Nelly Korda has given herself and, therefore, everyone a break. Her body has told her enough and the American has decided that the best thing was to listen to it. She has withdrawn from the JM Eagle LA Championship that is being held this week before it started. She has put her sixth consecutive victory on hold. “It was a very difficult decision, but I think it was the best thing. After four consecutive weeks playing and winning I was exhausted”. Thus, a new scenario opens up for the rest. Without a doubt, there are more chances to win.
For now, after the first day, Grace Kim (-7) is the first leader of the tournament that is played at the Wilshire Country Club with a one-stroke lead over Maja Stark, Chanettee Wannasaen and Sei Young Kim and two over Auston Kim, Hae Ran Ryu and Nataliya Guseva. In this list we have two of the golfers who directly suffered Korda at the Chevron Championship. Both Stark and Ryu were in the fight for victory until the end last week and ended up yielding to the world Number One. Now, they want to take advantage of her absence.
Others who want to take advantage of it are Carlota Ciganda (-2) and Azahara Muñoz (-1). Great start to the tournament for the Navarrese and the Malagueña. Carlota has put on a show on the Los Angeles greens to get through with a high note a day whose long game was not as greased as on other occasions. She signed five birdies and three bogeys on the first day, taking advantage of two of the three par fives.
Azahara, for her part, had a day of back and forth golf. She started the day like a motorcycle, placing herself three under par after ten holes, but from there she got into a tunnel. Four consecutive bogeys fell from holes 3 to 6, going in a flash from fighting for the head of the tournament to fighting to make the cut. Much merit her reaction. She stopped the bleeding with two consecutive birdies on holes 7 and 8 and ended up looking up again, showing great grit.
Things did not go so well for Ana Peláez (+3). The Malagueña played in the afternoon and will be obliged this Friday to sign a good card to make the cut. Right now it is set at +1. Two double bogeys on holes 1, just starting, and 16 greatly weighed down her round.
