Nelly Korda wins Mizuho Americas Open by a stroke over Hannah Green for her 6th victory in 7 events
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JERSEY CITY, N.J. — With her record-tying winning streak over, Nelly Korda got back to doing what she does best: winning.
Nelly Korda won a back-nine showdown with Hannah Green of Australia with a par on the 18th hole to capture the Mizuho Americas Open by a stroke Sunday for her sixth win in seven starts on the LPGA Tour this year.
“Oh, my gosh, six,” Korda said. “I can’t even really gather myself right now with that, the head to head that Hannah and I had pretty much all day. Wasn’t my best stuff out there today, but fought really hard on the back nine.”
“It was just amazing to share the stage with Hannah.”
The victory made the 25-year-old American only the fourth player on tour to win six times before June 1, joining LPGA Hall of Famers Babe Zaharias (1951), Louise Suggs (1953) and Lorena Ochoa (2008). She also is the first player since Inbee Park (2013) to record six wins in a single season.
The LPGA record for wins in a season is 13 by Mickey Wright in 1963.
Korda’s 14th career victory came a week after her record-tying five-tournament winning streak was snapped by Rose Zhang at the Cognizant Founders Cup. Zhang withdrew Thursday after three holes with an intestinal issue.
After playing the front nine in 2-over-par and getting a motivational nudge from caddie Jason McDede, Korda matched birdies with Green on the 10th, 13th and 15th holes at scenic Liberty National to stay tied for the lead at 14-under. The pairing matched the tour’s only two multiple winners this year.
Korda, the third-round leader by two shots, shot a final-round 71 and finished at 14-under 274. Green, who was looking for her third win, had a 70 and finished at 275.
“I mean, there is something special about the grind of not having your best stuff and then still mentally being able to pull it off,” Korda said.
After Korda put her drive in the fairway on the the par-4 No. 18, Green pulled her drive into the left rough. Her second to the green was short and left and still in the rough. After Korda hit her approach to 15 feet from the hole, Green’s chip over a bunker landed 10 feet in front of the hole and then rolled back a little.
Korda putted to tap-in range and finished out, while Green’s putt to extend the tournament to a playoff never touched the hole.
“I mean, to lose to Nelly kind of like is, it’s sad, but then it’s also Nelly Korda,” Green said. “You know, like she’s, obviously, so dominant right now. To feel like second behind her is quite nice. Unfortunately, the bogey on the last has a little bit of a sour taste.”