Nelly Korda yesterday ignited Olympic golf with a second round 62 in sapping heat to put the US top of the leaderboard by four strokes, while Taiwan’s Hsu Wei-ling and Min Lee slipped to 11th place, as a storm forecast threatened to cut the tournament short.
With the temperature topping 30°C, world No. 1 Korda caught fire at the Kasumigaseki Country Club, flirting with the magical 59 after nine birdies and an eagle heading up the 18th.
She needed one more birdie to join Annika Sorenstam in the record books on 59, 20 years after the Swedish great’s groundbreaking day in Phoenix, Arizona, but she stumbled with a double-bogey six to finish on nine-under-par.
Photo: AFP
“I think when people ask me if I prepare more or put more meaning than normal [into] majors or Olympics or whatever, I say, ‘no,’ because I go into any type of an event with the same demeanor and the same goal,” Korda said.
Korda’s 13-under total of 129 left her four ahead of Danish duo Nanna Koerstz Madsen (64) and Emily Kristine Pedersen (63), and India’s surprise package Aditi Ashok (66).
Sweden’s overnight leader Madelene Sagstrom (68) was fifth on eight-under, while Japan’s Mone Inami was a stroke further back after a 65.
Photo: AFP
Hsu and Lee, who were tied at seventh place in the first round, slipped to 11th place with 11 other players in round 2.
The pair, both 26, again shot two-under-par 69s to place them at four-under 138 for the tournament.
Hsu shot an impressive five birdies on holes three, five, six, eight and 17, but also had bogeys on one, 11 and 12. Lee fired four birdies, on holes two, three, six and 13, but had two bogeys on 10 and 18.
An approaching tropical storm forecast to hit tomorrow prompted organizers to consider cutting the event to 54 holes.
“We continue to track the tropical storm which is expected to affect our area beginning Saturday through Sunday,” the International Golf Federation said in a statement.
“If we are able to start or complete 72 holes, the Women’s Olympic Golf Competition will revert to a 54-hole event,” the federation said.
If the event is shortened, Korda’s thriller could prove decisive in the chase for a gold medal and a family heirloom to compare to her father Petr’s Australian Open tennis trophy.
“Whatever happens, happens, but I’m not going to set my mind that it’s going to be less than 72 holes right now,” she said.
Some golfers were feeling baffled.
“I’m not super happy about it. Not that you change things, but it gives you one less day to move up to have a chance,” said Canada’s Alena Sharp after she finished the round with three-over-par total.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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