Nelly Korda was in the thick of contention at the Olympic Games before a calamity cropped up on the par-3 16th hole at Le Golf National…
Nelly and these par 3’s, eh?
They’ve not been a match made in heaven in 2024. The World No.1 was in the thick of contention for another gold medal at the Olympic Games before reaching hole 16 in round two on Thursday.
Korda, as she did on that devilish 12th hole at the US Women’s Open, found the water with her tee shot while sitting on six-under-par for the event at Le Golf National.
Disappointing enough to find the drink on a 136-yard hole, Korda found the front bunker from the drop zone and sent her bunker shot sailing to the back fringe, with 90 feet coming back.
Three more shots followed which included a missed seven-footer for triple bogey. The score of seven, a quadruple bogey, brought her back to two-under for the week which is what she finished on through 36 holes. Rounds of 72 and 70 left her six shots behind Morgane Metraux on eight-under.
Nelly Korda Olympics disaster explained by the woman herself…
“I played 16 holes of really, really solid golf. I was six-under to that point, and I just hit my shot a little out-right and a little healy. I was a little hesitant being in between clubs. Just hit a really poor wedge shot and I was plugged in the bunker.
“Those bunkers are really firm and when I tried to be a little aggressive with them, my ball just shot to the back of
the green. Just a series of unfortunate events happened in a row, but I ended on a birdie and made a wonder putt after leaving myself in not the easiest of positions on the right side of the green having to go through almost through the sprinklerheads.
“Overall, I still shot under par. I’m going to try and take the positive.”
Korda has won six times on the LPGA Tour this year, including her second major title at the Chevron Championship, and has broken countless records along the way.
The American is the defending champion at the Olympics this year. She won gold at Kasumigaseki Country Club in Tokyo three years ago, with Mone Inami grabbing silver and Lydia Ko claiming bronze.
Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.
Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.
Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.
Matt joined NCG in February 2023 and is the website’s main source of tour news, features and opinion. He has reported live from events such as The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spoken to the likes of Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell, Henrik Stenson, to name just a few.
Consuming tour golf on what is a 24/7 basis, you can come to Matt for informed views on the game and the latest updates on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and LIV Golf.
