Nelly Korda, the world’s number one golfer, had high hopes for the BMW Ladiеs Championship, the first LPGA event in South Korea since 2019. She expressed her excitement and confidence in the pre-tournament press conference, saying that she enjoyed playing in front of passionate Korean fans and that she liked the layout.

However, her first round did not go as planned. She shot a one-under-par 71, which put her in a tie for 32nd place, eight shots behind the leader, Jin Young Ko. The 8X LPGA Tour champ struggled with her putting, missing several birdie opportunities and making two bogeys. She also failed to take advantage of the par-fives, which are usually her strength.

Nеlly Korda’s rocky start in Korеa marks a year of LPGA Tour challеngеs

The 2021 Women’s PGA Championship winner was looking forward to playing in South Korea, where she has a strong fan base and a sponsorship deal with Hanwha. In the press conference, she said, “Obviously haven’t been back since 2019, so it is very nice to be back. As I said before, I see how the people in Korea are so passionate about golf, and that just makes, I feel like me as a player, have more fun and appreciate the game a little bit more. So definitely very excited to tee it up this week and see all the fans out.” However, her excitement did not translate into a good performance on the course.

Also Read: Weeks After an Image Damaging Loss, Is Nelly Korda Playing at the 2023 Buick LPGA Shanghai?

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The disappointing start is a continuation of her slump on the LPGA Tour this year. Despite being ranked first in the latest Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, she has won only one title in 2023, which is the individual title at the Aramco Team Series – London in July.

She also finished in the top 10 at two major championships, the Amundi Evian Championship, and the AIG Women’s Open, but missed the cut at the ANA Inspiration, the first major of the year. The 25-year-old finished outside the top 20 at the other two majors, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the U.S. Women’s Open.

Now with the BMW Ladies Championship, here’s to hoping she turns her luck around.

Can Korda turn hеr gamе around at BMW Ladiеs Championship?

Korda has been facing some challenges off the course as she recently switched her equipment and apparel sponsor from Titlеist to TaylorMade and Nike, respectively, which required some adjustments to her game. She also had to deal with negative publicity after she withdrew from the Solheim Cup in September due to an injury. 

Korda still has three rounds left to turn things around at the BMW Ladies Championship, but she will need to improve her game significantly to catch up with the leaders.

The LPGA cover girl has proven herself as one of the best golfers in the world, shown resilience and determination in overcoming adversity and challenges. She will need to tap into those qualities to bounce back from this disappointing start and end her season on a high note.

What do you think? Will Korda be able to turn things around this time?

Watch this story: After a Disheartening Tragedy, Nelly Korda’s Hiatus Finally Finds an End Date as LPGA’s Cover Girl Giddies Up to Reclaim Her Throne