Nelly Korda denies Charley Hull at The ANNIKA by landing seventh LPGA title of 2024
Nelly Korda shows why she's a runaway World No.1 as she surges home on the back nine to win The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican.
Nelly Korda | -14 |
Charley Hull | -11 |
Jee Hee Im | -11 |
Weiwei Zhang | -11 |
Linn Grant | -10 |
Rose Zhang | -10 |
Nelly Korda saw off Charley Hull to capture an incredible seventh title on the LPGA Tour this season.
Korda, 26, stumbled out the blocks in the final round and soon found herself three shots off the pace.
But Korda motored home on the back nine with five birdies in a row from the 11th to take control of the tournament.
The runaway World No.1 was made to sweat on the par-4 16th but she still salvaged par from 10 feet to maintain a two-shot cushion over the chasing pack.
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Korda then went on to par the last two holes to card a round of 67 and finish the week on 14-under par.
That was enough for a three-shot victory over England's Hull (71), South Korea's Jin Hee Im (67) and China's Weiwei Zhang (70).
Korda pocketed $487,500 for winning The ANNIKA.
It was her third victory in the event since 2021.
Korda now takes her career earnings to over $4m on the LPGA Tour this season.
The American took seven weeks off as a result of injury before competing in The ANNIKA.
"Winning never gets boring, you should have felt the nerves I was feeling on the back nine," Korda told on-course commentator Karen Stupples on the 18th green.
"I think just taking time off with the injury, it feels great to be back out here.
"There's nothing like being in the hunt, the adrenaline of being in contention, I love it so much."
![Charley Hull [Instagram]](https://cdn.golfmagic.com/styles/img_600/s3/2024-11/charley-hull12.jpg?itok=G74mevw5)
Hull, 28, had been leading for much of the week as she went in search of a third title on the LPGA Tour and her first on the circuit in two years.
But it wasn't to be for the English star, who was seeking back-to-back titles around the world having won on the Ladies European Tour in Saudi Arabia in her last start.
Hull held a one-shot lead at the start of the final round but she struggled to get anything going for much of the day.
She went out in 1-over par and then came home in level for a disappointing 71.
Hull will be licking her lips at the prospect of landing her LPGA Tour hat-trick next week though given she won the CME Group Tour Championship in 2016.
She will then head off on a European holiday with her new boyfriend, something she spoke about earlier in the week.
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Hull had a bet with boyfriend that they would extend their holiday by an extra day for every five birdies she made during The ANNIKA.
She made 20 birdies in total over 72 holes, so that's an extra four days holiday for the happy couple next month.
The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican marked the final regular season event on the LPGA Tour.
Those players finishing in the top 100 on the LPGA Tour's Race to CME Globe kept their cards for 2025.
The top 60 head into next week's season-ending CME Group Tour Championship.
Korda becomes the first player since Yani Tseng in 2011 to win seven times in a calendar year on the LPGA Tour.
She is also the first U.S. player to win seven times in a season since Beth Daniel in 1990.
Seven players have won eight times in one calendar year on the LPGA Tour:
- Lorena Ochoa (2007)
- Annika Sorenstam (2001, 2004)
- Nancy Lopez (1979)
- Carol Mann (1969)
- Kathy Whitworth (1965, 1967)
- Marlene Hagge (1956)
- Louise Suggs (1953)
Korda was earlier this month crowned as the LPGA Tour's Rolex Player of the Year.
VIEW FULL THE ANNIKA SCORES HERE
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