Nelly Korda squandered a two-stroke lead over final five holes of AIG Women's Open at St Andrews to lose out to Lydia Ko, with the Olympic gold medallist from Paris earlier this month claiming a third major title - and first in eight years
Monday 26 August 2024 11:42, UK
Nelly Korda admitted she "messed up" her shot at a second major title of 2024 as she squandered a two-shot lead over the final five holes of the AIG Women's Open at St Andrews.
Korda was closing in on a seventh win of the season when she stepped on the par-five 14th, only for a double-bogey seven to drop the world No 1 back into a four-way tie alongside eventual champion Lydia Ko, Jenny Shin and Lilia Vu.
Korda's hopes faded further with a bogey at 17 after failing to get up and down in two from the Road Hole bunker as she ultimately carded a level-par 72 to finish five under, two behind Ko.
"Listen, it's golf," Korda told reporters afterwards. "I'm going to mess up and unfortunately I messed up over the weekend twice in two penalising ways coming down the stretch.
"Theoretically that's what kind of cost me the tournament but I played well. I played solid.
"I even fought after that. I'm going to take that into the next coming events."
With her tied-second finish, Korda at least claimed the 2024 Rolex ANNIKA Major Award, given to the player who returns the best record across all five major championships during the LPGA Tour season.
Korda won the first major of the season, the Chevron Championship, which was the second of her career following her 2021 Women's PGA Championship win.
She added: "Overall, I think I putted really well this week. I hit the ball really well with the conditions. Hopefully that is going to be trending in the right direction again."
Despite Korda's late wobble round the Old Course to lose out to Ko, Sky Sports' Dame Laura Davies was left in no doubt that she'll have her day again at a major championship.
"She has played great golf but you can't always be the one that gets the win," Davies said.
"It's so difficult out there. Four days in that, I thought the scoring was incredible for the whole week.
"It's hard. She knows how hard it is... she has already won six [titles this year].
"It just didn't work out for her. But she's still an absolutely great player and a worthy world No 1 - and will be for quite some time to come. I think she'll win many more major championships."
As for Ko, the newest AIG Women's Open champion, she described her last few weeks as a "Cinderella-like story" as she followed up an Olympic gold medal with her third major title - and first for eight years.
Speaking after victory, Ko said: "It's pretty surreal. Winning the gold medal in Paris a couple of weeks ago, it was almost too good to be true. I said to myself, 'how is it possible for me to win the AIG Women's Open?' I'd had the most Cinderella-like story the past few weeks.
"Of all the major championships, this one I've had the least amount of confidence, because I've had the least amount of experience on links and the results haven't followed either. So to be holding this trophy right now, I can't believe it."
She added: "It's a special place [St Andrews]. I was fortunate enough to play here as an amateur in 2013 when Stacy [Lewis] won. I would never have imagined that 11 years later I would be in her shoes.
Davies was full of praise for Ko after her latest triumph: "She's an absolute superstar, and she's so nice as well!
"Her game is so uncomplicated that when she's on it, it's so easy for her. She doesn't seem to feel the pressure like most people do.
"It's one of those things of how much better can it get? The last three weeks she's had, it's been extraordinary."
The Ladies European Tour heads to Ireland for the KPMG Women's Irish Open, live from Thursday on Sky Sports, while the LPGA Tour hosts the inaugural FM Championship at TPC Boston.
There's also the Curtis Cup at Sunningdale from Friday, where Great Britain and Ireland face the United States, while Team Europe look to retain the trophy when they face Team USA in the Solheim Cup from September 13-15. Stream the LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and more sport with NOW.
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