LPGA

Nelly Korda returned to the top of the world rankings after claiming a dominant five-shot victory in the LPGA Chevron Championship.

It is Korda’s second Chevron title in three seasons and ensures she leapfrogs Jeeno Thitikul in the rankings, after the Thai missed the cut.

The American equalled the event’s 54-hole scoring record on Saturday but fell two shots short of the tournament record of 20 under par.

“That was a hard weekend,” Korda told NBC Sports.

“Honestly, having that big of a lead, it’s not easy. It was definitely one of the hardest things I’ve had to do mentally.

“I have an amazing support system. An amazing family who are right behind me. An amazing caddie who is on the bag and I’m just happy to get it done.”

Korda takes her tally of majors to three, after also winning the Women’s PGA Championship in 2021.

World number two Nelly Korda saw her lead at the LPGA Chevron Championship cut to five shots despite equalling the event’s 54-hole scoring record.

After shooting two rounds of 65 on previous days, the 27-year-old American went round in 70 on Saturday to go 16 under par at Houston’s Memorial Park.

If Korda can get over the line on Sunday and win a second Chevron title in three seasons, it would take her to the top of the world rankings after the current world number one, Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul, missed the cut.

Korda got off to a fine start too, with four birdies on the opening six holes but failed to break par on any more holes as she lacked precision on the greens.

“The front nine was great,” said Korda, who said she was going to spend time on the putting greens before Sunday’s final round of the first women’s major of 2026.

“Just got to reset and hopefully it goes my way tomorrow,” she added.

Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit hit a 69 so was able to claw back a shot and reduce Korda’s overnight six-stroke lead to five, despite a bogey on the 13th – her first of the tournament.

She sits on 11 under heading into the final day.

Pauline Bouchard of France is a further shot behind, alongside China’s Yin Ruoning, who scored a bogey-free 66, the joint-best round of the day.

Korda’s 54-hole score of 200 put her level with record holder Jennifer Kupcho, who was the third-round leader on 200 in 2022 – she went on to win by two strokes.

Australian Hannah Green’s strong start to 2026 continued with victory in the JM Eagle LA Championship – her fourth triumph of the year.

In March, she became the first Australian to win the Women’s Australian Open since 2014, and lifted the LPGA’s Women’s World Championship and the Australian WPGA Championship.

In Los Angeles, Green holed a curling 12-foot birdie putt on the first play-off hole to win this LPGA Tour event for the third time in four years.

It was a stunning victory for Green given she had briefly been six shots adrift of the lead after Kim Sei-young chipped in for an eagle three on the 11th.

Green responded with the first of five birdies in six holes as she reeled in Kim and Im Jin-hee and all three finished on 17 under par.

“I didn’t think I was still in the tournament,” said Green, who won her only major, the Women’s PGA Championship, in 2019.

On her tournament-winning stroke, she added: “I had that putt, similar line in regulation, so I felt somewhat comfortable.”

Kim had already missed a 35-foot birdie attempt while Im – penalised a stroke for slow play during Saturday’s third round – was also unable to get down in three after a wayward tee shot.

The tournament was played at El Caballero for the second year because of course renovations at Wilshire where Green had won this title in 2023 and 2024.

During Saturday’s round, the tournament’s prize money was increased by $1m to $4.75m (£3.5m), lifting the purse to the highest on the tour outside of the major championships and season-ending CME Group Tour Championship.

As a result of that, Green took home $712,500, up from $562,500.

The Chevron Championship, the first women’s major of the year, stars on Thursday in Houston, Texas.