Nelly Korda etched her name into the LPGA history books in Texas on Sunday, marking another remarkable chapter for the 25-year-old, who just two years ago dealt with a blood clot that required surgery.
The Florida native captured her fifth consecutive LPGA Tour win — tying the record — and her second major championship when she shot 3-under par in the final round of the Chevron Championship.
The moment on Sunday certainly wasn’t lost on Korda after everything she had been through.
“Because obviously then I was just more scared for my health,” Korda said, according to ESPN. “Competing was kind of on the back seat. I was not thinking about competing at all. But I think all of the sad times and the health scares that I have gone through have made me who I am today.”
To celebrate, Korda leaped into a pond on the course at The Club at Carlton Woods in Woodland, Texas.
Korda ran down a short dock and into the brown-tinged water as the crowd cheered in the background.
Korda’s parents – former Australian Open tennis champion Petr Korda and Regina Rajchrtova – couldn’t have been happier to see their daughter reach the heights that she has this year.
“She had a difficult ’22 and ’23 in certain ways,” Petr said. “She did not win a tournament in ’23 and some things probably made her humble and [she] put a lot of work into where she is right now. Without the work and commitment, she would not be here. So seeing that, I’m very happy.”
Nelly, whose sister Jessica is also an LPGA pro, did confirm that she will participate in the JM Eagle LA Championship that begins on Thursday as she chases her history-making sixth consecutive Tour victory.
“It’s been an amazing feeling these past couple weeks knowing that I can go on this stretch and that if I stay in my bubble and I keep golf in a sense simple and let it flow, then I can have so, so much fun out here,” she said.
Korda has netted $2.4 million during her five-tournament run, around $300,000 each for the first four tournament victories, and then $1.2 million for the Chevron.
Korda started Sunday one shot back but overnight leader Hae Ran Ryu shot a final round 74.
Korda birdied four out of the first 10 holes on her way to a third straight 69 after opening with a 68.
Nancy Lopez (1978) and Annika Sorenstam (2004-05) are the only two to have ever won five consecutive LPGA Tour events, but Korda wasn’t getting ahead of herself about a sixth straight LPGA Tour event win.
“I’m going to enjoy this right now and then I’ll think about that,” she said. “But yeah, it’s been an amazing time. Hopefully keep the streak alive. But I’ve been so grateful to compete week in and week out and get the five in a row, too.”
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