World No 1 Nelly Korda ties the record for the most consecutive LPGA wins, matching the five in a row set by Nancy Lopez in 1978 and repeated by Annika Sorenstam across 2004 and 2005; 20-year-old English amateur Lottie Woad finishes one-under in her first major appearance
Nelly Korda claimed her second major title and a remarkable fifth successive tournament win as she clinched victory in the Chevron Championship by two shots.
The world No 1’s victory at The Woodlands in Texas saw her tie the record for the most consecutive LPGA wins, matching Nancy Lopez’s mark set in 1978 and Annika Sorenstam’s across 2004-05.
Korda began the final round of this year’s first major one stroke behind South Korean leader Haeran Ryu but a three-under final round of 69 was enough to earn the 25-year-old American the victory at 13 under for the tournament.
Korda hit this lovely chip-in birdie at the 10th during the Chevron Championship
Sweden’s Maja Stark finished two shots further back in second after also closing with a 69, while American Lauren Coughlin and Canada’s Brooke Henderson – who started level with Korda after a super third round of 64 – were tied in third place at 10 under. Ryu carded a two-over 74 to finish fifth.
When asked how she was able to put together five wins in five consecutive tournaments, Korda, who made five birdies but had two bogeys on the back nine of her final round, said: “I don’t know, but I can finally breathe now.
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“That back nine felt like the longest back nine of my entire life. It was a little bit of a grind on the back nine, but I’m happy to get the win.
“I was definitely starting to feel it on the back nine, just the nerves setting in. It’s a major. It’s everything that I’ve always wanted as a little girl.
“I can finally breathe now and just enjoy the moment because I was definitely really nervous. I feel sick to my stomach.”
Korda’s first major win came at the Women’s PGA Championship in 2021 and she secured the first of her five straight titles this year at the LPGA Drive On Championship in January.
She then took a seven-week break before returning to win three events in the space of three weeks, including beating Ireland’s Leona Maguire in the final of the T-Mobile Match Play a fortnight ago.
Jasmine Koo got a lucky break at the The Chevron Championship as her shot bounced off an advertising board floating in the water
In terms of British interest in the tournament, 20-year-old Lottie Woad – winner of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur earlier this month – missed out on finishing as the lowest amateur. The English future star, who had been in contention at four under through Friday, ultimately finished one under after a two-over final round of 74.
Charley Hull and Georgia Hall both signed off with 72s to also finish one under, while Jodi Ewart Shadoff (+3) and Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh (+4) had disastrous final rounds of 79 and 80, respectively. Northern Ireland’s Stephanie Meadow ended the week on level par.