Dropping temperatures and escalating winds were not too steep of an obstacle for Nelly Korda to overcome at the LPGA’s Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions on Saturday.
The Florida native, wearing gloves and earmuffs at different points through her third round at Lake Nona, seemed unaffected by the weather situation surrounding her, posting an 8-under 64 and rising to the top of the TOC leaderboard.
Korda, who entered the day three off the lead, sits at 13 under through three rounds and is currently the clubhouse leader with some of the field waiting to complete 54 holes.
The third round was suspended at 4:18 p.m. ET as the 17th hole became unplayable due to highs winds. One LGPA official called the situation “uber unfair” with some players, like Korda and Canada’s Brooke Henderson (six back), in the clubhouse for the day.
LPGA officials announced Saturday night that play is scheduled to resume at 10 a.m. ET Sunday, with temperatures around 30 degrees. The conclusion to the third round and the final round will begin at the same time with groups off split tees. There will be no regrouping from Round 3, meaning Korda will not be in the final threesome.
Among those close to Korda in scoring but must wait until Sunday to finish the third round are Amy Yang and Youmin Hwang, who were both unable to complete 17 due to wind. Yang is currently solo second at 10 under. Hwang and Lydia Ko (through 15) are both at 8 under.
Hwang’s last putt on the hole led to the suspension as her ball rolled past the hole, down the front slope and off the green.
Korda said the wind and the temperatures did put her into “survival mode” during the final four holes.
"[Nos.] 15, 16, 17, 18, they’re brutal once you get a little bit exposed,” she said after the third round. “Mentally, I was already preparing for that. I knew it was going to be tough on those holes, especially the wind kind of coming from the north.”
Specifically, when it came to putting on 17, Korda said her ball was “definitely oscillating.”
“The gusts, it’s so exposed off the water there,” she added. “You could surf on that water today.
“So that’s a very exposed green where you’re going to probably run into some issues when the wind starts to gust a little bit more, but that was a brutal hole.”
LPGA TV schedule for Sunday
Sunday’s schedule had been tweaked prior to the winds cut short play Saturday. No amateurs were going to play the final round, and the field would be trimmed to 60 players total with start times bumped back.
Here’s how the Tournament of Champions, broadcast schedule looks for Sunday:
- 1-2PM: Peacock
- 2-4PM: NBC
- 4PM to conclusion of final round: Golf Channel