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“A lot of text messages, and I’m sorry I never got back to a lot of people,” Yin said.

“Including me,” Korda then joked.

Oddly enough, this season, Korda doesn’t have an LPGA win of her own, but has posted seven top 10s in 15 LPGA starts, won the Aramco Team Series London event, has been the No. 1 player in the world twice, and has represented the US in both the International Crown and Solheim Cup. With four events remaining, Korda is staring down the possibility of a winless LPGA year during a non-COVID impacted season for the first time since her rookie season in 2017.

“I think the season has been up and down,” Korda explained. “There have been really good finishes. At the beginning of the year golf felt really easy. Just was top-10-ing, and then I got injured and the momentum of my season really shifted. So kind of a little bit disappointing obviously, but that’s golf, right? You kind of have to ride the wave of it. You got to put your head down and sometimes work.

“I’ve been doing that, and I’m hoping for a momentum shift going into this week and then the last two in Florida as well. But, yeah, definitely a bit of an up and down year, which, you know, they’re sports, so I feel like athletes are always kind of in a spotlight, so when we have bad days they’re really magnified too. So unfortunately I’ve definitely had a few of those this year, but hoping to change that momentum.”

Korda, 25, posted top 10s in six of her first seven events, including a runner-up at the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore at the beginning of March. She then returned to the No. 1 spot in the world rankings after a third-place finish at the Chevron Championship, going under par in all four rounds at Carlton Woods. Through her first seven events, Korda’s scoring average was 68.81, a mere rounding difference from the 68.77 she averaged during her four-win 2021 campaign. A victory, as it always seems with the uber-talented American, felt like a matter of if, not when.

What did stop her season was another injury. She played through a lower back tweak sidelined during the Founders Cup in May, missing her first cut of the year. After taking a month away, Korda still has yet to find the dominant form that kept her near the top of most of the LPGA’s early-season leaderboards. After returning at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in June, Korda’s lone top 10 was a T-9 at the Amundi Evian Championship. Her best performance came away from the LPGA, with an 11-under-par winning score at the Ladies European Tour’s Aramco Team Series event in London in July.

That didn’t stop Korda from searching for answers. She flew her coach out to Oregon, where they worked into the evening Wednesday ahead of the Cambia Portland Classic. Since June, Korda has averaged 71.6, which would put her in 60th on tour.

If there is any silver lining, Korda actually is in familiar territory, even if it doesn’t seem like it. She did not have a victory at this point one year ago, albeit she did have a four-month break due to a blood clot in her arm that limited her to 15 starts. Korda then successfully defended her title at the Pelican last November, and she will have a chance to three-peat at that event in two weeks.

Despite Korda not being in peak form, leave it to Yin to believe that this week also gives Korda a great chance to win. After all, the grass at Maybank host Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club is Bermuda on the fairways and rough, the same setup as Pelican Golf Club, site of her last victory.

“I was like, this is Nelly’s golf course,” Yin said. “Looks like Taiwan where she won twice and looks like Pelican. The grass is like perfect for her. It’s right back to Bradenton, Florida.”

“Hopefully,” Korda said.

Main image: Chung Sung-Jun

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Six-time LPGA winner Jessica Korda is about to be a first-time mom.

The 30-year-old LPGA star announced she’s pregnant on Friday with adorable social-media posts involving her beloved dog, Charlie, as well as a pair of baby golf shoes. FootJoys of course for the FootJoy-sponsored player:

? update? pic.twitter.com/19ZCEsljwg

— Jessica Korda (@Thejessicakorda) August 25, 2023

Aww. You love to see it.

According to the ‘Tee Time For 3’ sign, the baby is due in February. And if we’re going by the colour of the shoes, it appears the couple is expecting a boy.

Korda previously announced in May she was taking time off to rehab a back injury. She last played in the Cognizant Founders Cup earlier that month, withdrawing after one round. Korda only played in six individual events in 2023 with a T-18 at the LA Open being her best result.

Jessica is the older sister of World No. 2 Nelly Korda. Jessica’s most-recent LPGA Tour title came at the 2021 Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions. Anyway, congrats to Jessica and her husband Johnny DelPrete. Oh, and to soon-to-be Aunt Nelly.

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Nelly Korda produced a dominant display to win the Individual title at the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF – London.

The world number two had led from the first day and had a five-shot lead coming into the final round at Centurion Club.

And the Olympic champion began the day with a birdie on the first but soon dropped a shot on the sixth and was back to even par for the round.

