Nelly Korda stumbles again in first event since US Women’s Open at Meijer LPGA Classic

World No 1 Nelly Korda is tied for 133rd and 11 strokes off the lead after day one at the Meijer LPGA Classic as she returned to action for the first time since her disappointing US Women’s Open showing

Nelly Korda stumbled again on Thursday in her first event since missing the cut in the US Women’s Open, dropping four strokes on the first three holes in a four-over 76 at the windy Meijer LPGA Classic.

The top-ranked Korda was tied for 133rd in the 144-player field, 11 strokes behind leader Alison Lee at Blythefield Country Club.

Korda, who hit a septuple-bogey 10 in her first round at the US Women’s Open, had arrived at that tournament with six victories in her last seven, including a major that tied an LPGA Tour record for five wins in a row.

On Thursday at Blythefield, where she won in 2021 at a tournament-record 25 under, Korda opened double bogey-bogey-bogey. Playing in the afternoon in a group with fellow past champions Brooke Henderson and Leona Maguire, Korda was even par the rest of the way, offsetting three bogeys with three birdies.

Lee shot 65. Winless on the tour, she eagled the par-five eighth and had seven birdies and a bogey. Defending champion Maguire eagled the par-five 18th for a 72.

Henderson, the Canadian who won the event in 2017 and 2019, was two strokes back at 67 with 2022 champion Jennifer Kupcho, Lizette Salas, Benedetta Moresco, Narin An, Carlota Ciganda, Ssu-Chia Cheng, Lauren Hartlage and Daniela Darquea.

Lilia Vu, a former No 1 player and double major winner last year, opened with a 69 – playing alongside Lee – in her return from a back injury that sidelined her since the Ford Championship in Arizona at the end of March.

Lexi Thompson, the 2015 winner, shot 71. She has gone more than five years without winning. Thompson has said this will be her last year playing a full schedule.