Water hazard doesn’t keep Korda from 64

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, FRANCE » Nelly Korda is just trying to enjoy herself at the Evian Championship after a fourmonth injury layoff that has given her more perspective about her golf.

Not that she felt so great taking a shot while standing barefoot in a slimy lake.

“I’ve never done anything like that and I must say, it was really gross,” Korda said about her adventure at No. 18 midway through an 7-under 64 that left her a stroke behind first-round leader Ayaka Furue on Thursday in the fourth major of 2022.

Korda’s approach shot at the par-5 18th hole — her ninth of the day after starting at No. 10 — ended up rolling down a bank on the front right of the green and into the water. Her caddie ran up to the green and saw it was possible to make contact with the ball, so Korda removed her golf shoes, waded into the lake, and splashed out to the edge of the green. Korda went on to make par.

“It was really slimy,” Korda said, making a face before laughing.

The American shot her lowest round of the year, continuing her impressive comeback after time out following surgery on a blood clot in her arm.

Korda was tied for second place with No. 10-ranked Brooke Henderson of Canada, who posted 64 by holing a double-breaker for eagle at No. 9, also her last hole.

Im, Piercy share lead

BLAINE, MINN. » Scott Piercy shot a 6-under 65 to share the 3M Open lead with Sungjae Im after the first round.

Tony Finau was two strokes back, with three near misses of birdie putts over his last four holes, along with Brice Garnett, Doug Ghim, Emiliano Grillo and Tom Hoge.

Playing in the second group of the day off the first tee, Piercy made 151 feet worth of putts. He birdied four of the first five holes on his back nine.

Im, who’s 19th in the FedEx Cup standings and 24th in the world, birdied four of his last six holes.

French teen reaches quarters

PALERMO, SICILY » French teenager Diane Parry beat second-seeded Yulia Putintseva 6-3, 6-4 to reach her first tourlevel quarterfinal at the Palermo Ladies Open.

It was the 19-year-old Parry’s third career win against a top-50 player.

Also advancing on the red clay courts of the Country Time Club was local hope Lucia Bronzetti, who beat Elina Avanesyan 6-1, 6-3.

Moscow says U.S. must respect Russian law

MOSCOW » The spokesperson for Russia’s Foreign Ministry lashed out at the United States characterizing basketball star Brittney Griner’s jailing on drug charges as “wrongful detention,” saying it shows disrespect for Russian law.

Griner has been jailed since she was arrested in mid-February at a Moscow airport after vape canisters containing cannabis oil were found in her luggage. The Phoenix Mercury standout and two-time Olympic gold medalist acknowledged in court this month that she had the canisters, but said she had no intent to break the law.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the legalization of cannabis for medical and recreational use in parts of the U.S. has no bearing on what happens in Russia.

New clubs, no problem for Day

GLENEAGLES, SCOTLAND » Playing with a new set of golf clubs after his own ones failed to arrive from the United States, Glen Day never expected to be a contender at the Senior British Open this week.

Imagine his surprise, then, at taking a share of the lead after the first round at Gleneagles on Thursday.

Day converted an 8-foot eagle putt at the par-5 18th at The King’s Course to match Stephen Ames’ bogey-free 6-under 64.

ATP cancels 4 China events

LONDON » The ATP men’s tennis tour is canceling all four of its tournaments held in China this year, citing COVID-19 restrictions.

The Rolex Shanghai Masters, China Open, Chengdu Open and Zhuhai Championships were called off by the ATP. It is the third consecutive year that the tour scrapped its China swing, which usually runs after the U.S. Open in September and October.

Alcaraz advances

HAMBURG, GERMANY » Top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz recovered from a slow start to beat Filip Krajinovic 7-6 (4), 6-3 and reach the quarterfinals of the Hamburg European Open on Thursday as Francisco Cerundolo stunned Andrey Rublev 6-4, 6-2.

Alcaraz saved four set points down 4-5 in the first set before surging back to beat Krajinovic and improve to 21-2 on clay this season.