NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Nelly Korda raced out to an early lead and beat the self-destructing Narin An 4 and three on Saturday within the semifinals of the T-Cell Match Play to place herself a match away from her fourth straight LPGA Tour victory.
The world’s top-ranked participant will play Leona Maguire within the closing Sunday. The Irish star beat Sei Young Kim 3 and a couple of.
“I do know she’s going to be fiery,” Korda mentioned. “That is simply how Leona is. She’s an amazing competitor. I feel it’s going to be nice to share the stage together with her, and hopefully it’s going to be an excellent present.”
Korda is making an attempt to change into the primary LPGA Tour participant to win 4 consecutive begins since Lorena Ochoa in 2008. The report is 5, set by Nancy Lopez in 1978 and matched by Annika Sorenstam in 2004-05.
Korda took seven weeks off together with the Asian a part of the schedule after profitable in January in her hometown of Bradenton, Florida. Which means a victory this weekend could be her third consecutive in a scheduled occasion. 4 gamers share the report of 4 straight, with Mickey Wright doing it twice.
Ought to Korda win, she may have the possibility to equal that report in two weeks at The Chevron Championship, the 12 months’s first main.
“Nelly is the perfect on this planet proper now,” mentioned Maguire, 3-1 towards Korda in workforce matches for Europe within the Solheim Cup, although they have not met in singles. “She’s on a extremely scorching streak. It has been extremely spectacular what she’s been doing up to now few weeks.
“It’ll be a extremely powerful battle tomorrow. I’ve acquired an enormous problem forward of me. I am excited. I imply, that is why you apply. You wish to play the perfect gamers on this planet and that is what Nelly is.”
Korda was by no means examined within the semifinals, going 5 up by means of seven holes, needing solely two birdies to take that lead. An bogeyed the primary three holes earlier than steadying herself and even profitable a gap with a birdie on the par-4 tenth gap.
That, nonetheless, was a short lived reprieve. An was by no means in a position to overcome the early deficit to noticeably threaten Korda, who performed the bottom 3-over par.
“The again 9 is slightly more durable, so began to make slightly bit extra errors,” Korda mentioned. “Fatigue began setting in it just a bit.”
There was a tad extra drama within the different semifinal. Maguire was 2 up by means of seven holes when Kim, the 2020 LPGA Tour Participant of the 12 months, had a superb opportunity to chop into the lead. However Maguire acquired up and down on the par-3 eighth, sinking a 12-foot par putt save to maintain the benefit.
She picked up one other shot when Kim bogeyed the par-4 tenth, and the result was by no means actually unsure after that.
“I feel while you’re doing these 36-hole days, it is who makes the least errors virtually, particularly on a golf course like right this moment,” Maguire mentioned. “Actually glad how I performed.”
Climate had been a serious story throughout this event, and the temperature was 42 levels with the gamers teed off Saturday morning within the quarterfinals. However the sturdy winds that plagued the earlier two days was decreased to a breeze, and temps had been within the 60s for the afternoon play.
Korda superior to the semifinals by defeating Angel Yin 3 and a couple of, and Maguire beat Moriya Jutanugarn 4 and three. Additionally, Kim routed Rose Zhang 6 and 5, and An beat Minami Katsu 1 up.
