Jessica Korda Leads HUGEL AIR-PREMIA L.A. Open After Round 1

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Jessica Korda
Jessica Korda plays a shot from a bunker on the second hole during the second round of the LPGA Drive On Championship at Golden Ocala Golf Club on Mar 05, 2021 in Ocala, Fl. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Jessica Korda shot a record-tying round of 64 on Wednesday at Wilshire Country Club, and will enter the second day of the HUGEL AIR-PREMIA LA Open with a one-shot lead.

Korda finished her first day at the historic L.A. golf club with eight birdies against one bogey to reach 7 under, one clear of Moriya Jutanugarn and Tiffany Chan.

“I was lucky enough that I was hitting the ball well last week (in Hawaii). I just wasn’t making any putts, and so I was kind of just taking that mentality into this week. Like if I can maybe drop some putts I can have a good round,” said Korda, who finished T48 at last week’s LOTTE Championship.

“But out here it’s tough. This isn’t an easy golf course at all. I was lucky to be able to position myself in the right spots off the tee and take advantage of the short putts that I did have for birdie.”

Despite Korda’s record-tying round, it is Jutanugarn who will more likely enter the second round with the most momentum. The Thai, who was 4-over through five holes, played her final 13 holes on 10-under par, which featured a run of six birdies in her middle portion, then three straight on her closing set to reach 6 under 65.

“I will say it’s pretty fun day today. It’s kind of really like a roller coaster. I started with double par, bogey, something like that on the first six holes,” said Jutanugarn.

“I started to make some putts and then I had a lot more chance today because I hit it a lot more like closer. When I start to make a little bit more putts, then it’s kind of make me having a fun day.”

Chan, meanwhile, reached 65 the more conventional way: with one bogey offset by seven birdies, including run of four straight on Nos. 5-8.

“My goal was to try not to be too aggressive because it’s my home course so I know the course really well,” said Chan, who attended USC, and considers Wilshire her home course. “So I still tried to be a little more conservative.”

Five players were T4 on 5 under, headlined by Jessica’s sister, Nelly Korda, and Austin Ernst.

World No. 1 Jin Young Ko was T9 on 4 under while defending champion Minjee Lee opened with a 1-under 70 to sit T43.

2021 HUGEL AIR-PREMIA LA Open

Top-5 Leaders: Round 1
Pos-Player-To Par-(Score)
1. Jessica Korda -7 (64)
2. Moriya Jutanugarn -6 (65)
2. Tiffany Chan -6 (65)
4. Dana Finkelstein -5 (66)
4. Su Oh -5 (66)
4. Carlota Ciganda -5 (66)
4. Austin Ernst -5 (66)
4. Nelly Korda -5 (66)

Watch Jessica Korda Score 64 at LPGA L.A. Open


Material from the LPGA Tour Communications was used to compile this report.


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