Korda overcomes ‘brutal’ conditions to win opener

Tournament of Champions final leaderboard

-13 N Korda (US); -10 A Yang (Kor); -7 B Henderson (Can); -6 L Ko (NZ); -5 M Hamashita (Jpn), Y-M Hwang (Kor). Selected others: -4 L Woad (Eng); -1 C Hull (Eng).

American Nelly Korda overcame “brutal” weather to win the LPGA season-opening Tournament of Champions in Orlando after the final round was scrapped.

Korda completed her third round on Saturday in freezing and blustery conditions, describing the final two holes in her eight-under-par round of 64 as “probably the hardest holes I’ve ever played in professional golf”.

Players wore ear muffs and ski caps in an effort to stay warm at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club.

Two-time major champion Korda held a three-shot lead over South Korea’s Amy Yang, one of six players who had to complete their round on Sunday.

With the weather continuing to cause issues for players on the practice range and bad weather also forecast for Monday, organisers cancelled the final round.

“The ground was really hard and it was changing the trajectory of their shots as players were practising,” said Ricki Lasky, LPGA chief tour business and operations officer.

“We tried to take as much time as we could to get all 72 holes into play. We couldn’t. We had to make the really hard decision to call it after 54.”

Canada’s Brooke Henderson finished third on seven under after a third-round 66 on Saturday.

It was a 16th LPGA title for Korda but her first since November 2024.

“I really, over the off season, was motivated to get back in the winner’s circle,” said the 27-year-old.