However, she soon moved into the red once again with a birdie on the 12th before she rolled in a birdie at the last to seal a round of 71 (-2) and win with a total of 11-under-par.

“It was so much fun this week,” said Korda, who also won the Individual title at the 2022 Aramco Team Series – Sotogrande. “I got to play in some very interesting weather and got to hit shots that I don’t necessarily get to hit all the time. It was an amazing walk with my partners this week, my team and lastly Jason [McDede] as well.

“I am hoping that I can take this momentum into the next couple of weeks, I have Evian and the AIG Women’s Open coming up and hopefully I have learned a little bit about the weather this week and I can take that momentum into the next two big events.

“I knew Charley [Hull] was going to make a run for it, I think everyone was trying to. It’s tough to be the one out front and who everyone is trying to get. I just stuck to my game and took it one shot at a time. As boring as it sounds, it worked.

“I’m going to see my grandparents tomorrow; I have a couple of friends here right now, so we’ll celebrate after. I’ll be very full tomorrow.”

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 #RaiseOurGame | #BringTheEnergy pic.twitter.com/6YhOf974Rf

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) July 16, 2023

England’s Charley Hull finished in second place on seven-under-par after firing a round of 68 (-5) on the final day.

The three-time LET winner rolled in three birdies in four holes on the front nine but dropped a shot on the ninth to make the turn in 35 (-2).

Hull rolled in three further birdies on her back nine for a round of 68 and to seal her second consecutive second-place finish.

“I played pretty well today, I was pretty happy,” said the 27-year-old. “It was very windy out there. I just felt very tired this week after last week, it kind of hit me yesterday but I got a good night’s sleep last night. It was good fun out there and nice to be playing in front of the home crowds.

“I feel really good, I feel like my game is in good shape. Second last week and second this week, roll on Evian. It feels like a good week at the office, but at the same time it sucks because you just keep knocking on the door but hopefully, a win is around the corner.”

South Africa’s Nicole Garcia finished in third place on five-under-par after a final round of 72 (-1) which included three birdies and two bogeys.

Garcia explained: “I have been working hard on my technique, the last time I was in that position I didn’t feel so much nerves – obviously a little bit of anxiety and nerves – but not to the point that I should have had such mis-hits. It just came down to technique.

“I think I managed to hold it together. I hit a few shots out there I’m not really proud of but again it just feels like it’s a technique issue. I just need to grind it in a little, so it holds under pressure. I was aiming for at least top two this week, so I got pretty close and I’m pretty proud of that.”

Ireland’s Leona Maguire produced a final round of 70 (-3) to finish in outright fourth place on three-under-par with England’s Georgia Hall one shot further back in fifth place.

Tristan Jones/LET

Six players finished in a share of sixth place on level par including Germany’s Sophie Witt, who fired the round of the week with a 67 (-6).

Team Hall were declared team champions earlier on Sunday once the second round was completed, after the quartet of Hall, Kylie Henry, Lea Anne Bramwell and amateur Michael Austick finished with a total of 24-under-par.

Captain Hall said: “I think most importantly when one of us was out of a hole then another player came in and managed to save that par or get that birdie. We all got on really well and had a nice fun group and I think that’s really important, and our amateur helped two or three times in the round which was really handy.”

In the 2023 Race to Costa del Sol, the standings in the top 10 have not changed with Spain’s Ana Peláez Triviño still leading the way ahead of India’s Aditi Ashok, Czechia’s Klara Davidson Spilkova and Sweden’s Linn Grant.

India’s Diksha Dagar is fifth with Sweden’s Johanna Gustavsson in sixth, England’s Lily May Humphreys in seventh, Germany’s Chiara Noja sits eighth, Spain’s Carmen Alonso is still ninth and France’s Celine Herbin round out the top 10.

The biggest movers are Hull, who jumped from 104th to 33rd place and now has 401 points from two events, while South Africa’s Garcia was 33rd and is now 17th with 591.93 points.

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Nelly Korda took control of the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF – London as she mastered the stormy conditions at Centurion Club.

The American star put together a near-flawless round of 69 that left her five clear at the top with two groups still to complete their second round after adverse weather led to a 90-minute suspension of play. Play will resume at 7 am tomorrow for the final two groups, while round three for the individual event will start at approximately 9.30 am.

Korda, 24, played brilliantly as unrelenting high winds provided the sternest of challenges for the field. The highlight of a peerless performance came at the uphill par-5 15th, where she ripped a 3-wood from 238 yards to seven feet, before rolling home the eagle putt.

