Nelly Korda faces 11-shot deficit after opening 74 at Evian

Nelly Korda opened the Amundi Evian Championship with a 3-over 74 on Thursday, leaving her 11 strokes behind leader Aki Iwai. The world No. 1 faces a steep climb to secure her third major title of the season.

What happened in the first round?

Korda struggled early at Evian Resort Golf Club, mixing two birdies with three bogeys and a double bogey. She started strong on the back nine, going 1 under through three holes, but a bogey at the 18th and a double at the first derailed her momentum. Further bogeys at the fourth and fifth holes left her well off the pace before a birdie at the par-5 ninth.

Why this matters for Nelly Korda’s major ambitions

Five weeks ago, Korda overcame a seven-shot deficit after the first round to win the U.S. Women’s Open. Another comeback here would be even more dramatic-ten shots is the record for the largest first-round deficit overcome to win an LPGA major. A victory would give Korda a career Grand Slam and a spot in the LPGA Hall of Fame.

Can Korda pull off another comeback?

Korda has shown resilience before, but this challenge is steeper. She has two top-10 finishes at the Evian Championship, including a tie for eighth in 2022 and ninth in 2023. If she can replicate her U.S. Women’s Open performance, she could still contend, but she’ll need a flawless weekend.

What’s next for Korda?

The second round begins Friday, with Korda needing a low score to stay in contention. The Evian Championship has historically favored late chargers, but Korda will need to avoid early mistakes to keep her hopes alive.