WASHINGTON (United States) — Nelly Korda hit an early speed bump in her bid for a third straight major title at the Women’s PGA Championship, where Yoon Ina carded a record-equaling nine-under par 63 to grab the first-round lead.
South Korea’s Yoon fired nine birdies in her sparkling effort at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota, where she held a two-stroke lead over Australian Karis Davidson.
“I just hit the golf ball, and it just dropped in the hole,” Yoon said of a stress-free round that included more than 130 feet of putts.
“(It) was really an awesome experience,” Yoon added after matching the lowest opening round in the history of the event according to AFP.
Davidson, like Yoon seeking to make her first LPGA title a major, conjured eight birdies in her seven-under 65 and was two strokes clear of American Alexa Pano and South Korean Kim A-lim.
Meanwhile, world No 1 Korda – seeking to become just the third LPGA player to win the first three majors in a season after her victories in the Chevron Championship and the US Women’s Open – made a solid enough start but found herself seven adrift, largely thanks to a costly double-bogey at the 16th.
“Honestly just made one bad swing, which ended up in a double,” said the American star, who had five birdies and was four-under through 15 when she hit her tee shot into the water at 16.
“I actually think I just made too fast of a swing and I was kind of in between clubs,” Korda said.
“It’s between a three-wood and a driver. You can’t lay it too far back because then you’re blocked out by the trees and you have a long shot into a pretty difficult green that is pretty undulated, so got to risk it.”
