Nelly Korda returned to the top of the world rankings after claiming a dominant five-shot victory in the LPGA Chevron Championship.
It is Korda’s second Chevron title in three seasons and ensures she moved about Jeeno Thitikul in the rankings after the Thai player missed the cut at the first women’s major of the season.
The American equalled the event’s 54-hole scoring record on Saturday, but fell two shots short of the tournament record of 20 under par.
After rounds of 65 on Thursday and Friday, Korda followed with successive rounds of 70 over the weekend at Houston’s Memorial Park.
Korda, made a positive start to the final round, with two birdies on the first three holes, but two bogeys on the back nine meant the record slipped away.
“That was a hard weekend,” Korda said. “Honestly, having that big of a lead, it’s not easy. It was definitely one of the hardest things I’ve had to do mentally. I have an amazing support system. An amazing family who are right behind me. An amazing caddie who is on the bag and I’m just happy to get it done.”
Korda celebrated as is the style for this event by jumping fully clothed into a specially built swimming pool located to the right of the 18th green. It keeps up with a tradition at this tournament that dates to 1988 when the winner jumped into pond besides the 18th green at Mission Hills in California.
Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit began the day five shots adrift in second but was unable to reduce the deficit, having also ended her tournament with a two-under-par 70 to tie for second with China’s Ruoning Yin who closed with a 69.
Lottie Woad fared best of the British contingent, with the 22-year-old from Farnham finishing in a tie for seventh place on six under. Her tournament got off to a slow start with an opening 73, but she bounced back over the weekend with rounds of 67 and 70 to tie with the in-form Hannah Green.
Charley Hull finished in a tie for 10th – the 11th time she has secured a top-10 major finish in her career – with a final round 72 seeing her end the week on five under.
For the final leaderboard from the Chevron Championship, click here.
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