Nelly Korda returned to No. 1 in the world, but it wasn’t without some drama.
Korda made bogey on the final two holes Sunday to fall into a playoff with fellow American Ryann O’Toole before making a 12-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole to win the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship at Palos Verdes Golf Club near Los Angeles.
With the victory, the second of the season and 10th of her career, Korda was projected by the LPGA to return to No. 1 in the Rolex Rankings, replacing Lilia Vu. It will be Korda’s sixth reign atop the world order.
“I’m aging myself really quickly out there,” the 25-year-old Korda said.
The shaky stretch run held an eerie resemblance to her eventual victory earlier this year at the LPGA Drive On Championship, which was her most recent start. In that final round, she lost four strokes to par in a three-hole span before a stunning eagle-birdie finish to edge Lydia Ko.
Korda closed with a 2-under 69 for a 9-under 275 total to match O’Toole, who birdied the 16th and 17th holes en route to a closing 66. Korda skipped the LPGA’s recent three-stop Asia Swing.
“That really helped,” she said. “It’s not easy coming back from a long break, not knowing where your game is.”
Gabriela Ruffels and Alison Lee shared third at 8-under 276. Jiyai Shin, the 54-hole leader, slipped to a T-5 at 7-under.
Staff and tour reports