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Arab News
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
World No. 1 Nelly Korda grabs share of lead at Mizuho Americas Open
REUTERS JERSEY CITY, N.J.: Nelly Korda used a late birdie spurt to claw her way into a tie for the lead at the Mizuho Americas Open on Friday in Jersey City, N.J. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport The world No. 1 shot her second straight round of 68 at Liberty National Golf Club to move to 8-under-par 136 for the event, tied with South Korean Somi Lee, who shot a 67 Friday, and Andrea Lee, who also carded a 68. The trio is a stroke ahead of six players tied at 7 under: Stephanie Kyriacou of Australia (69 Friday), Spaniards Julia Lopez Ramirez and Carlota Ciganda (both 70), Jenny Bae (70), France's Celine Boutier (71) and Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul (73). Similar to Scottie Scheffler on the men's side, Korda had a white-hot 2024 but is still searching for her best play this year. Scheffler did not win on the PGA Tour until last week at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson; Korda is looking for her first title of 2025. She started her day on the back nine and erased two birdies on par-3 holes with back-to-back bogeys at Nos. 17 and 18. After a birdie at the first, Korda made three more over her last five (Nos. 5, 6 and 8) to make a late move up the leaderboard. 'After making two bogeys in a row you (need) to reset and just know that you have nine more holes to go and there is some opportunities out there even with the tricky conditions,' Korda said. 'So just had a little bit of a mental reset and it worked.' Somi Lee was 7 under through her first 15 holes to get as low as 10 under for the event, but she made consecutive missteps at Nos. 7 and 8 to come back to the pack. She and Korda are tied with Andrea Lee, who played earlier in the day and posted a simple, bogey-free round with four birdies to set the clubhouse lead at 8 under. 'I was kind of mentally preparing for the worst today,' Andrea Lee said. 'The radar didn't look great for the rain and it was dumping on us pretty hard for probably about 12, 13 holes honestly. 'So I knew that I just had to stay really patient out there, know that fairways and greens and pars were a good score, and stay really positive.' Thitikul, the No. 2-ranked player in the world, led after the first round and had three birdies in her first four holes Friday to move to 11 under. She came undone the rest of the way with four bogeys and no additional birdies, including a water ball as her day wound down. Tied for 10th just two back at 6 under are Kristen Gillman (69), Yealimi Noh (71) and Australia's Hira Naveed (69). Canada's Brooke M. Henderson, a two-time major champion and a former top-10 player in the world rankings, missed the cut by one shot after a tough closing nine. She made four birdies through her first nine holes to get to 3 under, then had just one birdie and four bogeys — including on her finishing hole, the ninth — the rest of the way to drop to even par, one below the cut line. Other notables to miss the cut included Sweden's Madelene Sagstrom (2 over) and 2023 champion Rose Zhang (4 over).
Associated Press
09-05-2025
- Climate
- Associated Press
Nelly Korda makes late run of birdies at Liberty National and shares the lead
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) — Defending champion Nelly Korda hit her stride late on a long and soft Liberty National, making three birdies over her last five holes for a 4-under 68 and a share of the lead Friday in the Mizuho Americas Open. Rain and cloud cover made the course across the Hudson River from Manhattan play longer than ever, and that much was evident on the par-4 ninth hole. Korda and Jeeno Thitikul each had to use fairway metals for their approach on the 429-yard hole. 'Just have to really dial into everything that you're doing in these conditions with it kind of being on-and-off rain and getting colder and some wind,' Korda said. 'So you just have to really dial in, which we did a really good job with that.' Somi Lee of South Korea had seven birdies in a round of 67 that was slowed by two bogeys toward the end. She joined fellow morning starter Andrea Lee (68) and Korda atop the leaderboard at 8-under 136. Korda, the No. 1 player in women's golf by a big margin, has yet to win this year. She won the Mizuho Americas Open a year ago for her sixth victory of the season. Thitikul, who had a two-shot lead at the start of the round after opening with a 64, stretched her lead with three birdies in four holes before her momentum stopped. She made four bogeys the rest of the way, including a long three-putt on the ninth, for a 73. Thitikul, No. 2 behind Korda in the women's world ranking, was in a large group at 137 that included Boutier (71), Carlota Ciganda of Spain (70) and Stephanie Kyriacou of Australia (69). 'I thought it was tough but I was excepting it to be a lot tougher,' Boutier said. 'When it came down, it came down pretty hard, so that was a bit tough. I think the toughest part was how cold it got at the end. Definitely the hands were getting pretty stiff and cold, so it was a little bit harder there.' ___ AP golf:
Arab News
13-02-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
Somi Lee leads way at PIF Saudi Ladies International, Team Kyriacou set the pace
RIYADH: Korea's Somi Lee surged to the top of the leaderboard at the PIF Saudi Ladies International on Thursday, delivering a flawless 7-under-par 65 in the opening round at Riyadh Golf Club. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport The 26-year-old's performance gives her a one-shot lead over Germany's Esther Henseleit and England's Annabell Fuller. Lee set the tone early, reaching 4-under on the front nine before sinking three crucial birdie putts in the final four holes to cap off a near-perfect round. Fresh off a top-15 finish at last week's Founders Cup, she remains focused on the task ahead. 'I don't want to think about what has passed. I just want to think about what's coming, and that's my main focus,' Lee said. Alongside the individual battle, the PIF Saudi Ladies International features a unique team format, with 28 teams of four competing for a $500,000 prize fund. The best two scores on each hole contribute to the team total, adding an exciting dynamic to the event. A brilliant team effort from Stephanie Kyriacou's squad propelled them into the lead. The Australian, a two-time Ladies European Tour winner, combined with Germany's Olivia Cowan, Czechia's Sara Kouskova, and England's Liz Young to post a team-best -17. 'We 'ham and egged' really well,' Kyriacou said, after closing her round with four birdies in the last five holes to boost her team's total. Cowan also delivered a dazzling display, carding eight birdies, including a near ace at the par-3 17th. She added: 'I wasn't really doing much for the first 14 holes but I was able to turn it on (in) the last few that will help us going into Friday.' Close behind in second place is Team Lee, led by individual leader Somi Lee, whose 65 was backed up by an impressive 67 from Minsun Kim. They were joined by France's Nastasia Nadaud and England's Amy Taylor. One of the day's biggest highlights came from Thailand's April Angurasaranee, who celebrated her first-ever hole-in-one. The 20-year-old struck a perfect 6-iron at the par-3 sixth hole, much to the delight of her team captain Moriya Jutanugarn. The PIF Saudi Ladies International continues to break new ground, with an equal prize fund to the men's event. Round two tees off on Friday, as the world's best battle for both individual and team glory in Riyadh.
