Korda Charges Into Contention at Women's PGA Championship
Nelly Korda positioned herself for a historic weekend at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship on Friday, firing a 4-under 68 at Hazeltine National Golf Club to move into a tie for sixth place at 6-under par overall. The world number one trails leader Ina Yoon by six shots at the midway point of the tournament in Chaska, Minnesota.
Korda's second round featured four birdies on the front nine and a steady back nine of six consecutive pars. This performance followed an opening round of 2-under 70 on Thursday, where a single errant tee shot on the par-4 16th hole led to a costly double bogey. That hole, a 378-yard challenge flanked by water on both sides, gave Korda trouble when she hooked her drive into the creek left of the fairway.
"Honestly just made one bad swing, which ended up in a double," Korda said after her first round. "But overall, pretty happy with my day."
South Korea's Ina Yoon continued her dominant play with a 69 on Friday, reaching 12-under par and building a five-shot lead over a group that includes Brooke Henderson, Nasa Hataoka, Ha-Rin Ryu, and A Lim Kim. Yoon opened the tournament with a stunning 63, the best round of the week so far.
History on the Line: Three in a Row and Hall of Fame
The stakes could not be higher for Korda this week. A victory would make her only the third player in LPGA history to win the first three majors of the season, joining legends Babe Zaharias (1950) and Pat Bradley (1986). At just 27 years old, Korda would also earn enough points to qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame.
Korda has already dominated the 2026 major season. She won the Chevron Championship in April and followed with a victory at the U.S. Open earlier this month. Her consistency has been remarkable: she has finished in the top 10 in nearly every tournament this season and has shown an ability to rise to the biggest moments.
The purse this week totals $13 million, the largest in women's golf history, with the winner earning $1.95 million. The elevated prize money reflects the growing financial investment in women's golf and the increased attention surrounding Korda's pursuit of history.
The Pressure of Leading vs. The Thrill of the Chase
Korda acknowledged that holding a major lead comes with its own challenges, drawing on her experience at the Chevron Championship earlier this year.
"It is hard to have a big lead going into the weekend," Korda said. "I was there at the Chevron and you do feel a little bit more pressure, like everyone is hunting you down."
Yoon, who has yet to win a major championship, will face that pressure herself over the final two rounds. "The remaining two days will obviously be nerve-racking, but being nervous is human nature, and I think I want to embrace that and focus on what I can in my shots," she said.
Korda's approach is more measured. "I'm just going to focus on, as boring as it is, one shot at a time and see where that takes me," she said.
The weekend at Hazeltine promises high drama. With Korda playing free and loose from behind, and Yoon trying to hold off the best player in the world, the dynamics of the chase could shift quickly. Golf fans will be watching closely to see if Korda can add another chapter to what is already becoming a legendary season.
What a Korda Win Would Mean for Women's Golf
Beyond the individual accolades, Korda's sustained dominance is reshaping the landscape of women's professional golf. Her combination of power, precision, and mental fortitude has drawn comparisons to the greats of the game. Television ratings have spiked during her rounds, attendance at tournaments has risen, and sponsorship interest in the LPGA has grown significantly.
Korda's rise also comes at a time when women's sports are experiencing a surge in visibility and investment globally. The increased prize money for this championship is part of a broader trend of growing financial parity in professional golf.
For the players on the leaderboard, including Henderson, Hataoka, and Ryu, this weekend is an opportunity to prove they can beat the world's best when it matters most. But all eyes will be on Korda as she attempts to do something that has only been done twice before in the 75-year history of women's professional major championships.
In other golf news, the Western States 100 2026: Kilian Jornet and Jim Walmsley Lead Star-Studded Field will take place next week, while in tennis, Tatjana Maria, 38, Makes History at Eastbourne Open Final After Ostapenko Retires.
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