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GILBERT, Ariz. — Prime-ranked Nelly Korda turned the primary LPGA Tour participant in eight years to win three straight begins, taking pictures a 7-under 65 on a soggy Sunday for a two-stroke victory within the Ford Championship.
Korda gained the Drive On Championship in her hometown of Bradenton, Florida, earlier than sitting out all the LPGA Tour’s Asian swing. She was nonetheless sharp after a seven-week break, successful the Fir Hill Seri Pak Championship in a playoff final week outdoors Los Angeles to maneuver again atop the world rating.
Korda stayed regular by way of 4 days within the desert, getting into the ultimate spherical two pictures again by way of climate that bought progressively worse at Seville Golf and Nation Membership.
Korda practically holed out her second shot on the quick par-4 sixteenth to take the lead and birdied No. 18 to complete at 20-under 268 for her eleventh profession LPGA victory. She’s the primary LPGA Tour participant to win three straight begins since Ariya Jutanugarn in 2016 and first American since Nancy Lopez gained 5 straight 1978.
Australian rookie Hira Naveed was in place to tie Korda after hitting her second shot good of the par-5 18th, however an detached chip led to a par. The previous Pepperdine participant shot 66 to complete second at 18 below in her second profession begin.
Lexi Thompson briefly shared the lead and was inside a shot by way of 15 holes in her bid to win for the primary time since 2019. She hit driver on the sixteenth and despatched it approach proper into the water, resulting in a bogey.
Thompson additionally missed a brief par putt on No. 17 earlier than closing with a two-putt birdie on 18 to shoot 68. She completed in a five-way tie for fourth at 17 below.
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Temperatures dropped dramatically and regular rain fell many of the last spherical, including a layer of issue at a match that began with two days of record-setting scores.
The inclement climate did little to sluggish the leaders down, with 4 gamers tied for the lead and 11 inside two pictures early on the again 9.
Korda had consecutive birdies beginning on No. 4 to kick off her last spherical and added one other on the par-4 ninth to show in 3-under 33. She tied for the lead with a birdie on the par-5 twelfth and took it outright at 18 below by making a 6-foot birdie putt on 13.
Thompson and Haveed tied her, however Korda went again up together with her close to holeout on 16, organising a birdie that gave her a one-shot lead. Korda hit an enormous drive on No. 18 and chipped to a few ft for a closing birdie.
Naveed made the record-low lower of 5 below on the quantity and raced up the leaderboard with a third-round 65 earlier than the winds picked up. She pulled right into a tie for the lead at 18 below with a birdie on the island par-3 seventeenth, however left her chip on 18 about 20 ft quick and missed the putt.
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