World No.1 Nelly Korda has beaten a self-destructing Narin An 4 and 3 in the semi-finals of the T-Mobile Match Play to put herself a match away from a fourth straight LPGA Tour victory.
Korda will play Leona Maguire in the final on Sunday. The Irish star beat Sei Young Kim 3 and 2 in their semi-final at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas on Saturday.
“I know she’s going to be fiery,” Korda said. “That’s just how Leona is. She’s a great competitor. I think it’ll be great to share the stage with her, and hopefully it’ll be a good show.”
Korda is trying to become the first LPGA Tour player to win four consecutive starts since Lorena Ochoa in 2008. The record is five, set by Nancy Lopez in 1978 and matched by Annika Sorenstam in 2004-05.
Korda took seven weeks off, including the Asian part of the schedule, after winning in January in her hometown of Bradenton, Florida. That means a victory this weekend would be her third consecutive in a scheduled event. Four players share the record of four straight, with Mickey Wright doing it twice.
Should Korda win, she will have the chance to equal that record in two weeks at The Chevron Championship, the year’s first major.
“Nelly is the best in the world right now,” said Maguire, 3-1 against Korda in team matches for Europe in the Solheim Cup, though they haven’t met in singles.
“She’s on a really hot streak. It’s been incredibly impressive what she’s been doing in the past few weeks.
“It’s going to be a really tough battle tomorrow. I’ve got a big challenge ahead of me. I’m excited. I mean, that’s why you practice. You want to play the best players in the world and that’s what Nelly is.”
Korda was never tested in the semi-finals, going 5 up through seven holes, needing only two birdies to take that lead. An bogeyed the first three holes before steadying herself and even winning a hole with a birdie on the par-4 10th hole.
There was a tad more drama in the other semi-final. Maguire was 2 up through seven holes when Kim, the 2020 LPGA Tour Player of the Year, had an excellent chance to cut into the lead. But Maguire got up and down on the par-3 eighth, sinking a 12-foot par putt save to keep the advantage.
She picked up another shot when Kim bogeyed the par-4 10th, and the outcome was never truly in doubt after that.
Korda had advanced to the semi-finals by defeating Angel Yin 3 and 2, and Maguire beat Moriya Jutanugarn 4 and 3. Also, Kim routed Rose Zhang 6 and 5, and An beat Minami Katsu 1 up.
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