She also made three birdies to give herself a great chance of recording her first victory since securing the Pelican Women’s Championship last November. Her only blemish came at the 16th hole, where her par putt caught the lip but stayed above ground.

Korda said: “It was probably the most brutal weather I’ve played in a really long time. I would say this was one of my best rounds this year.

“I actually had a lot of fun out there. The weather may have not been too great, but I think when you are playing well in these rounds, you get to use a little bit more creativity and a different type of game. It’s a lot of fun.”  

As for her thrilling eagle on 15, Korda perhaps surprised her caddie Jason McDede by reaching the green in two.

She added: “Jason told me that it was a three-shot hole, for sure – that there’s no way I could get there in two – and I just hit this bullet driver. I was actually hitting this controlled driver, like a low stinger, all day, which was really helping me in the wind. I got up to the ball and I just had a perfect number. I just hit it really good, and everything kind of came together.”

Korda will begin round three sat at nine-under-par, with her nearest rival Nicole Garcia back on four-under. Garcia was an early-morning starter and made five birdies, including one at the last, to sign for a two-under-par 71.

Home favourite Charley Hull started the day alongside Korda at the leaderboard summit. However, the English ace was unable to reproduce her first-day magic and slipped off the pace as a result of a 76.

Georgia Hall with a brilliant finish to take Team Hall to the top of the team leaderboard. Tristan Jones/LET

Georgia Hall played a captain’s hand in taking her quartet to the brink of victory in the team event. The English ace chipped in for birdie at the 17th hole but saved the best to last where she came up with a marvellous eagle.

Off an awkward lie, Hall cracked a 3-wood to four feet from where she sunk a putt to lift her and her team-mates – Kylie Henry, Lea Anne Bramwell and amateur Michael Austick – to 24-under-par.

For a long time, it looked as if Hull’s quartet, including former England footballer Teddy Sheringham, may rise to the top. But they failed to capitalise on several clear-cut chances – most notably on the last green – to end up on 23-under.

The Aramco Team Series, which launched in 2021, sees teams competing over 36 holes on the Friday and Saturday of the tournament, with $500,000 prize money on offer.

Sunday’s final day of play will see only the lowest-scoring 60 players and ties from the opening two rounds return to the course to battle it out for a share of another $500,000 – this time in individual earnings.

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Nelly Korda has confirmed she is fully fit and eager to enhance her brilliant Aramco Team Series record when she tees up at Centurion Club, London, this Friday.

The world number 2 won the Aramco Team Series Sotogrande last year and finished second and fourth in her two other ATS starts, both in New York. This week sees her initial appearance at Aramco Team Series presented by PIF – London and she is hungry for a first success in 2023.

Korda has put behind her an injury issue and believes her best golf is not far away, despite missing the cut in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in June and finishing tied-64th in last week’s U.S Women’s Open.

Korda, 24, said: “I feel very close with my game – the scores may not seem it right now.

“At the start of the year, I had a really strong start. I was barely finishing outside the top ten and then had two missed cuts. Last week at Pebble (Beach) wasn’t the greatest of showings, but I think that’s golf and you just got to take it how it is, and you have to grow from it. I mean, that’s when you appreciate the highs when you go through the lows.”

Korda is an advocate of the innovative format of the Aramco Team Series in which the first two days see 36 teams target the lion’s share of a $500,000 prize pot. Each quartet has a captain who selects one team-mate at a players’ draft, while they are also allocated a further professional with an amateur. The last hole 18 of the tournament is for professionals only when there’s a further $500,000 on offer.

Korda said: “I think it’s a super fun event. Especially the team aspect of it, I think it brings in a different kind of energy. It’s fun, it’s light, and it makes golf a lot of fun, having teammates out there with you.”

Korda’s opening look at the Centurion Club came this morning and followed up a visit yesterday to the Wimbledon tennis tournament (“tried strawberries and cream for the first time – really yummy”).

She said: “I played the back nine – it’s a really nice golf course, in really nice condition. The wind started picking up towards the end and I know high winds are forecast for the week, so I think it’ll be a tricky test.

“Every single time I tee up, I try to play my best. There’s only one goal in mind, and that’s to hopefully hold the trophy at the end of the week. So I’m going to give it my all and see how it goes.”

Bronte Law looking forward to title defence of Aramco Team Series – London. Tristan Jones/LET

Bronte Law delivered one of the moments of the 2022 season when she sunk an incredible long-range eagle putt on the 18th green to win the last renewal of Aramco Team Series – London. And this week the Englishwoman has already revisited the scene of one of the most dramatic strokes of her career.

