Latest news with #NellyKorda
BBC News
8 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Thitikul edges into Women's PGA Championship lead
Women's PGA Championship first-round leaderboard:-4 J Thitikul (Tha); -3 M Lee (Aus); -2 R Takeda (Jpn); H Ryu (Kor), Y Noh (US), S Lee (Kor)Selected others: E N Korda (US), L Maguire (Ire), L Thompson (US), +1 G Hall (Eng); +3 L Ko (NZ); +4 M Rhodes (Eng) Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul shot a 68 to edge into an early lead at the Women's PGA number two Thitikul, 22, recovered from a double bogey at the fifth with six birdies to finish on four under par at the third of this year's five LPGA Minjee Lee was one shot further back after a rollercoaster three-under-par 69, which included seven birdies and four number one Nelly Korda is four off the pace as she went round in a par 72, which included two birdies and two Leona Maguire is also on level par, while England's Georgia Hall carded a 73. England's Mimi Rhodes, who has enjoyed three wins on the Ladies European Tour this season, was making her debut at a major and hit a four-over par 76. "I think my putter went really well today," said Thitikul, who is yet to win a major."In the front nine we had a lot of breeze going and more than the back nine, but [I made putts at] seven, eight, nine which boost the confidence up making the turn to the back nine."I really told myself just be patient and focused on the next shot, because [in the] majors you [are] going to miss anyway. What a way to bounce back. It's more important."The event is taking place at the Fields Ranch East course in Texas, with Lee and Korda citing the heat as a factor to contend with. "I just kept telling my caddie, can you give me another water, can you give me another water," Lee said."I don't think we could have enough [water] out there. It's really hot."Korda added: "It's hot; I'm still cooling down right now."I'm pretty happy with my first round in the conditions. It definitely takes a toll on you, the Texas heat."
1News
8 hours ago
- Sport
- 1News
Lydia Ko battles at Women's PGA Championship in Texas
Ko opened her round with an impressive birdie putt but that was the only one she'd manage, four bogeys leaving her with a three-over 75 start to the KPMG Women's PGA Championship. Meanwhile, Nelly Korda shot an even-par 72 for her opening round of the third major of the year , three days after the world's top-ranked player reaggravated a neck injury during a practice round. While Korda said she doesn't feel pain hitting shots, the two-time major champion said she has pain "just with rotation" of her neck and that it is hard to get comfortable to sleep at night. "It's better, yeah. Getting better every day, which is nice," she said. "Just because I injured it last year, whenever I do injure my neck it takes a little bit longer than normal. I kind of tweaked it before my round with Ariya (Jutanugarn) in Vegas this year, during the night I couldn't move then, so thankfully it wasn't as bad as that day... Just takes me like a week to kind of recover when I tweak my neck now." Korda late last year skipped two tournaments during the LPGA's Asia swing because of a minor neck injury, and that loss to Jutanugarn in match play was in April. Korda said earlier this week that her neck "went into a full spasm," after hitting a shot out of the rough during a practice round at the Fields Ranch East course at PGA Frisco on Monday, before skipping the champions dinner that night. ADVERTISEMENT Nelly Korda hits to the third green during the first round of the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament. (Source: Associated Press) In the first round of the season's third major, Korda had two birdies and two bogeys. She was four shots behind Jeeno Thitikul, the world's No. 2-ranked player who was in the same group and the early leader at 4-under 68. "Overall I mean, even par to start the major... it was windier in the morning than I thought it would be. So played a little tougher. Yeah, I'm pretty happy with my first round in the conditions," Korda said. "It was pretty windy. It was hot. It definitely takes a toll on you, the Texas heat. So happy with my position. I haven't even really looked at the leader board, to be honest." Korda opened with seven consecutive pars, including at the 289m, par-4 seventh hole, where she hit a 268m drive into a valley just short of the green. Her initial pitch from there ricocheted off the edge of the green and rolled back down the slope to where she was. Korda hit her next shot to 2 feet and saved par. On the par-3 eighth, Korda's tee shot went over the green to set up her first bogey. She got free relief after her approach at the par-5 ninth went right and settled next to a temporary structure, and she pitched to 1m and made the birdie putt. "It's great to rebound with a birdie. Wasn't sure where to drop. The grass was like pavement. It was so firm, it's been walked on a lot," Korda said. "Whenever you get to bounce back with a birdie and you get to kind of have in a sense a fresh start for the next nine holes, that's always good." - Additional reporting by 1News
Arab News
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Arab News
Jenno Thitikul stays patient and goes on a birdie streak to take first-round lead at Women's PGA
