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  • Jessica Korda Wins Airbus LPGA Classic

    Jessica Korda Wins Airbus LPGA Classic

    Jessica Korda won the Airbus LPGA Classic on Sunday in Mobile, AL.

    “It’s very sweet,” the 21-year-old Bradenton, FL native said. “Finally on U.S. soil and somewhat close to Florida.”

    The tournament took place on The Crossings course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s Magnolia Grove complex.

    “I just love it here. I love Alabama, I love this golf course, and hopefully we’ll have this tournament for a very, very long time,” Korda enthused.

    Korda played an impressive back nine on Sunday, with birdies on 10, 12, 14, 15, 16 and 18 for a 6-under 30, finishing the tournament at 20 under.

    ” … for some reason it just clicks on the back nine. Front nine, I’m always around the edges and I wouldn’t say front nine plays any harder or any easier or vice versa. I don’t know, I think it’s just go time. It’s the back nine of the tournament, that’s when the tournament starts.”

    Korda’s birdie putt on the 18th hole gave her a one-shot victory over second place finisher Anna Nordqvist of Sweden.

    Korda posted the same tournament total in Mobile a year ago, finishing one shot behind first place winner Jennifer Johnson and tying for second with Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum.

    This win marks Korda’s second LPGA title this year and the third of her career. She won the Women’s Australian Open in 2012 and Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic in January 2014.

    “I definitely wish that I could have at least shared it with my parents, but I know that they’re watching. My brother’s playing a tennis tournament right now and my sister’s trying for a U.S. Open qualifier, so we’re kind of scattered all over the place, but I can’t wait to go home and share this with them.”

    Korda’s is a close-knit and athletic family. Her father Petr, a Czech former professional tennis player, won the 1998 Australian Open. Her mother, Regina Rajchrtová also played tennis professionally.

    “I grew up in Florida but spent summers in the Czech Republic and played for the Czech Republic national team until I was 15 – I had dual citizenship. When I finished 19th in the US Women’s Open at age 15, I was playing under the Czech Republic flag,” Korda has said. “My dad wanted me to fly under the radar. He wanted me to be able to just enjoy my childhood and my freedom, have fun and not have to go do interviews and things like that.”

    Korda has explained why she decided to play golf rather than her parents’ sport of choice, tennis:

    “The rumor is that when I was younger, I didn’t like to sweat and I didn’t like to run, and both of those things are kind of important in tennis. I was introduced to a lot of sports as a child: I did gymnastics, figure skating, tennis and golf, and I dabbled a little bit in ballet. I just never fell in love with tennis the way I did with golf.”

    Image via Jessica Korda, Instagram

  • Jessica Korda Wins LPGA Airbus Classic, Has A Blast

    Jessica Korda, 21-year-old rising LPGA star, won the Airbus Classic pulling out the second victory in a short but impressive career.

    She finished 20-under 268 on the beautiful Crossings course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s Magnolia Grove complex, driving ahead of Anna Nordquist after a stunning 15 foot birdie putt on the par 4 18th hole.

    “It just sets up great for my game,” said Korda. “I can be aggressive. I can read the greens. My confidence just was rising every single day. I just love it here. I love Alabama, I love this golf course, and hopefully we’ll have this tournament for a very, very long time.”

    The girl just had fun playing the game she loves and enjoyed the good company in fellow athletes Michelle Wie and Charley Hull, both of whom admire her greatly.

    “I love playing with Korda,” Wie said. “It’s also really great playing with Charley as well, too. You feel old but it was a lot of fun.”

    Of her stiff competition with friend Jessica Korda, Wie said, “I knew I needed a low score. I got hot starting on and just didn’t quite get it together on the back nine, but still I shot 5 under today and there’s really nothing I can do. I’m just really happy for Korda. I had a lot of fun playing with her and I knew I needed a low number and I just didn’t hit it low enough.”

    Korda was very grateful for that last magnificent putt on the 18th hole. Despite having all that fun, things got pretty serious there at the end.

    “That last putt broke really hard,” Korda said. “I probably played it about a yard out and I was just trying to get it down there close and it went in. I have not played well since I won in the Bahamas but I’ve been working hard and it finally paid off here.”

    Jessica Korda is definitely one to watch in the future on upcoming tours! Congratulations!

    Image Via YouTube