“We actually just recreated the putt on 18, so that was fun,” said Law. “It’s great to be back.  I think each victory has kind of a special place just for different reasons. This one being in front of a home crowd, in front of my family – each time I’m in a situation like that, it just feels really nice to share that with them.”

Law finished tied-45th in the U.S Women’s Open, but was encouraged by much of her play over the week.

She said: “I played really nicely last week. I mean, Pebble’s a beast so didn’t have the Sunday that I wanted, but I hit a lot of really good shots. Overall, my golf is in a pretty good place now.”

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At 8:50 a.m. local time Thursday, the trio of World No. 1 Jin Young Ko, No. 2 Nelly Korda and 11-time LPGA winner Lexi Thompson teed off on the 10th hole of the Pebble Beach Golf Links in the first round of the 78th US Women’s Open. About 15 minutes and 16 shots played later, the seaside links already had shown its bite. Korda opened the tournament by slicing her drive over the cliff and eventually made a double bogey. Ko drove into the left fairway bunker while Thompson hit into the left rough, and both made bogey.

Welcome to the first women’s major played on this famed course. Ko ended up shooting a shocking 79, Korda scored 76 and Thompson “won” the group with a 74.

“Hard,” Thompson said when asked how the course was playing. “I know there could be a lot more wind than there is today. It always plays difficult. Tee shots are hard, and bunkers have a lot of sand and the rough is up really thick. It’s definitely a major championship golf course.”

Pity the players who had to start in a light mist on the par-4 10th. The 428-yarder on the cliffs above Carmel Beach played as the hardest hole for the morning wave, at nearly a half-stroke over par (.46). Only 29 per cent of the first 78 players hit the green.

Don’t tell the players starting on 1 that they had it easy. The true opener played as the fifth-hardest hole, and in an example of how treacherous any misses at Pebble can be. Jennifer Kupcho hit her first tee ball in the afternoon wave into the left rough. She slashed her next shot only 47 yards, the ball being swallowed in the thick eyelashes of a bunker. Kupcho then all but shanked the third shot right and eventually made a double bogey.

The unknown of how the women would fare in major conditions at Pebble was a fascinating prospect heading into the championship. From the looks of early play on Thursday, as long as the conditions are benign, which they were on this morning, there are players who have answers for this test. But for those who aren’t feeling sharp, they will be absolutely exposed because of deep rough everywhere, along with finding and then putting on Pebble’s claustrophobic greens. Thirty-five players in the morning shot 76 or higher.

Xiyu Lin plays her second shot on the 10th hole during the first round of the 78th US Women’s Open. Ezra Shaw

China’s Xiyu Lin, a 27-year-old who tied for third in the recent KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Baltrusrol, managed the layout beautifully, suffering only a single bogey on her last hole, the ninth, to shoot a four-under-par 68 and take the clubhouse lead. Lin is not a long hitter and averaged only 254 yards off the tee in Round 1, but she was in the fairway most of the time (12 of 14) and gained nearly four strokes on the early competitors in putting.

Making strong pars at Pebble Beach is critical, and they don’t come better than Lin’s 4 at the No. 8. Her tee shot travelled only 172 yards, leaving her a daunting 217-yard shot to the over the cliffside chasm; She answered with near-perfect wood to 18 feet and two-putted for par.

Others didn’t fare as well. There were 14 bogeys, two doubles and one 7 at No. 8 in the morning. Only three players made birdie.

The most shocking result came from Ko, a two-time major winner who has two victories this year. Among the pre-tournament favourites—and rightfully so, considering she spent more than a week practising at Pebble—the World No. 1 made six bogeys and a stunning double bogey on the par-3 17th when she hooked a wood into Stillwater Cove. That is a miss that a Pebble Beach golf tourist would cringe at. Ko’s 79 put her near last in the morning wave; she only beat 52-year-old Annika Sorenstam by one shot and tied Amy Olson, who is seven months pregnant.

The adage at Pebble Beach is that you have to make hay on the first seven holes before holding on eighth and onward. But that only played out in a minor way early, with the front playing three-quarters of a stroke easier, with the total score average of 74.63.

Beyond the 10th, the dogleg par-4 16th, playing at 377 yards, was the second hardest, yielding zero birdies and 22 scores of par or worse. The 429-yard ninth was playing predictably hard with an average of 4.35.

