Aramco Team Series: Nelly Korda returns to winning ways at Centurion Club, hits stride ahead of major tests to follow
- American wins for first time since November and says victory a ‘confidence boost’ ahead of Evian Championship and Women’s Open
- The 24-year-old has never finished outside the top four when playing in ATS events
Before the start of the Aramco Team Series London tournament, champion Nelly Korda was asked if winning with a team or individually gave her more satisfaction. The American shrugged before simply replying “winning is winning”.
There are some who may have taken that response as evidence of a characteristic her men’s compatriots have occasionally been accused of in the build-up to a Ryder Cup, namely that they are fine alone but do not play well with others.
Korda is not of that ilk. Certainly the ATS format – of playing team golf for the first two days and then as an individual on the last – suits her. Victory on Sunday, by four shots, was her second series win after a three-shot triumph in Spain last year.
Her team did not fare as well, finishing ninth on 18 under for the two rounds, six shots back from the group captained by Georgia Hall.
“I think [ATS events] are super-fun,” Korda said. “The first two days playing with the team, it’s pretty easy-going. And then the third day, you’re just out there for yourself and it’s nice getting to know the girls out here.”
Overall, Korda has not finished outside the top four when playing an ATS event, having come second to Charley Hull in New York in 2021. The roles were reversed at the Centurion Club over the weekend, with Hull’s second five-under-par 68 of the week leaving her on seven under overall.
What the Englishwoman would not have given to get back a 76 on Saturday, when wind and rain produced brutal conditions that Korda said were “probably top three toughest conditions I’ve ever played in”.
Korda, in contrast, had just three bogeys over her 54 holes, and the closest she came to a mistake in the final round was flirting dangerously with the water hazard with her approach into the 18th green.
The ball landed just clear of the water, and on a narrow strip of land between it and a greenside bunker.
“Thankfully I hit a seven wood versus a hybrid, so I had enough yardage that I knew that I could cover it,” the 24-year-old said. “I didn’t hit it the best, but I was extremely lucky there. Sometimes you have to be a little lucky.”
Missing with that shot would not have been anything other than frustrating for Korda, who was 10 under at that point and finished with a birdie for a two-under round of 71.
South African Nicole Garcia carded a 72 to finish alone in third on five under overall.
Aside from beating everyone, Korda’s other focus was on the home cooking she was looking forward to when she visited her family in Prague on Monday.
A week of fruit-filled dumplings and other treats awaited, before the serious business of the two majors on the Ladies European Tour, the Evian Championship and next month’s AIG Women’s Open.
Victory was Korda’s first since the Pelican Women’s Championship last November, and came after a period when she picked up an injury and struggled with her game.
Still, there was no suggestion she would rather be playing again straight away, and Korda said the performance gave her confidence she could handle whatever the British weather might throw at her at Walton Heath in August.
“I think just having these rounds under my belt, knowing that I can shoot the scores I did in tough conditions on a pretty tough golf course,” she said. “I mean, it’s pretty tight off with a lot of these tees here and judging the wind and everything. I think it’s a good confidence boost, especially after how I’ve kind of been playing recently.”
