Korda, Ko most fancied in Arizona

NELLY KORDA is off to her best start of any LPGA season and back atop the world rankings, but she wants to be boring at this week’s LPGA Ford Championship.

The 25-year-old American, the daughter of 1998 Australian Open tennis champion Petr Korda, will be among the favourites in the new tour event at Seville Golf and Country Club in Gilbert, Arizona.

Korda, the reigning Olympic champion, reclaimed the world No. 1 spot by capturing her 10th career LPGA title last week at Los Angeles.

“It felt really nice to get the W and get to double digits,” Korda said. “My goal is to stay very present, take it – as boring as it sounds – one shot at a time and go from there.”

Korda’s first victory of 2023 came in January’s Drive On Championship in her hometown of Bradenton, Florida, and both her triumphs this year have come in playoffs, the intensity fueling her for future success.

“I feel like every single time you play under pressure you learn more about yourself and the way you handle it,” Korda said. “My last two wins were a little dramatic.

“The main thing I learned when I’m in contention is how to handle myself, how to calm myself and how to just take that moment on.”

Lydia Ko, who won the season-opening Tournament of Champions, needs one more victory to seal a place in the LPGA Hall of Fame and nearly took it earlier this month at the Blue Bay LPGA in China, sharing the lead entering the final round only to lose to US first-time winner Bailey Tardy.

“All you can do is do your best,” Ko said. “I’m just going to keep giving myself good opportunities and instead of setting my goal to just be in the Hall of Fame, I want to win and compete at the highest level as much as I can.” – AFP