The easiest hole in the morning was the uphill par-5 sixth, which gave up 28 birdies, followed by the 308-yard par-4 fourth and 367-yard 15th. The little par-3 seventh, one of the most photographed holes in the world, was set at 113 yards and allowed 15 birdies but exacted 14 bogeys. And the 18th, as one of the greatest finishing holes in the game, was not laying down, playing at 5.14 average strokes.

Even in the more playable morning conditions., three of the top-four ranked players in the world (Ko, Korda and Lilia Vu) combined to shoot 18 over par, and Thursday morning’s “featured group” of Ko, Korda and Thompson traversed far more of the Pebble property than they hoped. It was if they fed off negative vibe instead of positive.

Lexi Thompson laid up with an iron on her 18th hole tee shot and eventually made a par. Ezra Shaw

Korda shot herself out of the KPMG Women’s PGA two weeks ago with rounds of 76-77, and with the tough double-bogey start at Pebble, the World No. 2’s body language was not promising. She bogeyed three more holes on her front before making a salvage birdie at 18. Korda rallied with birdies at 3 and 6 but gave the gains back with bogeys at 7 and 8.

In a wild statistical gap, Korda gained 6.47 strokes off the tee and lost 10.59 in short game.

Thompson, who has been struggling badly of late, managed the best score of her trio with a 74. Beyond the bogey at 10 to open, she made a double bogey at No. 1 and bogey at 7. Thompson, one of the longest drivers on tour, also made a curious decision at the 18th. She chose iron off the tee, hit it an impressive 263 yards, but after laying up to 135 yards, Thompson managed an approach to 20 feet and couldn’t make the birdie putt.

Apparently, that big body of water on the left can be very intimidating.

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On Tuesday, the USGA announced the groupings for the US Women’s Open at Pebble Beach and they are highlighted by LPGA rookie sensation Rose Zhang playing with two former major champions Lydia Ko and Brooke Henderson. The threesome drew one of the later tee times for the first round—2:35 p.m. PT, which will put them into all of USA Network’s live coverage for Thursday’s first round. The group tees off at 8:50 a.m. on Friday.

Among the other featured groups:

World No. 1 Jin Young Ko, No. 2 Nelly Korda and Lexi Thompson.

Sei Young Kim, recent KPMG Women’s PGA Championship winner Ruoning Yin and Megan Khang.

Yuka Saso, the 2021 US Women’s Open champion at Olympic Club, two-time major winner So Yeon Ru, and amateur Anna Davis, the champion of the 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

And in the tournament’s most nostalgic group, 52-year-old Annika Sorenstam is paired with Michelle Wie West, who has said this will be her last event, and In Gee Chun.

All times Pacific

7 a.m. / 12:45 p.m. – (a) Kelly Xu, Claremont, Calif.; Haeji Kang, Republic of Korea; Lindy Duncan, Plantation, Fla.

7:11 a.m. / 12:56 p.m. – Miyu Sato, Japan; Jaravee Boonchant, Thailand; Amanda Doherty, Atlanta, Ga.

7:22 a.m. / 1:07 p.m. – Azahara Muñoz, Spain; Amy Olson, Fargo, N.D.; Emma Spitz, Austria

7:33 a.m. / 1:18 p.m. – Na Rin An, Republic of Korea; (a) Benedetta Moresco, Italy; Amy Yang, Republic of Korea

7:44 a.m. / 1:29 p.m. – Nanna Koerstz Madsen, Denmark; Hae Ran Ryu, Republic of Korea; (a) Jeneath Wong, Malaysia

7:55 a.m. / 1:40 p.m. – Jenny Shin, Republic of Korea; Jeongeun Lee6, Republic of Korea; Alison Lee, Los Angeles, Calif.

8:06 a.m. / 1:51 p.m. – Ariya Jutanugarn, Thailand; Mina Harigae, Monterey, Calif.; Gaby Lopez, Mexico

8:17 a.m. / 2:02 p.m. – Minjee Lee, Australia; (a) Saki Baba, Japan; Ashleigh Buhai, South Africa

8:28 a.m. / 2:13 p.m. – (a) Amari Avery, Riverside, Calif.; Ally Ewing, Fulton, Miss.; Angel Yin, Arcadia, Calif.

8:39 a.m. / 2:24 p.m. – Lilia Vu, Fountain Valley, Calif.; Danielle Kang, Las Vegas, Nev.; Charley Hull, England

8:50 a.m. / 2:35 p.m. – So Yeon Ryu, Republic of Korea; (a) Anna Davis, Spring Valley, Calif.; Yuka Saso, Japan

9:01 a.m. / 2:46 p.m. – Yuri Yoshida, Japan; Paula Reto, South Africa; Ryann O’Toole, San Clemente, Calif.

