JERSEY CITY, NJ — Now that her record-breaking winning streak is over, Nelly Korda can get back to doing what she does best: winning.
Nelly Korda won a back-nine showdown with Australia’s Hannah Green with a par on the 18th hole to capture the Mizuho Americas Open by one stroke Sunday for her sixth victory in seven starts on the LPGA Tour this year.
“Oh, my God, six,” Korda said. ‘I can’t even really control myself right now, the confrontation that Hannah and I had pretty much all day. It wasn’t my best performance today, but I fought really hard on the back nine.”
“It was just amazing to share the stage with Hannah.”
The victory made the 25-year-old American only the fourth player on tour to win six times before June 1, joining LPGA Hall of Famers Babe Zaharias (1951), Louise Suggs (1953) and Lorena Ochoa (2008). She is also the first player since Inbee Park (2013) to record six wins in one season.
The LPGA record for wins in a season is 13, set by Mickey Wright in 1963.
Korda’s 14th career victory came a week after her record-breaking five-tournament winning streak was snapped by Rose Zhang at the Cognizant Founders Cup. Zhang withdrew after three holes on Thursday with an intestinal problem.
After playing the front nine in 2 overs and getting a motivational push from caddy Jason McDede, Korda matched birdies with Green on the 10th, 13th and 15th holes at scenic Liberty National to remain tied for the lead at 14. The combination matched the only two multiple winners on the tour this year.
Korda, who led by two shots in the third round, shot a 71 in the final round to finish at 14-under 274. Green, looking for her third win, had a 70 to finish at 275.
“I mean, there’s something special about the grind of not having your best stuff and still being able to mentally get it done,” Korda said.
After Korda put her drive into the fairway on par-4 No. 18, Green pulled her drive to the left rough. Her second to the green was short and left and still in the rough. After Korda hit her approach to within 15 feet of the hole, Green’s chip landed over a bunker 12 feet short of the hole and then rolled back a short distance.
Korda putted to the tap-in range and finished, while Green’s putt to extend the tournament into a playoff never hit the hole.
Korda then raised her hands and accepted the cheers from the crowd at this event with views of the New York City skyline and the Statue of Liberty in the background.
“I mean, losing to Nelly is like – it’s sad, but it’s also Nelly Korda,” Green said. “You know, like she’s obviously so dominant right now. It’s quite nice to feel second to her. Unfortunately, the bogey on the last one has a bit of a sour taste.”
Jennifer Kupcho, who lost this event last year in a play-off with Zhang, finished in a tie for third place with rookie Gabriela Ruffels of Australia and Ariya Jutanugarn and Chanettee Wannasaen, both of Thailand.
Playing hours before the leaders dropped off, Wannasaen had the best round of the day with a 7-under 65. Jutanugarn had a 70, Kupcho shot 71 and Ruffels had a 72 as he finished third for the second week in a row.
After drawing level with Japan’s Ayaka Furue and Kupcho with nine holes to play, Korda and Green turned the tournament into a two-way race with their matching birdies to take a four-shot lead over the rest of the open field. When one hit him close, the other followed.
Furue finished in a large group at 9 under.
Korda is the eighth player to win six times in one year since 1980. The others are Betsy King (1989), Annika Sorenstam (1997, 2003), Karrie Webb (1999, 2000), Lorena Ochoa (2006, 2008), Park, Beth Daniel (1990) and Yani Tseng (2011).
Korda earned $450,000, bringing her career earnings to $11,880,981 and her season earnings to $2,943,708.
The tour has a week off before heading to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, for the U.S. Women’s Open. Korda dreams of winning the title, but hasn’t done it yet.
“It’s clearly at the top of my priority list,” she said. “I just know that putting more pressure on yourself is never a good thing. I’ll just stay in my bubble that week and give it a try.”
If she does, No. 7 might not be that far away.
