PHOENIX — Nelly Korda excelled in the challenging afternoon conditions on Friday, recording a 7-under 65 for the lowest 36-hole score of her LPGA Tour career and establishing a two-shot advantage at the midpoint of the Ford Championship.
Korda missed a chance to extend her lead further when she failed to convert a 2-foot birdie putt on the par-5 17th.
However, it was not a day for complaints on the Cattail course at Whirlwind Golf Club. She followed an impressive opening roundβunlike Lydia Koβwith a consistent stream of birdie opportunities and a smooth, assured putting stroke.
“I have left a couple shots out there at the end,” Korda remarked. “But I’m playing really solid golf, and when I do make a mistake, I try not to let it affect me too much.”
She stood at 16-under 128, two strokes ahead of a familiar competitor. Hyo Joo Kim, the defending champion in Phoenix, triumphed last week at the Founders Cup by fending off Korda in the final moments. Korda missed a short putt on the 17th hole Sunday, which dashed her hopes of a second consecutive victory to begin the year.
Kim, who started with a 61, overcame early mistakes to finish with a 69. Saturday will mark the fourth consecutive round that Korda and Kim will play together.
“Just getting sick of each other now,” Korda joked. “Yeah, she’s playing such solid golf. At the end of the day, that’s something that motivates me to want to keep up with her at that level. We’re just going back and forth, so it’s nice. Ultimately, we’re competitors, but we are very friendly. I’ve always enjoyed playing with her. I’m always captivated by her putting.”
Ko recorded a 60 in the morning conditions of the first round and feels her performance was not significantly differentβexcept that putts turned away at the last moment or grazed the edge. She made numerous putts in her opening round, but only managed enough on Friday for a 71, leaving her three shots behind, alongside Jenny Bae (65) and Minami Katsu (66).
The final hole encapsulated her dayβa solid drive, a good approach, and a 12-foot putt that looked promising until it veered to the right.
“I just didn’t really hole many putts today,” Ko stated. “It’s obviously more challenging to get closer to the pins playing in the afternoon with the greens being a bit firmer. I think I struggled with a few of the short ones. … But that’s golf, right? I can’t control everything. Yesterday was more of a surprise shooting a score like that.”
She still found herself in contention and believes everything will even out.
“I feel like my game is trending in the right direction,” she added.
Asterisk Talley, the 17-year-old amateur, shot a 65 and was in the group six shots back at 10 under. Talley will head to the home of the Masters next week to participate in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, which she nearly won last year.
Scoring has been exceptionally good, particularly in the morning on smoother greens, resulting in the cut being set at 5-under 135. Among those who did not qualify for the weekend were Women’s British Open champion Miyu Yamashita of Japan and Lexi Thompson, who was making her first appearance of the season.
Korda won the season opener in Florida, which was shortened to 54 holes due to severe wind and cold. She opted out of the Asia swing, as she often does, and finished as the runner-up to Kim last week at Sharon Heights in Northern California.
“I’m really happy with where my game is at now,” Korda concluded.
