At the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Frisco, Texas, Nelly Korda delivered an even-par 72 during Thursday’s opening round despite recently aggravating a neck injury. The world’s top-ranked player encountered the setback just three days earlier in a practice round at the Fields Ranch East course, adding tension to the start of the third major of the LPGA season.
Details of Korda’s Neck Injury and Recovery
Korda, a two-time major winner, revealed that she feels no pain when striking shots; however, turning her neck causes discomfort, making it difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position. She explained that recovery takes time given the history of her neck issues.
“It’s better, yeah. Getting better every day, which is nice,”
Korda said.
“Just because I injured it last year, whenever I do injure my neck it takes a little bit longer than normal. I kind of tweaked it before my round with Ariya (Jutanugarn) in Vegas this year, during the night I couldn’t move then, so thankfully it wasn’t as bad as that day. … Just takes me like a week to kind of recover when I tweak my neck now.”
Last year, Korda missed two tournaments during the LPGA’s Asia swing due to a minor neck injury. In April, she lost a match to Jutanugarn after previously tweaking her neck. This time, the injury worsened when her neck went into spasm after a shot from the rough in a Monday practice round, forcing her to skip that evening’s champions dinner.
Round One Performance Amid Challenging Conditions
During her first round, Korda achieved two birdies and two bogeys, finishing four strokes behind early leader Jeeno Thitikul, the world’s No. 2-ranked player, who shot 4-under 68 in the same group. Korda started steadily with seven consecutive pars and showcased moments of skill despite the physical limitations.
“Overall I mean, even par to start the major … it was windier in the morning than I thought it would be. So played a little tougher. Yeah, I’m pretty happy with my first round in the conditions,”
she commented.
“It was pretty windy. It was hot. It definitely takes a toll on you, the Texas heat. So happy with my position. I haven’t even really looked at the leaderboard, to be honest.”
Critical Shots and Recovery on the Course
A highlight of Korda’s round came at the par-4 seventh hole where she drove 294 yards into a valley short of the green. After her pitch shot rolled off the green and back down, she managed to save par with a precise 2-foot putt. On the following hole, a par-3 eighth, her tee shot went beyond the green, leading to her first bogey.
At the par-5 ninth, Korda faced another challenge as her approach shot landed near a temporary structure, requiring her to take free relief. She recovered well, pitching to within 3½ feet and sinking the birdie putt.
“It’s great to rebound with a birdie. Wasn’t sure where to drop. The grass was like pavement. It was so firm, it’s been walked on a lot,”
Korda said.
“Whenever you get to bounce back with a birdie and you get to kind of have in a sense a fresh start for the next nine holes, that’s always good.”
Outlook for Korda in the Championship
Korda’s performance under the strain of a neck injury illustrates both her resilience and determination to compete at the highest level. Although still managing pain, her steady even-par round in difficult weather conditions positions her solidly for the subsequent rounds. How her recovery progresses in the coming days will be critical as she aims to contend with top players like Jeeno Thitikul at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.