Nelly Korda was nearly in tears after signing for a 5-over 77 in the opening round of the Chevron Championship, putting her title defense in serious jeopardy.
“I just have to work,” Korda said, visibly frustrated after her round. “I’m not hitting it well.”
The world No. 1 finds herself 12 shots off the lead and, more concerning, four shots outside the early projected cut line. It’s a stunning position for a player who’s dominated women’s golf this season.
Korda’s struggles were most evident on the greens, where she needed 33 putts to complete her round. Her caddie, Jason McDede, and swing coach, Jamie Mulligan, immediately headed to the practice putting green at The Club at Carlton Woods after her morning round.
When Korda joined them 15 minutes later, she wasn’t practicing with the blade putter she’d used Thursday. Instead, she was working with a mallet-style putter similar to one she’d used previously. A member of Korda’s team confirmed to GolfChannel.com that she was trying something “different.”
The putter situation highlights Korda’s recent equipment journey. She put the blade putter in play at last week’s JM Eagle LA Championship, where she struggled with multiple three-putts. That’s notable because she’d used that style for six of her seven tour wins during her historic 2024 run.
Korda had switched to the mallet style at the AIG Women’s Open at St. Andrews after some summer struggles last year. She kept that putter through her first four starts in 2025, including her win at the 2024 Annika.
The low point of Thursday’s round came midway through her front nine when she made four consecutive bogeys on holes 3-6. Her eyes grew noticeably glassy as the round unraveled.
“I’m going to go and practice,” Korda said as she walked away from the 18th green, “and see where it takes me.”
The question now is whether Korda can find something in her practice session to salvage her tournament. She’ll need a significant bounce-back round Friday to have any chance of making the cut and continuing her title defense.
