MIAMI (AFP) — World No. 1 Nelly Korda captured her seventh LPGA title of the season and 15th career crown on Sunday, firing a three-under par 67 to win the Annika tournament.
The 26-year-old American, playing her first event since being sidelined by a neck injury last month, reeled off five consecutive back-nine birdies to seize the crown by three strokes at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida.
“After taking some time off with an injury it was great to be back out here,” Korda said.
“There’s nothing like being in the hunt. There’s nothing like the adrenaline feeling going on the back nine, being in contention. I love it so much.”
Meanwhile, finished tied at the 20th spot to retain her LPGA Tour card.
The two-time Olympian closed with a one-under-par 69 to finish within the top 100 at No. 92 in the Race to CME Globe rankings.
South Korea’s Im Jin-hee, China’s Zhang Weiwei and England’s Charley Hull shared second on 269 with Sweden’s Linn Grant and American Rose Zhang sharing fifth on 270.
It was Korda’s third victory in the event after taking the 2021 and 2022 titles and made her the first player since Taiwan’s Yani Tseng in 2011 to win seven tournaments in a season.
Annika Sorenstam, the tournament namesake from Sweden, holds the record with 11 titles in the 2002 campaign.
Korda is the first American player to win seven LPGA titles in a season since Beth Daniel in 1990 and four of Korda’s victories, including Sunday’s triumph, came when she trailed entering the final round.
The victory ensured she will be a heavy favorite at next week’s season-ending Tour Championship.
Korda added to a 2024 LPGA trophy haul that began in January at the Drive On Championship in her hometown of Bradenton, Florida.
It continued with wins at the Pak Se-ri Championship in Los Angeles, the Ford Championship and LPGA Match Play ahead of her second major title at the Chevron Championship and the Americas Open in May, her most recent victory until this week.
The neck injury kept Korda from playing in October in Asia and she had not walked a full 18 holes in nearly two months until this week.
Korda struggled early with a bogey at the second hole then sandwiched a birdie between bogeys at the sixth and eighth holes.
But that only set the stage for Korda’s run of birdies from the 11th through 15th holes, going from two adrift to secure the lead for good.
“Not a lot of happy thoughts at the beginning,” Korda said.
“You should have felt the nerves I was feeling on the back nine.”