Top-ranked Nelly Korda has become the first LPGA Tour player in eight years to win three straight starts, by shooting a seven-under 65 for a two-stroke victory in the Ford Championship.
The 25-year-old’s success at Seville Golf and Country Club in Arizona made her the first LPGA Tour player to win three straight starts since Ariya Jutanugarn in 2016 and the first American since Nancy Lopez won five straight in 1978.
Korda won the Drive On Championship in late January in her hometown of Bradenton, Florida, before sitting out all of the LPGA Tour’s Asian swing.
After a seven-week break, Korda won the Fir Hill Seri Pak Championship outside Los Angeles in a play-off last week to move back atop the world ranking.
“I think it was definitely one of my least stressful wins,” said Korda. “I just played really solid golf. Didn’t make really too many mistakes, and if I did I just had a chip, kind of straightforward chip.
“Overall capitalised on the majority of my really good shots out there and made some good putts as well. So overall, just very, very pleased with how I played in the tough conditions.
“(It) just honestly feels like a blur. Taking it day by day, really trying to stay very present and just played really good golf, solid golf in tough conditions, which I’m very happy about.”
Korda enjoyed consecutive birdies starting on four to kick off her final round and added another on the par-four ninth to turn in three-under 33.
She tied for the lead with a birdie on the par-five 12th and took it outright at 18 under by making a six-foot birdie putt on 13.
Lexi Thompson and Hira Haveed tied, but Korda went back up with her near hole out on 16, setting up a birdie that gave her a one-shot lead before hitting hit a massive drive on 18 and chipping to three feet for a closing birdie.
Australian rookie Naveed shot a 66 to finish second at 18 under in her second career start.
South Korea’s Mi Hyang Lee finished at 17 under in a tie for third alongside Thompson, Swedish duo Frida Kinhult and Maja Stark and Spain’s Carlota Ciganda.
England’s Georgia Hall tied for 30th place on 12 under, with Leona Maguire two shots further back in joint 45th.
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