Korda fires 63 to grab Women’s PGA C’ship lead; Day soars high at Travelers
- 26 Jun 2021
Nelly Korda birdied her last six holes to shoot a nine-under par 63 and seize a one-stroke lead over fellow American Lizette Salas after Friday’s second round of the Women’s PGA Championship.
Korda, the 22-year-old daughter of retired Czech tennis star Petr Korda, stood on 11-under 133 after 36 holes at Atlanta Athletic Club in quest of her first major title. Salas fired a second straight 67 to stand on 134 with France’s Celine Boutier, Canada’s Alena Sharp and American Cydney Clanton sharing a distant third on 137.
Korda, who began on the 10th hole with her lone bogey of the day, followed with a birdie at 11 and two more at the 14th and par-3 17th, then made another at the par-5 second before her amazing closing run.
Korda sank a 20-foot birdie putt at the par-3 fourth, lipped out for eagle at the fifth, tapped in for birdie at six and sank a five-foot downhill putt at the par-3 seventh. After a long birdie putt on eight, she pitched eight feet past the cup and curled in a downhill birdie putt. Salas, the 18-hole leader, birdied the par-5 second and par-4 third holes, then reeled off three birdies in a row starting at the par-4 eighth in a bogey-free round.
Korda has three top-three finishes in majors, including a share of third at this year’s ANA Inspiration after a runner-up effort last year. Her best Women’s PGA result was a share of third in 2019.
Meanwhile, Australia’s Jason Day, chasing his first US PGA victory since 2018, fired an eight-under par 62 despite a sore back to seize a one-stroke lead Friday at the Travelers Championship.
The former world number one, who last won three years ago at Quail Hollow, fired eight birdies in a bogey-free round to stand on 131 after 36 holes at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut.
Day was one stroke ahead of two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson and first-round co-leader Kramer Hickok with England’s Justin Rose and South Korean Lee Kyoung-hoon in a pack on 133.
Day, the 2015 PGA Championship winner, missed three consecutive cuts before sharing 44th at the PGA Championship then withdrew from the Memorial with a back injury earlier this month.
Agencies
