Charley Hull says what Nelly Korda did on the final round at The ANNIKA which she found ‘really exciting’

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Anyone who was tempted to write off Nelly Korda during the final round of The ANNIKA on Sunday was made to look slightly foolish, with the world number one flying through the top of the leaderboard on the back nine at Pelican Golf Club.

There was a mouthwatering prospect ahead of the last round, with Nelly Korda and Charley Hull teeing it up in the final group, with Hull leading the field by one after Saturday in Florida.

Hull went into the week off the back of a win on the LET in Saudi Arabia. Korda meanwhile, had won the tournament on two previous occasions. And obviously, the American had won six times earlier in the year.

It was Korda who seemed to blink first, with two bogeys on her first six holes. And she would indeed find herself at nine under par – two shots behind Hull – teeing off on 11. But then the 26-year-old’s class would shine through.

Charley Hull reacts to Nelly Korda’s birdie run at The ANNIKA

Korda made five consecutive birdies on the back nine to leave the rest of the field behind. She won by three over Hull, Weiwei Zhang and Jin Hee Im. And speaking after her round, Hull was asked what it was like to watch Korda’s run up close.

“Oh, it’s good. It’s really fun. I kind of liked it when she made the birdies because it got really exciting,” she said.

“Again, just felt like I gave it away on 17 a little bit when I made that bogey. Apart from that, golf is a funny game. You’re not going to die if you don’t win or hit a bad shot. No, I’m looking forward to next week.”

Nelly Korda breaks 34 year American record

Korda had already written her name in the history books with an unbelievable year. She won her second major title on that remarkable run of six victories to begin her season.

Obviously, there was a dip in form and a few problems with injury before she starred at the Solheim Cup. And her front nine on Sunday provided little hint of what was to come after the turn at The ANNIKA.

But the greats have this other gear which can change tournaments in a matter of holes – and Korda definitely has that. She has become the first American to win seven times on the LPGA in 34 years, while it was also noted by Justin Ray that she has become the first player since 1987 to win four times after trailing going into the final round.

It seems ridiculous to say after a year in which Korda has won seven times, but it felt as though Korda needed that win given how the previous few months had played out.

At an event where so much of the spotlight was initially on Caitlin Clark, it was fitting that it was golf’s biggest superstar who produced something special to steal the show.