Nelly Korda adds to dream summer
KAWAGOE, Japan — Nelly Korda’s parents used to call her a lion when she was young because of the relentless nature she displayed in every athletic venture she pursued, from gymnastics to ice skating to golf.
“I’ve always been super determined and super focused on what I want,” Korda said.
Now she is more than she ever imagined: major champion, No. 1 in the world and Olympic gold medalist, all of this happening in the past two months. What a summer. “Honestly, it’s crazy,” she said. Less than two weeks after her 23rd birthday, Korda gave the United States a sweep of gold medals in golf at the Tokyo Games, breaking away from the pack with three straight birdies around the turn and holding her nerve during a chaotic chase for medals and a one-hour storm delay at the end of the final round Saturday.
Xander Schauffele, a 27-yearold California native, won the Olympic men’s competition last Sunday.
Korda tapped in for a par and a 2-under 69 for a one-shot victory at 17-under 267. Moments later, her 28-year-old sister Jessica joined her on the green for a hug and a shimmy. Jessica had finished earlier with a 64 to tie for 15th and looked forward to her little sister’s big moment.
“This is just kind of like almost legend status as a golfer, period, male or female,” said Jessica, who has six career LPGA Tour wins — a number Nelly matched when she won the Women’s PGA Championship in late June for her first major title.
“It’s tough to win out here and she makes it look easy, but those girls are good. So for her to be doing what she’s doing, it’s insane to me. This is like total GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) status to me. To win three times in a season, be world No. 1, going for gold.”
There was nothing easy about this final round for Korda, even starting with a three-shot advantage. She fell into a tie for the lead, rebuilt it to three shots early on the back nine and then closed with six pars as three players — Japan’s Mone Inami, New Zealand’s Lydia Ko and India’s Aditi Ashok — made a bold run at her.
Inami, a 22-year-old player who was given the honor of the opening tee shot Wednesday, delivered the golf-loving host nation a silver medal. It was nearly better than that as she ran off five birdies in a six-hole stretch toward the end, the last one from eight feet on the 17th hole to tie for the lead.
She had gone over the 18th green in the third round and made a bogey, and when she was tentative Saturday — she later said she regretted not making a full swing — her shot came up short as the ball plugged in the sand on the slope near the face. She blasted out to put the ball 30 feet from the cup and eventually made a bogey for a 65.
Ko needed a 35-foot birdie putt to tie for the lead on the 18th but left it four feet short and had to make that for a 65 to finish one behind. In the playoff for the silver medal, Ko found a bunker off the tee on the 18th hole, had to lay up and missed a 10-foot par putt. She had to settle for the bronze after winning the silver at 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.
Ko is the only golfer to win medals in both Olympics since the sport returned after a 112year absence. Afterward, she saluted the new champion.
“It’s not easy playing as the No. 1 in the Olympics. I did that in Rio,” Ko said. “And for her to fight through those kind of pressure and expectations and to end up winning the gold, I think it shows what kind of class player she is. I’m sure this is the start of many more majors and many more wins for Nelly.”