‘Major Queen’ Korda "Now I'm ‘Number 1’~"… Kim Hyoju 3rd ‘Tokyo-bound’

Season's Third Major KPMG Women's Open '3-Shot Victory', Salas 2nd, Kim Seyoung 12th, Park Inbee 40th, Ko Jinyoung 46th

Nelly Korda is cheering while holding the trophy immediately after winning the major KPMG Women's PGA Championship. Johns Creek, USA = Getty Images / Multivitz
Photo by Multivitz

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] Nelly Korda (USA) has become a ‘Major Queen’ for the first time in her career.

On the 28th (Korean time), at the Atlanta Athletic Golf Club in Johns Creek, Georgia, USA (par 72, 6,831 yards), the final day of the third major of the 2021 LPGA Tour season, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship (total prize money $4.5 million), she shot 4-under par to achieve a commanding 3-stroke victory (19-under par 269). This is her third win of the season following the Gainbridge in March and the Meijer Classic last week, and her sixth career win overall. The winner’s prize money is $675,000 (760 million KRW).

Korda started tied for the lead with Lizette Salas (USA) at 5 strokes ahead, recording two eagles, two birdies, and one double bogey. She took the initiative with a birdie on the 3rd hole (par 4) and an eagle on the 5th hole (par 5), and on the 12th hole (par 5), where she led by one stroke, she successfully reached the green in two shots with an iron and made an eagle. Salas lost a stroke on this hole, quickly extending Korda’s lead to 4 strokes. Although Korda made a double bogey on the 15th hole (par 3), it did not affect her victory.

Her powerful drives averaging 304 yards were outstanding. Her surge of 9-under par on the third day was the driving force. Korda debuted on the LPGA Tour in 2017 and has won at least one tournament every year since 2018. She is famous for her sports family background. Her father, Petr, was the 1998 Australian Open tennis singles champion, and her mother, Regina, reached the round of 16 in the US Open tennis singles in 1989 and 1991. Her youngest sibling, Sebastian, is also a tennis player.

Most notably, she is making new history with her older sister Jessica, who won the season opener, the Diamond Resorts Tournament. They achieved the rare feat of being the second pair of sisters to win consecutive tournaments. Jessica is the only multiple winner this year and leads the money list with $1,793,930. Korda has also risen to No. 1 in the world rankings, surpassing Ko Jin-young (26). She is the first American player to be No. 1 since Stacy Lewis in October 2014. She exclaimed, "Becoming a major champion was my dream," and expressed joy at achieving her goal.

Salas finished with 1-under par and was satisfied with second place (16-under par 272). She missed the chance to claim her second career win after seven years since winning the 2014 Kingsmill Championship. Patty Tavatanakit (Thailand), the ANA champion, tied for 5th place (8-under par 280), while Yuka Saso (Philippines), the US Women’s Open champion, and Brooke Henderson (Canada), the LA Open champion, tied for 21st place (3-under par 285). Ariya Jutanugarn (Thailand), the Honda champion, finished tied for 46th place (2-over par 290).

From Korea, ‘HSBC champion’ Kim Hyo-joo (26, Lotte) performed well, shooting 4-under par to finish tied for 3rd place (10-under par 278). This is her third top-5 finish of the season. Along with Ko Jin-young, Park In-bee (33, KB Financial Group), and Kim Se-young (28, Mediheal), she has secured a spot for the Tokyo Olympics. Yang Hee-young (32, Woori Financial Group) improved by 8 strokes to jump to tied 9th place (6-under par 282). Defending champion Kim Se-young finished tied for 12th place (5-under par 283), Park In-bee tied for 40th (1-over par 289), and Ko Jin-young tied for 46th.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.