Nelly Korda Opens Up After Final Round Plan Falls Apart in Another Close Finish
LAS VEGAS, NV - APRIL 05: LPGA, Golf Damen golfer Nelly Korda walks the first hole during the final round of the Aramco Championship on April 5, 2026, at Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire GOLF: APR 05 LPGA Aramco Championship EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon26040518
LAS VEGAS, NV - APRIL 05: LPGA, Golf Damen golfer Nelly Korda walks the first hole during the final round of the Aramco Championship on April 5, 2026, at Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire GOLF: APR 05 LPGA Aramco Championship EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon26040518
Nelly Korda came into the Aramco Championship gunning for the World No. 1 spot. Yet, she fell flat in the Aramco Championship, failing to execute her strategy in a difficult last round at Shadow Creek.
"Honestly, just to stay patient, take my chances when I can. I just didn't play good golf today," said Korda after completing a 3-over-par round.
Heading into Sunday's final round, Korda was 5-under overall, trailing Lauren Coughlin by two strokes. Her performance over the weekend made it seem like she would take the lead. And Korda had a solid start as well to the third round with back-to-back birdies.
LAS VEGAS, NV - APRIL 05: From left to right LPGA, Golf Damen golfer Nelly Korda reacts to missing a putt on the 9th hole during the final round of the Aramco Championship on April 5, 2026, at Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire GOLF: APR 05 LPGA Aramco Championship EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon26040532
LAS VEGAS, NV - APRIL 05: From left to right LPGA, Golf Damen golfer Nelly Korda reacts to missing a putt on the 9th hole during the final round of the Aramco Championship on April 5, 2026, at Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire GOLF: APR 05 LPGA Aramco Championship EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon26040532
However, a missed eight-foot birdie on 12 and then dropping her only shot of the round on 15, her score took a hit. Unable to find any rhythm, Korda made just one birdie at the last hole, finishing tied for second with a score of 2-under par.
Her lackluster performance stemmed from mis-hit drives. These errors forced her to attack greens from poor angles on the tough course, resulting in just one birdie.
This performance comes as part of a string of strong finishes. So far this season, she has won the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, followed by two runner-up finishes.
Despite suffering the loss, Korda managed to maintain a positive outlook regarding the outcome, saying, "Sports are funny. If you actually really think about it, you lose more than you win."
Learning from a History of Grit
Korda stated, reminiscing about the illustrious career of Kathy Whitworth, “You have to always pick yourself back up and dust yourself off and continue to grind and practice and work hard.”
The star is determined to stick to her training schedule during the upcoming break without overworking herself before the next tournament.
“I'm just going to stick to what I'm doing. I'm really happy with the way that my game is trending,” Korda said about her preparation for the Chevron Championship.
She described the tough week as a perfect practice session, saying it challenged every aspect of her game.
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Written by
Abhishek Sharma
Edited by
Siddharth Shirwadkar