This week, the LPGA hosts its third main championship, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Washington.
It has been eight years for the reason that LPGA performed Sahalee for the Women’s PGA Championship.
The final time the venue hosted the foremost was in 2016 when Brooke Henderson defeated Lydia Ko in a playoff.
Jessica Korda performed in that occasion earlier than in the end lacking the reduce. She returns to Sahalee in 2024, however this time to cheer on her youthful sister and present World No. 1, Nelly Korda.
She defined the best way to attack this tree-lined observe.
“Sahalee is likely one of the purest tracks I believe we’ve ever performed. It’s such a terrific take a look at of golf and an incredible main championship host,” she mentioned to the LPGA social media staff.
“All you see are these huge timber, the roughs up — you bought branches in the way in which. So taking note of the place the pins are — coming in on the proper angles from the golf green, these are all going to be actually necessary issues. You would say it’s a second-shot golf course, but it surely’s not. It’s an every-shot golf course.”
Pine timber line the fairways at Sahalee, making it a problem to take house the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship trophy on Sunday.
Korda has been on fairly the run in 2024, already racking up six victories on the LPGA Tour She gained 5 straight, completed T7 on the Cognizant Founders Cup and gained the Mizuho Americas Open the next week.
However, since that sixth victory, her sport has gone chilly.
Korda missed the reduce on the U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster Country Club earlier this 12 months and the Meijer LPGA Classic final week. She seems to be to bounce again and play the weekend at this main championship.
The 14-time LPGA winner posted a 3-under 69 to sit down atop the leaderboard after her spherical on Thursday. The afternoon group nonetheless has to play, however she leads by one shot.
Korda set the tone with six birdies, a bogey, and one double bogey.
“As lengthy as she will hold it within the fairway, she’s going to be wonderful,” Jessica Korda mentioned. “But she does scramble rather well. So, so long as she will rating, I believe that’s going to be a very powerful factor.”
Nelly’s double bogey was tough, however she bounced again with a birdie on her 18th gap to reclaim the lead.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For extra golf protection, comply with us @_PlayingThrough on all main social platforms. You may also comply with her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
