Jeeno Thitikul leads Minjee Lee by one shot after the opening day of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Texas as world No 1 Nelly Korda made par with a neck injury.
Korda is only four shots off leader Thitikul, who made four under, after hurting her neck during practice for the third major of the year during practice on Monday.
The American says while it does not affect her shots, she suffers pain “just with rotation” of her neck and it is hard to sleep comfortably.
“It’s better. Getting better every day, which is nice. Just because I injured it last year, whenever I do injure my neck it takes a little bit longer than normal,” said Korda.
“I kind of tweaked it before my round with Ariya (Jutanugarn) in Vegas this year, during the night I couldn’t move then, so thankfully it wasn’t as bad as that day. It just takes me like a week to kind of recover when I tweak my neck now.”
Korda late last year skipped two tournaments during the LPGA’s Asia swing because of a minor neck injury, and that loss to Jutanugarn in match play was in April.
Nelly Korda has only won two majors despite spending over 100 consecutive weeks at world No 1
Korda said earlier this week that her neck “went into a full spasm” after hitting a shot out of the rough during a practice round at the Fields Ranch East course at PGA Frisco on Monday, before skipping the champions dinner that night.
In the first round of the season’s third major, Korda had two birdies and two bogeys and was in the same group as world No 2 and leader Thitikul at four under 68.
“Overall I mean, even par to start the major. It was windier in the morning than I thought it would be,” said Korda.
“So it played a little tougher. I’m pretty happy with my first round in the conditions. “It was pretty windy. It was hot. It definitely takes a toll on you, the Texas heat, so I’m happy with my position. I haven’t even really looked at the leaderboard, to be honest.”
Nelly Korda battled through neck pain to be just four shots off the lead
Korda opened with seven consecutive pars, including at the 317-yard, par-4 seventh hole, where she hit a 294-yard drive into a valley just short of the green. Her initial pitch from there ricocheted off the edge of the green and rolled back down the slope to where she was. Korda hit her next shot to two feet and saved par.
On the par-3 eighth, Korda’s tee shot went over the green to set up her first bogey. She got free relief after her approach at the par-5 ninth went right and settled next to a temporary structure, and she pitched to three-and-a-half feet and made the birdie putt.
Only 15 of 156 players broke par, with no bogey-free rounds on a day when temperatures reached 33C at Fields Ranch East in Texas.
Behind leader Thitikul comes Australia’s Lee three under 69, then Haeran Ryu, Rio Takeda and Somi Lee tired in third on two under 70.
US Women’s Open champion Maja Stark shot a three over 75 and defending champion Amy Yang finished with a 76.
Mimi Rhodes is the best of the English players on her major debut on the same score as Yang to go into the second round tied in 84th.
Charley Hull shot six over 78 and Jodi Ewart Shadoff is another shot back down in tied 135th, so the three English players will look to make the cut.
How can I watch live on Sky Sports Golf?
Sky Sports remains the home of the majors in 2025, with all five women’s majors and all four men’s majors live on Sky Sports Golf
Sky Sports will show extended coverage from the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, with second round on Friday from 4pm on Sky Sports Golf ahead of a second session of live coverage at 11pm.
The action live on Saturday begins at 5.30pm on Sky Sports Mix and 6pm on the same channel for Sunday’s final round.
This week’s major is one of three events live on Sky Sports, with the PGA Tour’s Travelers Championship – a Signature Event – and the closing rounds of the Amateur Championship also available to enjoy.
Who will win the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Watch throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins Thursday from 4pm on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream no contract on NOW.
