of players in the past, I think it’s a common question, or a question that a lot of people should be asking, which is, did you win on your A game? Did you win on your B game or C game?,” Korda said. “I’ve talked to guys, I’ve talked to girls, and it’s rare for me to say I won an A-level game that week. The important thing is just to work hard and be confident that you know you’re going to make mistakes, but don’t stress about it too much and try to bounce back quickly.”
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And Korda certainly accomplished that this season. Her Chevron title was her second of the year, following her first win at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. However, that victory was given to her when the tournament was called after 54 holes.
Korda has finished runner-up in each of his other three starts this season. His record (1-2-2-T2-1) through five starts is mind-boggling. However, Korda was not immune to the possibility of fainting during this year’s race.
In the 2026 Fortinet Founders Cup, Korda was tied for the lead with eight holes left, but a late three-putt ended his chances for victory. At the 2026 Ford Championship, she watched her 36-hole lead disappear and she was once again runner-up. She shot a 75 at the Aramco Championship on Sunday for a T2 finish.
But Korda is confident in his chances Sunday in Mexico. As she said after the third round, she knows she will make mistakes, but experience has taught her how to anticipate and overcome them.
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“It’s an experience. You don’t have to press just to be smart and not know it’s not the 18th hole. Also, I have a great caddy who does his homework and walks the golf course and that’s how the greens react and tries to avoid mistakes as much as possible,” Korda said Saturday. “You’re going to hit a bad shot here and there and you’re going to get in trouble. But I think the goal is to hit a good tee shot, try to stay away from the holes that get you in trouble, and be aggressive on the par-5s. This is a really difficult golf course, so position here is everything.”
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