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via Getty

via Getty

It will be the fourth consecutive victory for Nelly Korda if she wins the T-Mobile Match Play in Shadow Creek. With the unique format of the match play, only the top eight will be moving forward for the Saturday and Sunday match games. . And Korda has placed herself at solo 6th on the leaderboard, securing a spot for herself for the upcoming weekend match play.

The 25-year-old concluded the third round with a score of 1 under 69 on the firm greens. The win at Shadow Creek would become the 12th victory of her LPGA Tour career and that too in back-to-back starts. With extreme weather conditions in play, Korda recently revealed what has been helping her despite the hurdles she faces on the course.

Nelly Korda says difficult situations bring out the best in her 

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The LPGA Drive-On Championship was the beginning of her victory spree, then came Fir Hills Seri Pak and the FORD Championship in March, where the LPGA pro persisted even when the course was hilly and gave the field a tough time. Korda pushed through for the silverware and brought it home. Here, at the Shadow Creek GC, the course has proved harder to make birdies; however, yet again, the 25-year-old is among the top on the leaderboard.

How exactly does she do that? Korda answered it in the post-match conference. She explained that the difficult situations propelled her to perform her best. She said, My focus is 100%.” She further elaborated that it’s not that her determination isn’t there when the conditions are great, “but there is just something that you have to do when the conditions are tough where you just have to dial in a little bit more,” said Korda.

Whatever the condition the course presents, it has been favorable for the 11-time LPGA Tour winner. Regardless of the rest of the field’s struggles, Korda says, ‘Yeah, it’s been working out for me,’ indicating that yet another trophy might be awaiting her at Shadow Creek.

However, the event has not yet ended, she has to defeat five LPGA pros, which include the likes of Leona Maguire, Roze Zhang, and Angel Yin, in order to climb to the top of the leaderboard by the end of the event. And to reach her fourth victory of the year, the 25-year-old has solid form mapped out in front of her.

Nelly Korda’s ultimate plan for the weekend match play

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It is Nelly Korda’s debut in the event, and she understood that the course is pretty tough to conquer. However, to do that, Korda explained that she would enhance her gameplay, which would be different than usual. The 2-time major champ said, “This golf course is so tough already. I guess just play a little bit more aggressive.”

Read More: Nelly Korda Sheds Truth Behind ‘Tiger Effect’ While Dispelling Peak Form Concerns Before Majors

Additionally, Korda knew that many in the top 8 may already have played the past editions of the T-Mobile Match Play, and would have an upper hand in understanding the course better than her. However, her plan is simple, “Just going to stick to my game, play aggressive where I can, and I know that probably pars are going to win a lot of the holes out here with how firm it’s playing,” shared the Bradenton native.

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The two finals on Saturday will confirm if Nelly Korda can make it to the final showdown and make history by taking her fourth LPGA Tour win of the season.

Read More: Nelly Korda, Golf’s Unsung Hero Who Has Fallen on the Wrong End of the Coverage Battle