Nelly Korda has rallied from a large 18-hole deficit to win one major this season, but she’ll need an even more impressive comeback to do it again.
Korda shot 3-over 74 in the opening round of the Amundi Evian Championship and is 11 strokes behind leader Aki Iwai. The world No. 1 had two birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey Thursday at Evian Resort Golf Club.
Five weeks ago, Korda began the U.S. Women’s Open with a 2-over 73 and was seven off the first-round lead. She went on to shoot 67-67-69 to prevail by a stroke. It was Korda’s second consecutive major victory, having also won The Chevron Championship, wire to wire, in April.
A third major title this week in France would give Korda the career Grand Slam – under the LPGA’s rules of winning at least four of the five current majors – and a spot in the points-based LPGA Hall of Fame.
It will take a remarkable comeback.
Beginning on the back nine, Korda was 1 under through three holes before running off a string of pars. She dropped back to even par with a bogey at the 18th and then doubled the first. She also bogeyed the fourth and fifth holes before a closing birdie at the par-5 ninth.
Ten shots is the record for largest first-round deficit overcome to win an LPGA major. Hae Ran Ryu matched that two weeks ago at the KPMG Women’s PGA.
In nine career appearances at this championship, Korda has two top-10s, a tie for eighth in 2022 and a tie for ninth in 2023.