NELLY KORDA Wins Lacoste Ladies Open de France Story & Images courtesy LPGA
On September 19, Nelly Korda shot a four-under 67 to win the Lacoste Ladies Open de France for her first Ladies European Tour title.
N
elly, who has won two titles on the LPGA Tour and one on the Symetra Tour, held a one-shot lead heading into the final round, but she carded six birdies and two bogeys on a blustery final day for a total of 15-under-par to win by eight at Golf du Medoc near Bordeaux. “Conditions were tough, but I tried to stay level headed and I tried to keep my head down and make as many birdies as possible,” said the 21-year-old from Bradenton, Florida, whom, together with her sister Jessica, was the joint leading points’ scorer for the United States Solheim Cup team at Gleneagles. “I was consistent and hit a lot of fairways and greens, so I gave myself a lot of opportunities and my putting was quite good. I played really well last week and unfortunately we didn’t get the win, but I’ve been playing really solidly. I played a KLPGA event a couple of weeks before Solheim and I finished second there, so I’m playing really solid and hopefully I can do it again.” Nelly was making her tournament debut and becomes the third American in four years to win the Lacoste Ladies Open
32
Ladies GOLF Summer/Autumn 2019/20 • ISSUE 26
de France, following on from Beth Allen and Cristie Kerr, who won at Chantaco in 2016 and 2017 respectively. Although the world No.10 was born in the United States, her parents are the retired professional tennis players Petr Korda and Regina Rajchrtová from the Czech Republic and she added: “It feels great to win in Europe and hopefully I’ll win one day in Czech.” Céline Boutier finished second while her European Solheim Cup teammate and last year’s tournament winner Caroline Hedwall tied for third with Joanna Klatten. Nelly had led by six at the tournament’s halfway stage, before Joanna shot up the leaderboard with a back nine of 29 in her third round. However, the home hope had a nightmare start and was eight over after her first six holes. Nelly made her first birdie on the third, but threw a lifeline to Céline with a bogey on the seventh. She then birdied the ninth, 11th and 12th, bogeyed the 13th and birdied 14 and 16 to gain a seven-stroke advantage. Céline then failed to escape from a greenside bunker at her first attempt and made a bogey on the last hole and Nelly tapped in for a par. www.ladiesgolfmagazine.com.au
