FRISCO, Texas – Nelly Korda shot 72 in the first round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, three days after the world’s highest-ranked player aggravated his neck injury during practice.
While Corda said she wouldn’t feel pain in hitting the ball, the two-time major champion said her neck “just spins” and it’s hard to sleep at night.
“Yes, yes. It’s going to get better every day, which is great,” she said. “Just because I got injured last year, it takes longer than usual whenever I get a neck injury. I adjusted this year at Ariya (Jutanugarn) in Las Vegas, and at night, I couldn’t move at that time, and thankfully, I’m not as bad as I did that day now…
Korda skipped two matches in the LPGA’s Asian swing in the second half of last year, losing to Jutanugarn in the game was in April due to a small neck injury. Corda said earlier this week that her neck “sinked into full spasms” during a tough game at the Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco on Monday, before skipping the evening’s championship dinner.
In the first round of the third-largest major this season, Corda had two birdies and two bogeys. She trails four goals from world No. 2 player Jeeno Thitikul, who is in the same group, the championship leader at 68.
“In general, I mean, even if it’s a grand slam start…the morning was more graceful than I thought. “It was really windy.” The weather is very hot. The heat in Texas will definitely cause you damage. Very happy with my location. Honestly, I haven’t even really looked at the rankings. ”
Corda opened seven consecutive pars, including 317 yards, par 4, where she entered the 294 yard drive and into the valley where green distances were not available. The initial tone that she started from there broke off the edge of the green and then scrolled down to where she was. Corda hit her next shot 2 feet and saved the par.
On the eighth shot of the eighth, Corda’s tee shot went over the green to establish her first bogey. After her approaching the ninth hole of the 5 stroke, she was free to relax and settled next to the temporary structure, she threw 3 1/2 feet and made a birdie putt.
“It’s great to rebound with the birds. Not sure where to fall. The grass is like a sidewalk. It’s so firm that it’s already gone a lot,” Corda said. “Whenever you bounce with the birds, you can have a new start in the next nine holes, and that’s always good.”