9:12 a.m. / 2:57 p.m. – Milagros Chaves, Paraguay; Harukyo Nomura, Japan; Aya Kinoshita, Japan

Thursday (July 6), Hole #1 / Friday (July 7), Hole #10

12:45 p.m. / 7 a.m. – (a) Krissy Carman, Eugene, Ore.; Laura Sluman, Panama; (a) Farah O’Keefe, Austin, Texas

12:56 p.m. / 7:11 a.m. – Ayako Uehara, Japan; Amelia Garvey, New Zealand; Therese Warner, Kennewick, Wash.

1:07 p.m. / 7:22 a.m. – Maria Fassi, Mexico; (a) Grace Summerhays, Scottsdale, Ariz.; Xiaowen Yin, People’s Republic of China

1:18 p.m. / 7:33 a.m. – Alice Hewson, England; Kana Mikashima, Japan; (a) Emilia Migliaccio, Cary, N.C.

1:29 p.m. / 7:44 a.m. – (a) Chizuru Komiya, Japan; Jenny Coleman, Rolling Hills Estates, Calif.; Hana Wakimoto, Japan

1:40 p.m. / 7:55 a.m. – (a) Jess Baker, England; Pajaree Anannarukarn, Thailand; Chella Choi, Republic of Korea

1:51 p.m. / 8:06 a.m. – Andrea Lee, Hermosa Beach, Calif.; Anna Nordqvist, Sweden; Cheyenne Knight, Aledo, Texas

2:02 p.m. / 8:17 a.m. – Madelene Sagstrom, Sweden; Hyo Joo Kim, Republic of Korea; Miyu Yamashita, Japan

2:13 p.m. / 8:28 a.m. – Ayaka Furue, Japan; Hannah Green, Australia; Linn Grant, Sweden

2:24 p.m. / 8:39 a.m. – Jennifer Kupcho, Westminster, Colo.; Atthaya Thitikul, Thailand; Leona Maguire, Republic of Ireland

2:35 p.m. / 8:50 a.m. – Brooke Henderson, Canada; Rose Zhang, Irvine, Calif.; Lydia Ko, New Zealand

2:46 p.m. / 9:01 a.m. – Mirim Lee, Republic of Korea; Teresa Toscano Borrero, Spain; (a) Angela Zhang, Bellevue, Wash.

2:57 p.m. / 9:12 a.m. – Brooke Matthews, Rogers, Ark.; (a) Julia Misemer, Overland Park, Kan.; Marissa Chow, Honolulu, Hawaii

Thursday (July 6), Hole #10 / Friday (July 7), Hole #1

7 a.m. / 12:45 p.m. – (a) Sadie Englemann, Austin, Texas; Gabriela Ruffels, Australia; Charlotte Thomas, England

7:11 a.m. / 12:56 p.m. – Bronte Law, England; Grace Kim, Australia; (a) Monet Chun, Canada

7:22 a.m. / 1:07 p.m. – Brittany Lang, Mckinney, Texas; Jill McGill, Denver, Colo.; Angela Stanford, Saginaw, Texas

7:33 a.m. / 1:18 p.m. – Patty Tavatanakit, Thailand; (a) Áine Donegan, Republic of Ireland; Sung Hyun Park, Republic of Korea

7:44 a.m. / 1:29 p.m. – (a) Zoe Campos, Valencia, Calif.; Moriya Jutanugarn, Thailand; Haruka Kawasaki, Japan

7:55 a.m. / 1:40 p.m. – Lizette Salas, Azusa, Calif.; Jodi Ewart Shadoff, England; (a) Yana Wilson, Henderson, Nev.

8:06 a.m. / 1:51 p.m. – Sei Young Kim, Republic of Korea; Ruoning Yin, People’s Republic of China; Megan Khang, Rockland, Mass.

8:17 a.m. / 2:02 p.m. – Carlota Ciganda, Spain; Xiyu Lin, People’s Republic of China; Hye-jin Choi, Republic of Korea

8:28 a.m. / 2:13 p.m. – Annika Sorenstam, Sweden; Michelle Wie West, Honolulu, Hawaii; In Gee Chun, Republic of Korea

8:39 a.m. / 2:24 p.m. – Celine Boutier, France; Georgia Hall, England; Nasa Hataoka, Japan

8:50 a.m. / 2:35 p.m. – Jin Young Ko, Republic of Korea; Nelly Korda, Bradenton, Fla.; Lexi Thompson, Delray Beach, Fla.

