By Nelly Korda, the top-ranked golfer in the world, saw her hopes for a second major title in 2024 slip away as she surrendered a two-shot lead during the final five holes of the AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews. Korda appeared poised to claim her seventh victory of the season until a double-bogey on the par-five 14th hole brought her back into a four-way tie with eventual champion Lydia Ko, Jenny Shin, and Lilia Vu.
Korda’s challenges continued with a bogey on the 17th, where she struggled to recover from the Road Hole bunker. She finished with an even-par 72, ending two shots behind Ko. Reflecting on her performance, Korda acknowledged her mistakes but remained positive about her overall play, noting that she had performed well despite the errors that cost her the tournament.
With a tied-second finish, Korda still managed to secure the 2024 Rolex ANNIKA Major Award, which recognizes the best overall performance across all five major championships of the LPGA Tour season. Korda had previously won the first major of the year, the Chevron Championship, marking her second career major title.
Lydia Ko, on the other hand, celebrated her third major victory and her first in eight years. She described her recent successes, including an Olympic gold medal in Paris, as a “Cinderella-like story.” Ko, who had not been confident due to her limited experience on links courses, was overjoyed to claim the prestigious title at St Andrews.
Golf legend Dame Laura Davies praised both players, noting Korda’s resilience and Ko’s extraordinary talent. Davies expressed confidence that Korda would win more major championships in the future and lauded Ko for her calm under pressure and recent string of impressive performances. Ko’s victory at St Andrews capped off a remarkable few weeks, solidifying her status as a golfing superstar.
