Nelly Korda started the final round of the LPGA Drive On Championship with a four-shot lead at Bradenton (Fla.) Country Club. After making eagle on the par-5 17th hole, however, she was one behind Lydia Ko with one hole remaining.
Ko’s steady play combined with a three-hole stretch for Korda in which she was four over were the culprits. (Ko, herself, just moments earlier, nearly made an albatross on the 17th hole but settled for a kick-in eagle.)
However, Korda’s approach on the final hole nearly found the bottom of the cup, ending only inches away for birdie to send the championship into a playoff with two of the LPGA’s biggest stars. It would be decided between Korda, looking for her ninth career victory, or Ko, who would qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame at age 26 with a victory.
After making pars on the first playoff hole, Ko three-putted from 30 feet the second time around—missing a par putt from four feet—and Korda got up and down from behind the green to win. She collected the $262,500 first-place prize money payout from an overall purse of $1.75 million.
Ko won the season-opening LPGA event last week at Lake Nona, but this week was the tour’s first full-field event. It was Korda’s first LPGA victory win since the Pelican Women’s Championship in late 2022.
Megan Khang finished in third place, while Lucy Li and Ayaka Furue tied for fourth place.
Here is the prize money purse breakdown of each player who made the cut this week in Florida.
Win: Nelly Korda, -11/273, $262,500
2: Lydia Ko, -11/273, $163,689
3: Megan Khang, -8/276, $118,745
T-4: Lucy Li, -7/277, $82,897
T-4: Ayaka Furue, -7/277, $82,897
T-6: Auston Kim, -6/278, $55,564
T-6: Xiyu Lin, -6/278, $55,564
8: Mone Inami, -5/279, $44,362
T-9: Andrea Lee, -4/280, $35,287
T-9: Cheyenne Knight, -4/280, $35,287
T-9: Nasa Hataoka, -4/280, $35,287
T-9: Jasmine Suwannapura, -4/280, $35,287
T-13: Lindy Duncan, -3/281, $27,662
T-13: Gemma Dryburgh, -3/281, $27,662
T-13: Sei Young Kim, -3/281, $27,662
T-16: Hye-Jin Choi, -2/282, $21,585
T-16: Xiaowen Yin, -2/282, $21,585
T-16: Celine Boutier, -2/282, $21,585
T-16: So Mi Lee, -2/282, $21,585
T-16: Brooke Henderson, -2/282, $21,585
T-16: Lexi Thompson, -2/282, $21,585
T-16: Robyn Choi, -2/282, $21,585
T-23: Olivia Cowan, -1/283, $16,199
T-23: Allisen Corpuz, -1/283, $16,199
T-23: Linn Grant, -1/283, $16,199
T-23: Nanna Koerstz Madsen, -1/283, $16,199
T-23: Lauren Coughlin, -1/283, $16,199
T-23: A Lim Kim, -1/283, $16,199
T-23: Yealimi Noh, -1/283, $16,199
T-23: Ruoning Yin, -1/283, $16,199
31: Leona Maguire, E-284, $13,532
T-32: Isabella Fierro, +1/285, $12,457
T-32: Mao Saigo, +1/285, $12,457
T-32: Marina Alex, +1/285, $12,457
T-35: Yu Jin Sung, +2/286, $10,165
T-35: Azahara Munoz, +2/286, $10,165
T-35: Hae Ran Ryu, +2/286, $10,165
T-35: Wei-Ling Hsu, +2/286, $10,165
T-35: Yu Liu, +2/286, $10,165
T-35: Emily Kristine Pedersen, +2/286, $10,165
T-35: Mi Hyang Lee, +2/286, $10,165
T-42: Patty Tavatanakit, +3/287, $7,656
T-42: Jodi Ewart Shadoff, +3/287, $7,656
T-42: Aline Krauter, +3/287, $7,656
T-42: Pernilla Lindberg, +3/287, $7,656
T-42: Gurleen Kaur, +3/287, $7,656
T-42: Albane Valenzuela, +3/287, $7,656
T-42: Madelene Sagstrom, +3/287, $7,656
T-49: Lauren Hartlage, +4/288, $6,019
T-49: Mel Reid, +4/288, $6,019
T-49: Stephanie Meadow, +4/288, $6,019
T-49: Nataliya Guseva, +4/288, $6,019
T-49: Yan Liu, +4/288, $6,019
T-49: Arpichaya Yubol, +4/288, $6,019
T-55: Lilia Vu, +5/289, $5,287
T-55: Ally Ewing, +5/289, $5,287
T-57: Malia Nam, +6/290, $4,750
T-57: Hyo Joon Jang, +6/290, $4,750
T-57: Chanettee Wannasaen, +6/290, $4,750
T-57: Maja Stark, +6/290, $4,750
T-61: Brittany Lincicome, +7/291, $4,347
T-61: Frida Kinhult, +7/291, $4,346
T-63: Jennifer Kupcho, +8/292, $4,168
T-63: In Gee Chun, +8/292, $4,168
65: Esther Henseleit, +10/294, $4,032
66: Minji Kang, +11/295, $ 3,943
WD: Georgia Hall, $3,809
WD: Gaby Lopez, $3,809
The best of Golf Digest delivered daily
Sign UpWill be used in accordance with our PRIVACY POLICY