Nelly Korda is just one shot ahead of the golfer from the capital Gaby Lopez heading into the final round of the Hilton Grand Vacation Tournament of Champions, the tournament that kicks off the 2022 LPGA season.
It should be noted that in the top five, there are four women who have won a major at some time. Korda, the number one in the world and who conquered five tournaments in 2021, including an Olympic gold medal, limited her mistakes on Saturday in adverse conditions, with very cold and wind, signing a card of 69 strokes, three under par, with four birdies and a bogey.
A birdie to finish ????@GabyLopezGOLF is one stroke off the lead and in the clubhouse at 12-under
Watch the #HGVLPGA now on NBC! pic.twitter.com/EJtmaLNg8s
– LPGA (@LPGA) January 22, 2022
The 23-year-old local golfer has a cumulative 203 strokes, 13 under par. On this same course, the Lake Nona Golf and Country Club, won the LPGA Gainbridge tournament in 2021. While the Mexican conquered the Tournament of Champions in 2020, and Danielle Kang, who was second a year ago, covered free rounds of bogeys, to match Korda’s score of 69, both will start the final round one stroke behind the leader.
Canada’s Brooke Henderson and Japan’s Yuka Saso matched the day’s lowest score of 68 and will start Sunday two and three shots behind Korda, respectively. Kang, Henderson and Saso have all won majors in their careers.
Lopez, 28, has been impressing all week. On Saturday, having made just two birdies by the time he teed off the final 398-yard hole, he was patient. Even with a good drive, he was 162 yards short of the hole in the stiff wind.
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He then hit his best shot of the day, with the 5-iron, to drop the ball to 12 feet. He holed the putt, to close with a birdie for the second consecutive day. The golfer from the Mexican capital said she has played “bravely” this week:
“I have been able to get ahead like Gaby, without her demons, with her doubts and in moments of uncertainty. I’ve been able to say, ‘Hey, I’m here for a reason, I’ve worked my whole life for this’… No matter what happens tomorrow, it’ll be fine. I’m sure I’m going to play solid golf this year.”
