Nelly Korda Rips Women's PGA Championship's 'Almost Impossible' Conditions

Newsweek

2 days ago

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Although Nelly Korda has earned an admirable reputation for speaking her mind when it comes to golf, she isn't usually seen openly criticizing tournaments or organizers. However, it seems the third round of the KPMG Women's Open was the final straw.
Moving Day at the third major of the season threatened all LPGA Tour slow-play records, with Korda playing the front nine in three hours and nine minutes, according to a report by Golfweek.
Nelly Korda of the United States hits a chip shot on the second hole during the third round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship 2025 at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco on June 21,...
Nelly Korda of the United States hits a chip shot on the second hole during the third round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship 2025 at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco on June 21, 2025 in Frisco, Texas. MoreKorda, one of the fastest players in the world, wasn't pleased at all with the situation and identified the course setup, specifically the hole locations, as a key part of the problem:
"It's brutal out there when it comes to the setup of the golf course, wind conditions, everything," she said.
"I just think with the weather it's just too firm. The hole locations are kind of in almost impossible positions where not many people are hitting the greens, so obviously it's going to take a lot more time," she added.
The World No. 1 also detailed her mental approach to a round like this:
"I think we played a two ball in like six hours. That's just a little ridiculous, but, what can you do? Just told myself to be patient," Korda said.
"There is nowhere to go, so just patience. I mean, I feel like we've had lots of situations in the past, like, year, where we've had to wait a long time, so unfortunately kind of used to it, which you don't want to be used to it, especially in a two ball Saturday of a major."
Just took Nelly Korda and Brooke Henderson three hours and nine minutes to play the front nine.
Brutal.
Brooke's sister Brittany struggled with heat stroke on Thursday and has her college teammate and roommate, an eighth-grade teacher, on standby in the gallery just in case. — Beth Ann Nichols (@GolfweekNichols) June 21, 2025
Nelly Korda is a well-known advocate for speeding up the pace of play, which is one of the LPGA Tour's main issues. At the beginning of the current season, the circuit implemented a new policy, which the two-time major champion applauded.
The policy establishes penalties and fines for players who violate pace-of-play regulations.
It is not publicly known if players are being penalized for slow play at the Women's PGA Championship. It has only been reported that Lexi Thompson's group was put on the clock on Friday, but it seems the matter went no further.
Nelly Korda shot an even-par third round at the PGA Frisco, bringing her 54-hole score to 2-over. She will start the final round tied for 6th and, as if fate weren't random enough, she will play alongside none other than Lexi Thompson.
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