‘Not what would you expect.’ Certainly not from the reigning World No. 1, who has won six times between late January and mid-May. In short, that’s what the second round of Nelly Korda was at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. On Thursday she was nipping at the heels of Lexi Thompson, the overnight leader. On Friday, the 25-year-old missed the cut by one stroke. 

The two-time major winner opened her round with four straight bogeys. She couldn’t add a circle to her scorecard till the final hole. When the TV cameras focused on Korda in the scoring area, a blank stare was all she could manage. A stare the world saw a week ago at Pinehurst. Nevertheless, this was a series of ‘firsts’ in her career, but not the ones she wanted to achieve. 

Nelly Korda missed three cuts in a row

This is the first time in her career she missed three consecutive cuts. Even last year, when the Florida resident couldn’t break into the winner’s circle, her record was much better. She missed only two cuts the entire season. Notably, this is the third year in a row that she failed to book a weekend spot at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

Beth Ann Nichols of Golfweek reported that Korda had to pull herself together while talking about the round. The 25-year-old could answer only two questions, and even then she had to fight the emotions teeming around her throat. 

Korda carded her highest round

The 81 was her worst score in a single round. This was the second time she failed to break 80 at a major championship this year. It was also the worst score by a reigning world no. 1 since the inception of Rolex Ranking in 2006, per Justin Ray. 

At the U.S. Women’s Open a costly 10 on the par-3, 12th dealt the body blow. On Friday, however, it was a series of missteps that coasted her round. Korda said after the second round, “It’s just golf recently for me. No words for how I’m playing right now. … A lot went my way at the beginning part of the year and just giving it back.”

Nelly Korda’s suffering from inside 5 feet continues

An 81 generally means it’s a misfire on all fronts, and that certainly was the case. But it’s the missed putts from 5 feet that would stab her. Per Ray, Korda missed 27 putts inside 5 feet this season. Her putting woes were visible at Sahalee as well. 

She made six bids on Thursday. She rolled around 110 feet of putts. Nelly Korda gained 3.6 strokes in putting compared to the field. On the cut-day, her SG: putting dwindled to -3.1. Korda’s bounce-back rate, which determines the number of times a golfer has recovered from a bogey or worse with a birdie or better on the next hole, was zero.

Nelly Korda had ‘no words’ left to say after the round. “Just going to go home and try to reset.” The World No. 1 hailed her swing coach for keeping her in the right headspace. Mentally, she has grown a lot since her first major win. With the Olympics fast approaching, it’s that toughness that will be tested now.