Nelly Korda on top again at LPGA

OCALA, Fla. — Nelly Korda didn’t miss a beat four days after her first LPGA Tour title on U.S. soil, outplaying her sister and the world’s No. 1 player for a 5-under 67 to share the lead at the Drive On Championship. Former NCAA champion

Jennifer Kupcho managed a 67 despite playing most of the back nine with a migraine that blurs her vision. Austin Ernst also had a 67 at Golden Ocala.

The third-ranked Korda was part of a featured group that played early before the cool morning yielded to warm sunshine. She played alongside her older sister, Jessica, who had a 69; and Jin Young Ko, the No. 1 player in women’s golf who had a 75.

Former University of Arkansas player Gaby Lopez also fired a 69 and is tied for sixth with nine others.

It’s a small sample size, but this has been the year of the Kordas.

Jessica Korda won a playoff to start the LPGA season at the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions. Nelly Korda had a three-shot victory last week in the Gainbridge LPGA at Lake Nona.

“Nelly and I were talking about being in a fish bowl today,” Jessica Korda said.

Since winning at Lake Nona — her fourth career victory and first domestic title — Nelly Korda did a little laundry, took it easy with nine-hole practice rounds at Golden Ocala, tightened up her swing and it was like nothing had changed.

Among her five birdies, she chipped in from 50 feet from the rough below the 10th green and down a ridge.

Jessica Korda had six birdies, but she had to rally after taking a double bogey on the par-3 11th hole that left her 2 over for the round. She closed with four birdies over the last seven holes.

There is no sibling rivalry with these two, and no bragging rights, either.

“I think it’s just fun for us,” Nelly Korda said. “We have a lot of fun out there.”

It wasn’t as much fun for Ko after she opened with a birdie. She shot 40 on the back nine and wound up with her highest start on the LPGA Tour since a 77 at Hazeltine in the 2019 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Stacy Lewis (Razorbacks) turned in a 1-under 71. Maria Fassi (Razorbacks) shot a 4-over 76 and Alana Uriell (Razorbacks) finished with a 7-over 79.