FRISCO, Texas: Jenno Thitikul walked off the fifth green after a double bogey in the first round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship reminding herself to stay patient and that some missed shots are going to happen. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport 'Majors, you're going to miss anyway,' said Thitikul, who's No. 2 in the women's world ranking. 'A way to bounce back, it's more important.' Thitikul certainly found a way to do that on a hot and windy Thursday, finishing with a 4-under 68 for a one-stroke lead over Minjee Lee (69). Haeran Ryu, Rio Takeda and Somi Lee all shot 70. That only hole over par for Thitikul was followed by a par before she made five birdies in a six-hole stretch, with a 60-footer on the par-3 eighth hole in the middle of three in a row. 'My putter went really well,' said the 22-year-old from Thailand, who is seeking her first major title. 'In the front nine we had a lot of breeze going, and more than the back nine, but like (made) putts 7, 8, 9, which boosts the confidence up making the turn to the back nine.' Thitikul, who lives in the Dallas area, needed only 25 putts on the Fields Ranch East course at PGA Frisco. Her makes measured 199 1/2 feet. Thitikul played with top-ranked Nelly Korda (72) and No. 3 Lydia Ko (75). Korda, who reaggravated a neck injury with a shot out of the rough during a practice round Monday, opened with seven consecutive pars in a round that had two birdies and two bogeys. Ko was the only in the group to make a birdie at the 513-yard, par-5 first hole, but didn't make another the rest of the day. While Korda said she doesn't feel pain hitting shots, the two-time major champion said she has pain 'just with rotation' of her neck and that it is hard to get comfortable to sleep at night. 'It's better, yeah. Getting better every day, which is nice,' she said. 'Just because I injured it last year, whenever I do injure my neck it takes a little bit longer than normal. ... Just takes me like a week to kind of recover when I tweak my neck now.' Korda opened with seven pars, including at the 317-yard, par-4 seventh hole, where she hit a 294-yard drive into a valley just short of the green. Her initial pitch from there ricocheted off the edge of the green and rolled back down the slope to where she was. Korda hit her next shot to 2 feet. That fifth hole for Thitikul started with a drive out of bounds and a penalty. Her birdie streak began with a nearly 18-footer at No. 7 before the long one at the eighth. She rolled in a 35-foot birdie at No. 17, and just missed making another one more than twice that long on the 434-yard, par-4 18th. Two-time major winner Lee, a 29-year-old Australian, hasn't won since 2023. She opened Thursday with a bogey and finished with two bogeys over the last three holes. In between, she made seven birdies. 'I feel like they were pretty soft bogeys. ... Well, on 16, that was a bit soft and obviously the first hole is a par 5. I should be making birdie or par at the least,' Lee said. 'Obviously there will be bogeys, but I think for me, I just try to stay patient. If I make a bogey I just try it back it up with something better than that. Can't get ahead of yourself, especially in this kind of weather. I think it's more just the heat that's draining your focus.' Lee bogeyed the 425-yard 12th hole, where she drove into thick rough to the right and from there went into the left rough. She saved par at the par-3 13th by blasting from a bunker to 5 1/2 feet and had consecutive birdies to get to 5 under — the lowest by anyone in the first round. Then came her late bogeys, missing a 7-foot par on the 16th and hitting her approach on the 18th into a bunker.
NBC Sports
13 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Korda liking position after even-par first round
Nelly Korda says she didn't give herself the best looks in the opening round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, but she likes where she's at. Watch her highlights before she and Golf Central break down her round.
Globe and Mail
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Globe and Mail
Nelly Korda even par to start Women's PGA championship
Nelly Korda shot an even-par 72 in the opening round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship on Thursday, three days after the world's top-ranked player reaggravated a neck injury during a practice round. While Korda said she doesn't feel pain hitting shots, the two-time major champion said she has pain 'just with rotation' of her neck and that it is hard to get comfortable to sleep at night. 'It's better, yeah. Getting better every day, which is nice,' she said. 'Just because I injured it last year, whenever I do injure my neck it takes a little bit longer than normal. I kind of tweaked it before my round with Ariya (Jutanugarn) in Vegas this year, during the night I couldn't move then, so thankfully it wasn't as bad as that day. ... Just takes me like a week to kind of recover when I tweak my neck now.' Korda late last year skipped two tournaments during the LPGA's Asia swing because of a minor neck injury, and that loss to Jutanugarn in match play was in April. Korda said earlier this week that her neck 'went into a full spasm' after hitting a shot out of the rough during a practice round at the Fields Ranch East course at PGA Frisco on Monday, before skipping the champions dinner that night. In the first round of the season's third major, Korda had two birdies and two bogeys. She was four shots behind Jeeno Thitikul, the world's No. 2-ranked player who was in the same group and the early leader at four-under 68. 'Overall I mean, even par to start the major ... it was windier in the morning than I thought it would be. So played a little tougher. Yeah, I'm pretty happy with my first round in the conditions,' Korda said. 'It was pretty windy. It was hot. It definitely takes a toll on you, the Texas heat. So happy with my position. I haven't even really looked at the leaderboard, to be honest.' Korda opened with seven consecutive pars, including at the 317-yard, par-four seventh hole, where she hit a 294-yard drive into a valley just short of the green. Her initial pitch from there ricocheted off the edge of the green and rolled back down the slope to where she was. Korda hit her next shot to two feet and saved par. On the par-three eighth, Korda's tee shot went over the green to set up her first bogey. She got free relief after her approach at the par-five ninth went right and settled next to a temporary structure, and she pitched to 3 1/2 feet and made the birdie putt. 'It's great to rebound with a birdie. Wasn't sure where to drop. The grass was like pavement. It was so firm, it's been walked on a lot,' Korda said. 'Whenever you get to bounce back with a birdie and you get to kind of have in a sense a fresh start for the next nine holes, that's always good.'
