Whoa, Nelly! Korda tallies family’s second win in row
ORLANDO, Fla. — Nelly Korda seized control with three early birdies and finished with 12 straight pars for a 3-under-par 69 and a 16-under 272 total to win the Gainbridge LPGA on Sunday, giving the Korda family two victories to start the season.
Her older sister, Jessica, 28, won the season-opening Tournament of Champions last month in Orlando.
Nelly Korda, 22, won for the first time on American soil — her other three LPGA wins were in Australia and twice in Taiwan — and the first time with her parents watching. Her father, Petr Korda, is a former Australian Open tennis champion.
On the other side of the course, Annika Sorenstam capped her return after more than 12 years of retirement with a par on the ninth hole for a 76, finishing last among the 74 players who made the cut. The 50-year-old Swede was making this one-time appearance because Lake Nona has been her home course for two decades.
Sorenstam finished 29 shots behind Korda, who won by three over Lexi Thompson (68) and Lydia Ko (69).
Korda began the final round with a one-shot lead over rookie Patty Tavatanakit, a former UCLA star who fell back quickly and wound up with 74 to tie for fifth.
■ PGA: At Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, Branden Grace closed eagle-birdie in a 6-under 66 for a 19-under 269 total and a one-shot win over Jhonattan Vegas (65) in the Puerto Rico Open at windy Grand Reserve. The 32-year-old South African notched his second PGA Tour win and 13th worldwide.
■ Champions: At Tucson, Ariz., Kevin Sutherland chipped in for his first final-round birdie on No. 16 and had a tap-in for another on the next hole, shooting 4-under 69 for a 15-under
204 total to overtake first- and second-round leader Mike Weir (73) by two shots in the Cologuard Classic.