9:01 a.m. / 2:46 p.m. – Albane Valenzuela, Switzerland; Momoko Ueda, Japan; (a) Maddison Hinson-Tolchard, Australia

9:12 a.m. / 2:57 p.m. – Yuna Nishimura, Japan; Pernilla Lindberg, Sweden; Annie Park, Levittown, N.Y.

Thursday (July 6), Hole #10 / Friday (July 7), Hole #1

12:45 p.m. / 7 a.m. – Bailey Tardy, Norcross, Ga.; Dottie Ardina, Philippines; (a) Kaili Xiao, Republic of Korea

12:56 p.m. / 7:11 a.m. – (a) Sarah Edwards, Jay, Fla.; Dewi Weber, Netherlands; Aline Krauter, Germany

1:07 p.m. / 7:22 a.m. – Mackenzie Hahn, Spring Grove, Ill.; (a) Sophie Linder, Carthage, Tenn.; Kumkang Park, Republic of Korea

1:18 p.m. / 7:33 a.m. – Ruixin Liu, People’s Republic of China; Daniela Darquea, Ecuador; (a) Minori Nagano, Japan

1:29 p.m. / 7:44 a.m. – Perrine Delacour, France; (a) Lauren Kim, Canada; Manon De Roey, Belgium

1:40 p.m. / 7:55 a.m. – DaYeon Lee, Republic of Korea; Minami Katsu, Japan; Natthakritta Vongtaveelap, Thailand

1:51 p.m. / 8:06 a.m. – A Lim Kim, Republic of Korea; Hinako Shibuno, Japan; Eun Hee Ji, Republic of Korea

2:02 p.m. / 8:17 a.m. – Allisen Corpuz, Kapolei, Hawaii; Jiyai Shin, Republic of Korea; Marina Alex, Wayne, N.J.

2:13 p.m. / 8:28 a.m. – (a) Tinghsuan Huang, Chinese Taipei; Chisato Iwai, Japan; Minji Park, Republic of Korea

2:24 p.m. / 8:39 a.m. – Mao Saigo, Japan; Maja Stark, Sweden; So Mi Lee, Republic of Korea

2:35 p.m. / 8:50 a.m. – Gemma Dryburgh, Scotland; Aditi Ashok, India; Akie Iwai, Japan

2:46 p.m. / 9:01 a.m. – Beatrice Wallin, Sweden; Joy Chou, Chinese Taipei; (a) Celeste Dao, Canada

2:57 p.m. / 9:12 a.m. – Allysha Mae Mateo, Mililani, Hawaii; Jing Yan, People’s Republic of China; (a) Megan Propeck, Leawood, Kan.

The post Highlights from US Women’s Open tee times: Rose Zhang playing with Lydia Ko, Brooke Henderson; Sorenstam and Wie West paired appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Nelly Korda doesn’t like learning about courses before arriving. She wants to process the course in her own way, with her own eyes, before coming up with a plan of attack. While her team members have scouted out Pebble Beach before their arrival, Korda’s only experience with the historic course before stepping onto the grounds came from playing a decade-old Tiger Woods video game.

“Actually, I played [hole] 7 on EA Sports,” Korda said. “That was the one hole my brother [and I] we always played Pebble … and my favourite hole was always 7 on that game.”

In a seeming homage to her love of that famed short par 3, Korda nearly aced it with a pitching wedge Monday ending up less than an inch from the cup in her practice round. It would’ve been her first ace since she was 11.

RELATED: Here are the top 25 players this week at Pebble Beach, ranked

That ball-striking precision was something missing from her KPMG Women’s PGA Championship performance, less than two weeks after one of her most disappointing results in a major championship where Korda missed both ways and struggled to make putts. Rounds of 76 and 77 at Baltusrol resulted in the No. 2 player in the world missing the cut at that championship for the first time in her career.

Korda left Baltusrol on Friday and is determined not to have to leave so early this week. She hunkered down on the range Monday working with her dad Petr and coaches David Whelan and Jamie Mulligan.

On Pebble time ? #USWomensOpen pic.twitter.com/ObWhKhXK1P

— U.S. Women’s Open (USGA) (@uswomensopen) July 3, 2023

“Making sure that I was mentally ready to come into this week,” Korda said. “I just put my head down and grinded. I love that about golf. I think no one knows everything and no one is an expert, and I think that this is the beauty of the game is that everyone experiences highs and lows.”

