Nelly Korda, the world’s top-ranked golfer, faced unexpected difficulty Thursday in her title defense at the Chevron Championship. The reigning champion carded a disappointing opening round 77, falling far short of expectations for the LPGA Tour’s first major of the season.
Korda's five-over score placed her 118th in the 132-player field when the first round was suspended late in the day due to approaching storms. She finished 12 shots behind the leaders, Haeran Ryu and Yan Liu, putting her in serious danger of missing the cut.
Trouble began early for Korda at The Club at Carlton Woods. She bogeyed four consecutive holes on her front nine, a start starkly contrasting her typically dominant form.
The struggles appeared centered around her putting. Korda admitted before the tournament her putter needed to "click," and on Thursday, she recorded 33 putts, well above her season average and the putts leaders needed.
Following her round, Korda offered brief comments, stating she was "not hitting it well" and needed to "go work." Reporting indicated Korda immediately went to the practice green, trying a mallet-style putter different from the blade she used in competition.
While Korda struggled, Haeran Ryu of South Korea and Yan Liu of China each shot bogey-free 7-under 65s to share the early lead. Both players credited recent adjustments; Ryu felt more comfortable after changing putters last week, while Liu worked to fix her driver off the tee.
Several other players posted strong rounds, including Hyo Joo Kim at 67 and a group at 68 including Ariya Jutanugarn, Hye-Jin Choi, Carlotta Ciganda, Manon De Roey and Brooke Matthews. Play halted with 24 players still on the course, including Lexi Thompson and Ingrid Lindblad.
Asked about the challenge of the day, Korda simply replied "golf." She later reflected on the unpredictable nature of the sport.
"That’s just golf," she said. "I’ve gone through waves like this before, and if I just continue working at it, hopefully it does click.”
See Round 2 tee times for Friday at the Chevron Championship. Review Korda's strong 2024 performance contrasted with her current form. Learn more about Korda's post-round practice routine.
