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BRADENTON, Fla. — Benton McDede crawled for the primary time Saturday morning at Nelly Korda’s home. The McDede household, Korda’s caddie Jason and his spouse, LPGA participant Caroline Masson and their nine-month-old son, are houseguests this week together with Korda’s shut pal Megan Khang.
“Milestones at my home,” mentioned Korda, beaming.
Residence occasions are uncommon for gamers on the LPGA, and Korda is experiencing it for the primary time this week on the LPGA Drive On Championship at Bradenton Nation Membership the place she has led all three rounds. The 25-year-old Korda, who was born down the road from the membership, has requested fellow gamers for his or her tickets all week to accommodate the requests she’s obtained.
Korda even noticed the spouse of her first coach tending the ropes as a volunteer on Friday.
“I used to be shedding enamel throughout our apply classes,” she mentioned of how far they return.
LPGA Drive On: Pictures
An eight-time winner on the LPGA and Olympic gold medalist, Korda final received on tour in November 2022. She bought off to a gradual begin on Saturday, lacking a string of birdie putts inside 10 ft in gusty winds on demanding Donald Ross greens. Whereas her dad and mom dwell a mere quarter-hour away (Korda is about 40 minutes away), she hasn’t performed an excessive amount of golf on the 100-year-old membership, outdoors of the occasional U.S. Girls’s Open qualifier.
A few snap hooks on Nos. 7 and eight led to bogeys, and Korda discovered herself down one stroke to Lydia Ko as she made the flip. However the hometown favourite completed in a flurry, making eagle on the penultimate par-5 with a hole-out from a greenside bunker after which birdieing the final to shoot 3-under 68 and bolt to a four-stroke lead at 13 underneath over Ko, Khang and Japan’s Ayaka Furue.
With Korda, Furue and Khang going off within the last group on Sunday, Khang jokingly puzzled whether or not Korda would even speak to her tonight.
“Perhaps I’ll simply go away her stuff outdoors the door at the moment,” mentioned Korda, smiling. “End up a brand new place. I’m simply kidding.”
Nelly Korda of the USA walks as much as the thirteenth inexperienced through the third spherical of the LPGA Drive On Championship at Bradenton Nation Membership on January 27, 2024 in Bradenton, Florida. (Photograph by Julio Aguilar/Getty Photos)
Ko, 26, received final week’s season-opening Hilton Grand Holidays Event of Champions after enduring her worst season on tour in 2023 and desires just one extra level to achieve the 27 required to enter the LPGA Corridor of Fame. Ko mentioned she’s truly extra comfy being one level away than she was two factors.
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“I feel the 2 is such as you’re there, however you’re type of not there,” she mentioned. “It’s like two wins and also you’re like, man, it’s onerous sufficient simply successful one, or a serious and particularly as a result of I haven’t actually been in competition in majors in a very very long time.”
Ought to Ko pull out the victory on one other windy day alongside Florida’s Gulf Coast, she’d turn into the youngest participant to be induced into the LPGA Corridor of Fame underneath its present standards at 26 years, 9 months and 4 days.
Lydia Ko of New Zealand performs a shot from a bunker on the thirteenth gap through the third spherical of the LPGA Drive On Championship at Bradenton Nation Membership on January 27, 2024 in Bradenton, Florida. (Photograph by Julio Aguilar/Getty Photos)
Earlier than March of 2022, gamers needed to be energetic on the LPGA for 10 years previous to induction. Karrie Webb reached the 27-point threshold at age 25 together with her victory on the 2000 U.S. Girls’s Open however didn’t attain the 10-year requirement till age 30 in 2005. Inbee Park reached 27 factors at age 27 when she received the Glenna Collett Vare Trophy in 2015, however didn’t attain the 10-year requirement till the next yr.
Ko can be the twenty fifth participant inducted into the Corridor of Fame based mostly on enjoying standards and the thirty fifth total. 9 ladies had been inducted as honorary members (eight LPGA founders and beloved entertainer Dinah Shore).
“I actually didn’t ever think about that I’d be one of many names that might be within the Corridor of Fame,” mentioned Ko, who first received on the LPGA at age 15. “I all the time thought that was out of my attain. To have that chance is absolutely superior.”
Whereas Ko chases her place in golf historical past, Korda appears to make a hometown proud. The Shake Pit, a close-by restaurant that’s been round since 1959, has a easy message on its marquee signal: “LPGA Drive On Event. Korda Leads.”
No want for an replace.
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