Nelly Korda Leads at HSBC Women’s World Championship

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Nelly Korda

Nelly Korda shot a third-round 7-under 65 and will take a one-shot lead over Danielle Kang into Sunday’s final day at the HSBC Women’s World Championship.

The 19-year old American produced a sizzling round of golf that included eight birdies against just one bogey to secure the pole position at the 54 hole marker.

Korda got off to a somewhat slow start, returning pars on the first five holes before reeling off eight birdies over her final 13 holes, highlighted by three-straight on Nos. 6, 7 and 8, and three more over Nos. 13, 14 and 16 to reach 15 under.

“I’ll definitely be a little nervous, but I’m just going to take it shot-by-shot,” said Korda, who held the lead after 54 holes at the 2017 Marathon Classic, only to finish T8.

“There’s so many great girls bunched up on the leaderboard close to my score. It’s going to be a tough one tomorrow, but I’m just going to be taking it shot by shot.”

Kang pulled even with a birdie of her own at No. 17, but bogeyed the 18th to drop a shot. She finished with four birdies against two bogeys.

“I wasn’t really worried about what (Nelly) was doing. I was more annoyed tha” I kept leaving every putt short. Might have been the rain,” said a frustrated Kang, who will be paired with the younger Korda again in Sunday’s final round.

“The front nine was not rolling as fast as but it started to dry up and the putts started rolling out. It is what it is. I mean, I played pretty solid. I scrambled in the beginning kind of here and there, and I wasn’t hitting it that great. So just tuning up today.”

Three further back at 11-under par was the duo of Canadian Brooke Henderson (65) and Australia’s Minjee Lee (68), while a trio of Americans in Michelle Wie (66), Marina Alex (70), and Jessica Korda (68) joined Korean Jin Young Ko (67) at 10 under.


TOP 10

1 Nelly Korda -15
2 Danielle Kang -14
3 Brooke Henderson -11
3 Minjee Lee -11
5 Michelle Wie -10
5 Jessica Korda -10
5 Jin Young Ko -10
5 Marina Alex -10
9 Ha-Na Jang -9
9 Charley Hull -9
9 Jenny Shin -9

NOTABLES

12 Lydia Ko -7
12 Lizette Salas -7
12 Ariya Jutanugarn -7
12 Chella Choi -7
17 Moriya Jutanugarn -6
17 Sung Hyun Park -6
22 Shanshan Feng -5
22 In Gee Chun -5
22 Cristie Kerr -5
27 Anna Nordqvist -4
30 Inbee Park -3
32 So Yeon Ryu -2
43 Lexi Thompson E
51 Brittany Lincicome +2


STAT LEADERS

The Top 3 (and ties) in the four major categories (through 54 holes).

DRIVING
1 Lexi Thompson 282.5
2 Sei Young Kim 281.5
3 Sung Hyun Park 280.5

FAIRWAYS
1 Jin Young Ko 98% (41/42)
2 Anna Nordqvist 95% (40/42)
2 Chella Choi 95% (40/42)

GREENS
1 Chella Choi 87% (47/54)
2 Danielle Kang 85% (46/54)
2 Marina Alex 85% (46/54)
2 Sung Hyun Park 85% (46/54)
2 Jacqui Concolino 85% (46/54)
2 Charley Hull 85% (46/54)

PUTTS PER GIR
1 Nelly Korda 1.55 (62)
2 Minjee Lee 1.59 (62)
3 Jessica Korda 1.60 (64)


VIDEO


QUOTABLE

“I was hitting the correct shots. I was aggressive when I needed to be, so I’m just happy with the way it ended and really looking forward to tomorrow.”
– Nelly Korda


Credits: LPGA Tour Communications, Getty Images


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