Nelly Korda stumbles, a rookie bombs a 3-wood, Lilia Vu rallies to lead Ford Championship

USA Today

30-03-2025

Nelly Korda stumbles, a rookie bombs a 3-wood, Lilia Vu rallies to lead Ford Championship
CHANDLER, Ariz. — Wind was an afternoon visitor the first two days at Whirldwind Golf Club.
On Saturday, it was a constant companion throughout the day at the 2025 Ford Championship, it showed on the scorecards being signed at the Cattail Course 15 miles south of Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.
There were 74 golfers who made the cut and of the 148 rounds they played over the first two days, just eight scores were over par. Saturday, of the 74 rounds played, there were 13 over-par rounds and another nine even-par rounds.
Who leads the 2025 Ford Championship after 54 holes?
The same golfer who led after 36 holes, and that is Lilia Vu. After a 1-under front nine, she made birdie on the par-3 11th to get to 16 under and take a one-shot lead. Two holes later, Vu was leading by three.
Just as she built that lead, though, she gave it back in a hurry with a double bogey at 14. Combined with a birdie by Charley Hull on 16 just minutes later and things were knotted up at 15 under.
Then Vu put the gas pedal down:
On 15, she poured in a long bending putt for birdie to get to 16 under
On 16, she stuffed her approach close for a kick-in birdie to get to 17 under
On 17, she was on in two and two-putted for a third straight birdie to get to 18 under
Talk about your double-bogey bounce-backs.
"I think I didn't think too much about that double bogey. Obviously I was upset with it, but I know where my game is at, and that's not going to really knock me down," she said. "My caddie actually said on the hole after, all I have to do is get you on the green, and whatever happens happens."
Hull would sneak in a side-door birdie on 18 to post a third-round 68 and get to 16 under. Vu would par her final hole and sign for a 4-under 68 as well to take two-shot lead into the final round. She'll play alongside Hull in Sunday's final round.
Stat of the day
Nelly Korda, the tournament's defending champ who's seeking her first win in 2025, was 9-for-9 making birdie on the par 5s so far this week. But that streak ended on the second par 5, No. 6, on Saturday when Korda missed with the putter from just off the green. She would take par there as well as the par-5 12th and 17th.
Korda was tied for second after 36 holes but couldn't keep pace in the third round. A bogey on the 16th, and her first three-putt of the week, dropped her to even par on the day and four back of the lead. She bogeyed the last for a 1-over round of 73 and tumble down the board to a tie for 19th. She'll start the final round seven shots of the pace.
Round of the day
Yahui Zhang is a 19-year-old LPGA rookie from China who said ahead of the third round, the wind was swirling in her thoughts.
"I was quite worry about today, the score I got at the morning, because the wind I saw on the app is really big and the pin place is quite difficult when I saw on the email," she said. "So I just talking with my father and I just, just do it. I'm the rookie. What I'm worry about? Just like that."
Just like that, indeed, as Zhang went out and posted the round of the day, a 7-under 65 in just her second LPGA event after spending last year on the Epson Tour.
She was 8 under with six birdies and an eagle until a closing-hole bogey but she has made her presence known this week.
Shot of the day
Also Zhang, who drove the par-4 fifth hole with her 3-wood, running her ball down the 264-yard hole and then drained a putt from seven feet for an eagle 2.
"So I was thinking, first I was thinking use driver, but I think that's too much, and also, and then I think just use 3-wood and the wind is right to left, and at the first two hole the wind is quite blow pretty more to my ball," she explained. "So I just thinking I should aiming more right. If I can play on the green, I just play on the green. If I can play the bunker beside the green, I just put that there. I mean, just want ball safe at there. I didn't expect that my ball there is only three yards far to the hole I just said, 'Oh, I got chance for eagle.' If I can't putting, it's still a birdie. I just try it. I just do it. Just kind of like that."
Just kind of like that. Zhang has posted scores of 69-68-65, each round an improvement over the previous one and she's in the thick of it in just her second LPGA start.
Quote of the day
Vu was asked about any off-course distractions she's been enjoying recently.
"My caddie and I have been discussing "White Lotus" [a series on HBO] with the recent episode. He hasn't been caught up, but his wife is here now, so they can watch the episode together, and I expect him tomorrow to give me his spiel on it because he's not caught up yet," she said.
How does the Ford Championship leaderboard look?
Vu leads by two at 18 under, with Hull two back. Sunday's penultimate group will be Ayaka Furue and Nanna Koerstz-Madsen, who are tied for third at 15 under.
There's a five-way tie for fifth at 14 under and a four-way tie for 10th at 13 under, a group that includes Lydia Ko and Yealimi Noh.