T-Mobile Match Play: Nelly Korda beats Leona Maguire in LPGA final to extend hot streak

8 April 2024, 05:05 | Updated: 8 April 2024, 10:07

Nelly Korda won for the third straight week on the LPGA Tour and for her fourth consecutive event by defeating Ireland's Leona Maguire 4&3 in the championship match of the T-Mobile Match Play on Sunday in Las Vegas.

Korda sped ahead to a four-up lead through seven by winning the second hole, then birdied three straight holes at five through to seven at Shadow Creek. Maguire's par at the par-four ninth was enough to get her on the board as Korda bogeyed the hole.

But Korda responded right away by winning the 10th, and a birdie at the par-four 12th put her five up with six to play.

Maguire stayed afloat by winning the next two holes with birdies, just her second and third birdies all day, to close her gap to three down with four to play. Korda proceeded to make the winning par putt at the par-four 15th.

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"Going down the stretch, there is a different type of adrenaline. But I feel like with match play you have that from the first hole so it was a great day playing against Leona. Always such a great competitor. But happy to get my fourth," Korda said.

"This golf course is so tough that pars are going to go a long way. Stay in your own bubble, hit fairways, hit greens, and try not to make mistakes, and I did that today."

Maguire earned the top seed in the match-play bracket by going six under through 54 holes of stroke play. She then defeated Thailand's Moriya Jutanugarn 4&3 and South Korea's Sei Young Kim 3&2 in Saturday's quarter-finals and semi-finals, respectively.

"Obviously right now it's pretty disappointing to finish the way I finished, but it almost felt like two separate tournaments this week, the stroke play event and the match play event," Maguire said.

"To lead the stroke play around this golf course by three at the end of the three days was something I can take a lot of positives from and be very proud of.

"Yeah, Nelly is the best player in the world for a reason. She brought her 'A' game today and mine wasn't good enough. Fair play to her for winning again this week."

Korda was the No 6 seed after shooting one under over her three rounds of stroke play. She then defeated Angel Yin 3&2 in the quarters and bested South Korea's Narin An 4&3 in the semis.

Korda won the LPGA Drive On Championship in late January in her hometown of Bradenton. After skipping the tour's Asian swing, she won the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship and the Ford Championship over the past two weeks.

A winner of just one major, the 2021 Women's PGA Championship, Korda is heavily favoured at the first women's major of the year in two weeks, the Chevron Championship in The Woodlands, Texas.

When is The Masters on Sky Sports?

Wall-to-wall coverage from the tournament begins at 2pm over the first two rounds on Thursday April 11 and Friday April 12, with Featured Group action and regular updates from around the course available to enjoy on Sky Sports Golf until the global broadcast window begins at 8pm.

There will be lots of extra action throughout all four days via the red button on Sky Sports Golf, along with Sky Q and Sky Glass, providing plenty of bonus feeds and allowing you to follow players' progress through various parts of Augusta's famous layout.

Sky Sports Golf will show extended build-up content over the weekend and occasional live updates from the course before the global broadcast window starts at 8pm for the third round and 7pm for the final day, with early action available throughout via the red button.

Who will win The Masters? Watch live from April 11-14 exclusively on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins with Featured Groups on Thursday April 11 from 2pm on Sky Sports Golf. Stream the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, majors and more with NOW.

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