Nelly Korda claims second major, ties win streak record

World No.1 Korda joins Nancy Lopez (1978) and Annika Sorenstam (2004-05) as the only players to win in five consecutive LPGA starts. Her previous major victory was in 2021 at the Women's PGA Championship.

Korda shot a three-under 69 in the final round to outlast Maja Stark of Sweden, who birdied her final two holes to shoot a 69 and pull within one.

Korda stayed aggressive on the par-5 18th, easily clearing the lake in front of the green and setting up an easy up-and-down birdie for her two-shot win at 12-under 275 at Carlton Woods in Texas.

"I can finally breathe now," said Korda, who had to play 25 holes on a marathon final day after lightning interrupted the third round.

"That back nine felt like the longest back nine of my entire life. It was a little bit of a grind on the back nine, but happy to get the win.

"It's a major. It's everything that I've always wanted as a little girl, to lift that major trophy."

Lauren Coughlin shot a final-round 68 finish tied for third with Canadian Brooke Henderson (72), a shot behind Stark.

Australians Steph Kyriacou (75) and Gabriela Ruffels (77) both slipped on Sunday to finish tied 40th, 14 shots behind Korda, with Robyn Choi (77, T54th), Sarah Kemp (80, T70th) and Karis Davidson (79, T72nd) well back. Big names Minjee Lee and Hannah Green had missed the halfway cut.

The 25-year-old Korda will compete next week at the JM Eagle LA Championship Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles, and with a win, she would break the record she now shares with Sorenstam and Lopez.

She entered the last round one shot off the lead after completing the last seven holes of the third round early Sunday morning on a windy and unseasonably cool day.

Korda took home $US1.2 million ($A1.87 million) That brings her season earnings to $US2,424,216 ($A3.77 million)

Winners of the major had been jumping into Poppie's Pond off the 18th green at Mission Hills since 1988, and Korda became the second to do it in Texas by leaping off a small dock into brown-tinged water.

Korda nearly aced the par-3 17th in the final round, with her tee shot hitting the hole and hopping in the air before settling within 10 feet. She settled for par to maintain her two-shot lead.

Korda wowed the large crowd, which followed her throughout the day, by chipping into the wind for birdie on the par-4 10th hole to take a four-stroke lead.

She raised her club above her head with one hand and pumped her fist after the ball rolled into the hole.

"I think there's a key in the simplicity that I have when I play," Korda said. "I honestly just take it a shot at a time, and we pick a game plan when we get to the golf course and we work and we stay in our own little bubble. It's been working so far.

"I feel like maybe sometimes golf can get overcomplicated, and it's just -- there's a key to the simplicity of it."

Australian Associated Press