SAMMAMISH, Wash. — Nelly Korda was sent packing early again Friday in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, another shocking downfall after a dominating run.
A stroke behind first-round leader Lexi Thompson after an opening 3-under 69, the top-ranked Korda shot an 81 in the second round to miss the weekend cut by a stroke. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, it was Korda’s worst 18-hole score as a professional in her LPGA Tour career and tied for her worst in any LPGA Tour round (two others came as an amateur).
The round also was the highest in a major championship by a top-ranked player since the inception of the ranking in 2006.
Korda also missed the cuts in the U.S. Women’s Open — opening with an 80 — and the Meijer LPGA Classic in her past two starts after winning six of seven events, a run that started with a record-tying five straight victories.
“It’s just golf recently for me,” Korda said. “No words for how I am playing right now. I’m just going to go home and try to reset.”
While Korda struggled in the warm afternoon conditions that sped up tree-lined Sahalee Country Club, Sarah Schmelzel and Amy Yang shared the lead at 6-under 136. Schmelzel had a 67 in the morning, and Yang shot 68 in the afternoon.
Korda bogeyed…
