ORLANDO, Fla. — Nelly Korda performed a few of his greatest golf within the worst circumstances Saturday in frigid, blustery climate, capturing an 8-under 64 that finally compelled play to be suspended for the day within the season-opening Event of Champions.
Korda had the best rating of the week at Lake Nona. Temperatures right here felt like they had been within the 40s, with regular winds of 20 mph and gusts practically twice as sturdy.
Korda, searching for her first win since November 2024, had a complete of 13-under 203, six strokes behind Brooke Henderson amongst ending gamers. Henderson shot a 66.
Amy Yang was 10 below with two holes remaining, together with the par-3 seventeenth, some of the uncovered holes on the golf course. Lydia Ko fell behind with double bogey and bogey on consecutive holes on the again 9. She was 8 below after 16 holes.
Hwang Yu-min was additionally at 8 below, and it was her putt that led LPGA officers to halt play. Huang made an 18-foot birdie putt, however missed to the correct, and a powerful right-to-left wind despatched the ball a couple of extra ft to the correct, the place it will definitely caught a ridge and rolled off the inexperienced.
Followers known as officers and play was finally stopped. Sue Winter, head of LPGA guidelines, blamed a couple of holes, notably the seventeenth, for the inequity.
Athletes wore earmuffs and ski caps to push back the chilly, however the climate is anticipated to get even worse on Sunday, with temperatures dropping to under freezing or above.
Korda birdied two holes because the wind began to choose up. Then she hit a niche wedge that landed a couple of ft above the outlet, spun, and made an eagle on her third shot.
She shot a 30 on the entrance 9 and added three birdies to at least one bogey on the again to construct a lead with a 64.
“We knew the circumstances had been going to be powerful, so getting off to a great begin like that basically helped,” Korda mentioned. “Total, I used to be very targeted and labored onerous on my line. In winds and circumstances like this, it is very easy to doubt your self and your line.”
Korda received seven races in 2024, however surprisingly went by way of 2025 with no single win. Decided to get off to a great begin, she performed nice golf to take management and rating a 64, helped by some low pictures that reduce by way of the wind.
“Once I was taking part in, I used to be so targeted on being within the second and specializing in the shot that I did not actually notice how properly I used to be taking part in,” Korda mentioned. “Particularly on the final gap, it’s nearly survival mode.”
England’s Lottie Ward, who shared the 36-hole lead with Ko, fell to eight strokes behind the chief at 3 over after 16 holes.
