PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico (AP) — Nelly Korda delivered a knockout punch early on Sunday, extending his lead to seven strokes and advancing to the finish line with a 3-under 69 and a four-stroke victory at the Riviera Maya Open in Mayakoba for his third win of the young season.
A week after Korda dominated the field in the third Chevron Championship of her major career, she left everyone in a desperate mood at El Camaleon with the precision that led women’s golf’s No. 1 player to yet another dominant victory.
Korda went 60 consecutive holes without a bogey, and the streak stopped when it no longer mattered.
Playing No. 18 with a six-shot lead, she sent her drive to the right deep into the tropical bushes but couldn’t find the ball. She hit a provisional first shot into a bunker, then another into a gallery and sank a 20-foot putt for bogey, her second shot of the tournament.
Korda stretched out his arm and, with all his remaining strength, he casually raised his right fist.
She finished with a 17-under 271, four strokes ahead of Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol, who was celebrating her 24th birthday with a 70 and took sole second place. China’s Yu Liu (69) also made a one-shot comeback.
No one stood a chance against Korda, who became the first player since Annika Sorenstam in 2001 to start a season with a runner-up finish or better in six tournaments.
Korda started with a three-shot lead but finished that way. She made a 12-foot eagle putt from the collar on the par-5 fifth hole, then a 10-foot birdie putt from the fringe on the sixth hole, then pulled a lob wedge to 4 feet for birdie on the par-5 seventh hole.
She didn’t have to do anything else the rest of the way, making 10 straight pars before taking her hands off the wheel on the final hole.
When asked if she was playing the best golf of her career, Korda did not answer.
“I just have fun and I love competing. I love traveling to places like Mexico and around the world. I just have fun,” she said.
The start time was moved up to avoid thunderstorms moving along the Mexican coast overlooking the Caribbean Sea. It was still hot and humid, so Korda poured a bottle of water over his head as he walked off the 16th tee. Nothing could dampen her spirits.
Korda could only laugh at his blunder on the final hole, which left him unable to match or exceed his maximum margin of victory, which he set with a five-shot victory in a major in Houston last week.
“This last hole made me feel humble about golf,” she said. “I had a very smooth day, and on the last hole, I felt kind of humbled. You tried. Everyone here tried. Sometimes it just works out.”
She now has 18 LPGA wins, making the 27-year-old the youngest American to win 18 titles since 23-year-old Nancy Lopez won her 18th in 1980.
Arkansas senior Maria Jose Marin, who delighted the crowd by winning the Augusta National Women’s Amateur title last month, finished fifth at the weekend with a 69-69 record. A top 10 finish would qualify her for next week’s Mizuho Americas Open, but she has a final to play.
Korda will also be absent next week after winning his second straight match. She talked about not only feeling low on energy this week, but also about making sure to work instead of vacationing at a resort in Mexico.
“I’m going to enjoy a few days off,” Korda said.
