Nelly Korda and Tony Finau or Lexi Thompson and Rickie Fowler: Days Before Their First Tee, Reports Predict the Superior Pair

The Grant Thornton Invitational is just around the corner. Moreover, aiming to clinch victory in its first edition are the 16 teams of golfers from both the women’s and men’s Tours as they pair up with each other. And, as the players gear up to face off against the field, the focus of attention naturally falls to one of the strongest groups, the Lexi Thompson – Rickie Fowler squad.

However, about to tee off against the duo is none other than Nelly Korda and her partner. Coupled with Tony Finau, the Covergirl of LPGA would look to lift the cup and take home the title of champions themselves. But even so, as the exciting day one of the event inches closer, one can’t help but wonder – who is most likely to come out on top?

The 8th match of the Grant Thornton Invitational: a side-by-side comparison

The tournament co-sanctioned by both the PGA Tour and the LPGA Tour would kick off on December 8th. However, the ambassador pair of the event, Korda and Finau, would find themselves facing the Thompson-Fowler duo on the first day during the 8th match. And, as the Friday Scrambles start, opinions are rampant as to who will win the same.

The two male professionals boast six wins each on the PGA Tour with no major wins. However, Fowler has managed to represent his country more times than his 34-year-old counterpart at the Ryder Cup. Although this feat stands testament to his performance over the years, 2023 has been a different case. Even as both professionals claimed one win for themselves during the year, the on-course performance for Finau stands a tad bit higher with a better scoring average and accuracy in shots at 69.52% and 60.70% respectively.

Whilst both male golfers boast the same number of victories on the circuit, the same cannot be said for the LPGA Tour pros. Over the course of her career, Thompson has attained 11 wins on the women’s circuit while her counterpart has 8. Moreover, the former boasts more number of Solheim Cup appearances than her American peer who played at the biennial event for the 3rd time in 2023. However, Korda seems to have the upper hand when it comes to 2023 as she boasts a much higher accuracy in driving than her rival who is at 65.36%, an 8.48 difference.

Well, the numbers do say a lot about the players and their partners. However, a team event requires them to play together all the while covering for their teammates’ weaknesses. This, ultimately, becomes one of the deciding factors.

Korda-Finau or Thompson-Fowler: Who will win?

The Korda-Finau duo is a pair to be feared since the two together boast a total of fourteen top-10 finishes, two of which came recently for the woman golfer after her Solheim Cup appearance, at 2-2-0. The two pros, in light of their recent performance, appear to have the advantage.

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However, one shouldn’t easily dismiss Thompson and her partner. The LPGA icon was able to stay strong despite an underwhelming season only because of her immense perseverance. Moreover, the two together have finished a total of nine times inside the top 10. What’s more, three of the top 10s came recently for the 28-year-old pro at the ANNIKA event (T7), the Ascendant LPGA (T5), and the NW Arkansas Championship (T8).

The stats are more than enough evidence of who might come out on top. Although the ambassador pair seems to have the better end of the numbers for the year, recent performances showcase the other duo shining brighter than the former. Well, regardless, fans can be certain about one thing, the first Scramble round will surely turn out to be an exciting one!

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