This week Korda, 24, has a chance to wash away the bad taste at a dream locale, the first time the US Women’s Open will be played at Pebble Beach. That’ll involve improving the 64 per cent of greens she hit at Baltusrol, nearly 10 per cent lower than her career average. Heightening the difficulty is the difference in greens between the courses, as Korda compared the larger ones in New Jersey to some of the diabolical complexes in abundance at Pebble Beach. She highlighted the par-5 14th hole as an opportunity to spin a wedge off the narrow green.

“If you’re not striking it well and you’re coming in from the rough, it’s going to be super tough,” Korda said. “If you’re coming in with long irons, too, on the bouncy Poa, it’s not like Baltusrol where you can run it up. I feel like here you’re going to have to fly it on to the greens properly and they’re small, too.”

While acknowledging its challenges, Korda spoke with reverence for the course. She beamed while describing the scenic venue as iconic and feeling fortunate to play. But for her to rebound from a tough week to win her second major title, it’ll take more than respect for the course she first learned as a child on a video game. Besides sorting out her swing, Korda is focusing on learning where Pebble allows for less punishing misses and hoping for good fortune.

“Being lucky [is important],” Korda said. “I think that all kind of needs to come together, but probably the smallest greens I’ve ever seen. It’s an amazing golf course. I think every part of your game has to really click.”  

The post Here is what Nelly Korda is doing at Pebble Beach to avoid a repeat performance from Baltusrol appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

For a 24-year-old in the prime of her career, Nelly Korda has already dealt with one-too-many health scares. One was of the downright frightening variety, when Korda missed time early last season due to a blood clot in her arm. The other was of the typical golf injury variety: an ailing lower back that forced her to miss the last five weeks on the LPGA tour.

Fortunately, the former issue is behind her, but the latter is one that’s caused problems before.

“Typically, that’s kind of what my back injury is,” Korda said on Tuesday at Baltusrol Golf Club, site of this week’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. “It’s just low back, yeah. There’s a lot of torque in the golf swing, so I feel like I’m not the only golfer that kind of struggles with the low back.”

Korda first felt discomfort at the 2020 Women’s PGA at Aronimink, where, during the first round, a failed attempt at cracking her back caused a spasm. She promptly withdrew, then took two months off before returning at the US Women’s Open.

In the two-and-a-half years since, Korda has played the best golf of her still nascent career. She broke out in 2021 with four victories, including the Women’s PGA at Atlanta Athletic Club, her first major. While she only had one win in 2022, she collected seven top-10 finishes in her other 14 starts. The early portion of 2023 had been similarly kind, with Korda finishing T-6 or better in six of her first seven tournaments.

The first sign something was off came at the Cognizant Founders Cup in early May, coincidentally also held in New Jersey at Upper Montclair Country Club. Korda shot rounds of 72 and 74, missing her first cut since September of 2022. On Tuesday, she admitted she “didn’t feel right” that week, and upon returning home to Florida her doctor advised her to take some time off to rest and avoid any more flare-ups. No one knew the extent of the injury until she withdrew from the Mizuho Americas Open a few weeks later.

The month-long break, evidently, has paid off. Korda, who says she’s pain-free, was cleared to begin practicing two weeks ago, and she’s already played 27 holes at Baltusrol this week. She’ll play the back nine again on Wednesday and then will be a full go on Thursday.

Of course, there are definitely softer spots on the schedule to ease into a return. But Korda is diving in head first at Baltusrol’s Lower Course, which will play over 6,600 yards this week and features notoriously thick rough off the fairways. She’s already experienced a few “knuckleballs” and dead-left pulls coming out of the long stuff on the AW Tillinghast gem. It’ll be just as much of a mental test as it will be a physical one.

With that in mind, Korda was asked if there was any hesitation about this being the week she’d make her comeback.

“No, I honestly wouldn’t be playing if I wasn’t 100 per cent,” she said.

As for whether she’s concerned that the injuries are stacking up at such a young age, Korda, who comes from a family of world-class athletes, says it’s just part of the deal.

“I’ve played this sport since I started walking, so I’ve dealt with injuries,” she said. “I think coming from a family that has played sports throughout their entire life, it just comes with it. You look at so many athletes, they all go through something. I can only speak on let’s say tennis where you see [Rafael] Nadal, who battled with so many injuries throughout his entire career.

“It’s something you constantly learn from. I think the best thing about this sport is that no one knows anything, or any sport, is that you’re constantly learning. So when I can learn from something, I hope that I can take that in and make myself a better person and golfer.”

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