Whoa, Nelly! Korda takes Taiwan Championship for her first LPGA win
TAOYUAN, TAIWAN — Nelly Korda shot a 4-under 68 to win the Taiwan Championship on Sunday for her first LPGA Tour title.
Korda — the younger sister of Jessica Korda, who has won five titles on the LPGA Tour — had an eagle on the par-5 sixth hole and added two more birdies at the Ta Shee Golf and Country Club to finish at 13-under 275.
She was two strokes ahead of Minjee Lee, who shot a bogeyfree 66.
“Truthfully, I cannot put it into words,” Korda said. “It still hasn’t hit. It’s definitely one of the best days of my entire life. I can finally check that off of my list, winning an LPGA event, something that I dreamed of ever since I started playing.”
Korda got her first birdie of the day on the par-4 No. 4 before the eagle on the sixth hole.
“I was hitting it really well on the front nine,” Korda said
“I mean, I played really solid. No. 4 is definitely probably one of the hardest holes on this golf course because you have such a long approach into the green.”
Ryann O’Toole carded seven birdies — including four of the last five holes — against a pair of bogeys for a 67 and sole possession of third place at 10-under
278.
“I just put myself in position and made putts,” O’Toole said. “I bogeyed the first hole and I think the best thing I could have done was stay in the moment after that.”
Carlota Ciganda offset two bogeys with five birdies for a 69 that left her tied for fourth with Megan Khang (71).
Local favourite Wei-Ling Hsu, who held a share of the lead with Korda after the third round, had five bogeys and closed with a 74 to finish tied for sixth with Lydia Ko (72).
Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., (75) tied for 38th.