Los Angeles: Nelly Korda is off to her best start to any LPGA season and is back at the top of the world rankings, but she wants to be boring at this year’s LPGA Ford Championship.
The 25-year-old American, daughter of 1998 Australian Open tennis champion Petr Korda, will be among the favorites for the new tournament at Seville Golf and Country Club in Gilbert, Arizona.
Korda, the reigning Olympic champion, claimed the world No. 1 spot by winning her 10th career LPGA title last week in Los Angeles.
“It was really nice to get the W and get to double digits,” Korda said. “My goal is to stay very present, take it – as boring as it sounds – one shot at a time and go from there.”
Korda’s first win of 2023 came at January’s Drive On Championship in her hometown of Bradenton, Florida, and both of her triumphs this year came in the playoffs, motivating her for future success.
“I feel like every time you play under pressure, you learn more about yourself and how you handle it,” Korda said. “My last two wins were a bit dramatic.
“The main thing I’ve learned when I’m in a fight is how to behave, how to calm down and how to just embrace the moment.”
More moments could come, as Korda has never won twice in a season so quickly. She has won four times in 2021, the second triumph coming in June a week before her only major title to date at the Women’s PGA Championship.
The first major of the season comes at the Chevron Championship next month, but before that Korda will face the best field at the Ford event, including friend Lydia Ko of New Zealand.
Ko takes a look at the hall of fame
Ko, who won the inaugural Tournament of Champions, needs one more victory to cement his place in the LPGA Hall of Fame and nearly earned it earlier this month at the Blue Bay LPGA in China, sharing the lead in the final round only to lose to American No. by Bailey Tardy winner.
“All you can do is do your best,” Ko said. “I’m going to give myself good opportunities and instead of setting a goal to just be in the Hall of Fame, I want to win and compete at the highest level possible.
Not only did I set my sights on being a Hall of Famer. Sometimes I think it makes you narrow minded and I feel like I just need to win one. But I want to win more than one while I’m still playing.”
Korda is a close friend of Ko and expects her to be more hungry and ready to bounce back this week.
“She’s super resilient and super hard working and super dedicated and I definitely want her to be in the Hall of Fame,” Korda said. Korda says he’s not thinking about being inducted into the Hall of Fame.
“I don’t think I ever really think about it. I think about everything in the moment and take it one week at a time,” Korda said.
“If I get there, great, but it’s not something I’d put on my goal. I think small goals eventually lead to your bigger goals.”
World number eight Ko’s career of 20 LPGA titles, including two majors, is a testament to how things add up. But now that her next win has brought her Hall of Fame recognition, Ko is on the verge of a big goal.
“Nelly clearly shows that winning a double is quite easy,” Ko said. “But when I’m out there, I try to play the best golf I can.
“Being one point away seems a little easier than two. Sometimes it’s just easier said than done. Some players win for the first time in 10 years. It’s just not that easy.”
