05/09/25 06:34:00
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05/09 18:32 CDT Nelly Korda makes late run of birdies at Liberty National and
shares the lead
Nelly Korda makes late run of birdies at Liberty National and shares the lead
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) --- Defending champion Nelly Korda hit her stride late
on a long and soft Liberty National, making three birdies over her last five
holes for a 4-under 68 and a share of the lead Friday in the Mizuho Americas
Open.
Rain and cloud cover made the course across the Hudson River from Manhattan
play longer than ever, and that much was evident on the par-4 ninth hole. Korda
and Jeeno Thitikul each had to use fairway metals for their approach on the
429-yard hole.
"Just have to really dial into everything that you're doing in these conditions
with it kind of being on-and-off rain and getting colder and some wind," Korda
said. "So you just have to really dial in, which we did a really good job with
that."
Somi Lee of South Korea had seven birdies in a round of 67 that was slowed by
two bogeys toward the end. She joined fellow morning starter Andrea Lee (68)
and Korda atop the leaderboard at 8-under 136.
Korda, the No. 1 player in women's golf by a big margin, has yet to win this
year. She won the Mizuho Americas Open a year ago for her sixth victory of the
season.
Thitikul, who had a two-shot lead at the start of the round after opening with
a 64, stretched her lead with three birdies in four holes before her momentum
stopped. She made four bogeys the rest of the way, including a long three-putt
on the ninth, for a 73.
Thitikul, No. 2 behind Korda in the women's world ranking, was in a large group
at 137 that included Boutier (71), Carlota Ciganda of Spain (70) and Stephanie
Kyriacou of Australia (69).
"I thought it was tough but I was excepting it to be a lot tougher," Boutier
said. "When it came down, it came down pretty hard, so that was a bit tough. I
think the toughest part was how cold it got at the end. Definitely the hands
were getting pretty stiff and cold, so it was a little bit harder there."
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
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