At Glance
‣ World No.1 Nelly Korda faces the challenge of completing the largest comeback in LPGA Tour history to secure a record-breaking sixth consecutive win, despite being 11 shots behind the leader heading into the final round.
‣ Madelene Sagstrom leads the Cognizant Founders Cup at 19-under, closely followed by Rose Zhang, setting the stage for a competitive final round, while Korda’s chances were significantly affected by a tough Moving Day performance.
‣ Korda remains optimistic about her chances, emphasizing the need to be methodical and the importance of resilience in golf, acknowledging the possibility of making history despite the current gap from the leaders.
Madelene Sagstrom snagged the solo-lead at @LPGAfounders 👀
FULL LEADERBOARD ⬇️
— LPGA (@LPGA)
Nelly Korda, the world’s top golfer, faces a Herculean task. She’s gunning for a record-breaking sixth straight win at the LPGA Tour this Sunday. But, she’s tied for third. That’s a tough spot.
She’s aiming for a half dozen wins in a row. No one’s ever done that before. And it’s not looking any easier this time around. Why? Because Madelene Sagstrom is leading the pack. She’s sitting pretty at 19-under, just a stroke ahead of Rose Zhang. Those two seem to be in a league of their own.
But Korda? She’s lagging at eight-under after a rough Moving Day. It’s dented her chances, big time. The 25-year-old had a blast earlier this week, hobnobbing at the Met Gala just like Tiger Woods did once. But that feels like ages ago now.
Her start was solid with scores of 69 and 66. But while others soared on Saturday, Korda faltered. Sagstrom snagged the solo lead, leaving everyone else in the dust. Check out the full leaderboard here: [Link to leaderboard].
At Upper Montclair Country Club in New Jersey, Korda’s game was off. She hit four bogeys and managed just two birdies on a messy front nine. The back nine was a bit better, but still, she ended up over par.
Korda’s take? “It’s just kind of poor in all aspects.” She admitted to making “stupid, silly mistakes.” It’s a bummer because Sagstrom and Zhang are playing out of their skins. Now, Korda’s staring at a massive 11-shot gap. No one’s ever made up that kind of deficit on the LPGA Tour. But Korda’s not throwing in the towel. She’s played some stellar golf these past months. “I’m human,” she says. “I’m going to have bad days.”
Despite the struggle, she’s determined to fight till the last putt. “It was just one of those days,” she sighed. But she’s not out of it yet. That ‘massive gap’? It’s 11 shots. A daunting figure, sure. But golf’s seen some wild comebacks. Like Louise Friberg in 2008, or the legendary Annika Sorenstam in 2001. Mickey Wright did it way back in 1964.
Korda’s not shy about making history herself. She’s ready to “shoot my shot” on Sunday. It’s all about being methodical, plotting her way around the course. “If you’re not playing well out here, it feels like everything is tumbling down,” she admits. But she’s got a plan.
She’ll tee off at 12:15pm ET, alongside Mao Saigo. It’s the third-last group. Will Korda make history? Only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure: she’s not going down without a fight.
