World No. 2 Nelly Korda collected her 16th career LPGA Tour title at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions to end a 14-month winless drought.
The Florida-native posted a third-round 64 to claim the summit at Orlando’s Lake Nona Golf & Country Club. She posted only one bogey at the penultimate hole and sunk seven birdies and an eagle at the 3rd to put her at the top of the leaderboard. On Saturday evening, it was announced that play was suspended due to unplayable conditions and the event was eventually shortened to 54 holes. Eight players went on to complete their third rounds on Sunday afternoon, but Korda managed to stay atop the leaderboard throughout to conclude on 13 under and finish three strokes clear of South Korea’s Amy Yang.
“It feels amazing,” said the 27-year-old. “I’m just super proud of Jason (McDede, her caddie) and I yesterday for how we fought those conditions. For my team, I wouldn’t be here without them. We’re all pieces of a puzzle. I wouldn’t be who I am without them. Just so grateful.”
The victory is Korda’s first since her 2024 ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican win, after which she never finished better than solo second in 2025’s Tournament of Champions. The season-opening win bears a striking similarity to her last drought-ending triumph in 2024, winning the LPGA Drive On Championship after her last victory had also come at The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican in 2022, 1 year, 2 months, and 15 days prior. The drought she ended over the weekend had lasted the exact same amount of time – 1 year, 2 months, and 15 days. The question now is whether that symmetry is another good omen for the Floridian’s year ahead, given it previously set her on a career-defining path to seven victories in 2024.
“It feels amazing. I’ve played some really solid golf out here,” Korda added. “I’ve come close, just haven’t notched the victory. But to play the golf that I played yesterday was – I think that’s one of my best rounds that I’ve ever played in my entire life. To come out on top just feels amazing. To do that in front of my family and friends, fiancé for the first time, was really special.”
Yang posted a final-round 69 to settle on 10 under to finish runner-up as one of the eight remaining players still on the course on Sunday. Canada’s Brooke Henderson finished three strokes adrift on 7 under in third. New Zealand’s Lydia Ko finished in fourth on 6 under, whilst Japan’s Miyu Yamashita and South Korea’s Youmin Hwang closed out the top 5 on 5 under.
What is the next event?
The next event on the LPGA Tour is Honda LPGA Thailand taking place between 19-22 February at Siam Country Club in Thailand.