For a superb portion of the again 9 on Saturday, Nelly Korda was neck-and-neck with Lydia Ko on the LPGA Drive On Championship.
However then Korda, the hometown favourite in Bradenton, Florida this week, seized management of the event with an unimaginable end.
She eagled the par-5 seventeenth, then rolled in a 20-footer for birdie on 18 to cap it off.
“Only a confidence increase figuring out I can climb up the leaderboard, contend, and keep in rivalry. I undoubtedly didn’t have an excellent begin in the present day. I feel I used to be one again after 9 holes, after which form of turned it round,” Korda mentioned of her 3-under 68.
“However each single time I get to be in rivalry, I study extra about myself and tips on how to deal with these conditions. Hopefully, I can put collectively a superb spherical for the hometown [Sunday].”
On the 475-yard par-5 seventeenth, Korda hit a 7-wood off the tee. After discovering the green, Korda pulled out her 7-wood once more however hit her second shot into the greenside bunker left of the inexperienced.
Then, Korda knocked it in from the sand for an eagle three, eliciting a large roar from the Bradenton crowd.
That outstanding bunker shot vaulted her as much as 12-under general, extending her lead from one to a few. She completed the day at 13-under, and now leads by 4.
“It’s not the way you begin. It’s the way you end,” Korda mentioned.
“Hopefully, I can lean that into tomorrow.”
Korda will play her remaining spherical alongside longtime buddy Megan Khang, who carded a formidable 5-under 66 Saturday to get to 9-under. Like Korda, Khang completed superbly, making 4 birdies over her final seven holes to get into the ultimate group.
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Humorous sufficient, these two pals are staying in the identical home this week.
After taking part in collectively on Thursday and Friday, they may spend much more time alongside one another on Sunday.
“I don’t know if she’ll speak to me tonight,” Khang mentioned after her spherical.
Korda assured the press that will not be the case.
“Megan and I aren’t sick of one another but,” Korda joked. “Perhaps I’ll simply go away her stuff outdoors the door in the present day. Have her discover a new place. I’m simply kidding. I don’t know. We’ll see, I suppose.”
Remaining spherical protection of the LPGA Drive On Championship begins at 2 p.m. ET on Golf Channel. Korda, Khang, and Ayaka Furue of Japan—additionally 9-under—will tee off at 11:56 a.m. ET.
Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By means of. You’ll want to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You possibly can comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as effectively.