Nelly Korda has rallied from a large 18-hole deficit to win one major this season, but she’ll need an even more impressive comeback to do it again.
Korda shot 3-over 74 in the opening round of the Amundi Evian Championship and is 11 strokes behind leader Aki Iwai. The world No. 1 had two birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey Thursday at Evian Resort Golf Club.
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Five weeks ago, Korda began the U.S. Women’s Open with a 2-over 73 and was seven off the first-round lead. She went on to shoot 67-67-69 to prevail by a stroke. It was Korda’s second consecutive major victory, having also won The Chevron Championship, wire to wire, in April.
A third major title this week in France would give Korda the career Grand Slam – under the LPGA’s rules of winning at least four of the five current majors – and a spot in the points-based LPGA Hall of Fame.
It will take a remarkable comeback.
Beginning on the back nine, Korda was 1 under through three holes before running off a string of pars. She dropped back to even par with a bogey at the 18th and then doubled the first. She also bogeyed the fourth and fifth holes before a closing birdie at the par-5 ninth.
In nine career appearances at this championship, Korda has two top-10s, a tie for eighth in 2022 and a tie for ninth in 2023.
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