Nelly Korda looking focused on the fairway during Round 1 of the 2026 AIG Women's Open.
The Quick Verdict

Nelly Korda came to Royal Lytham with history within reach. By the third hole Thursday morning, she was already fighting to keep it there.

Two early bogeys pushed Korda onto the back foot, and she never quite recovered during an opening two-over-par 73 at the AIG Women’s Open. By the end of the day, Jeeno Thitikul had reached seven under, leaving the world No. 1 nine shots behind.

It was a rough start. There is no clever way to dress it up.

Korda arrived in England with a chance to complete the career Grand Slam, collect the final points she needs for the LPGA Hall of Fame and win a third major championship this season. Instead of immediately joining the leaders, she now faces a Friday round in which the first priority may be securing a place for the weekend.

Royal Lytham has a way of changing a player’s plans quickly

The course does not always need dramatic weather to cause trouble. Its bunkers dictate where players can miss, and its firm links turf can turn a slightly imperfect shot into a difficult recovery. Korda found herself under pressure almost immediately after bogeying two of her first three holes.

The rest of the round became an exercise in damage control.

That task looked even harder because of what was happening around her. Haeran Ryu, playing in the same marquee group, made six birdies in a five-under 66. Lydia Ko finished at level par. Later, Thitikul produced the round of the day, a bogey-free 64 that gave her a two-shot lead over Ryu and Shiho Kuwaki.

Korda, meanwhile, was left staring at a nine-shot gap.

That is a serious deficit after only 18 holes. She does not simply need to play better on Friday; she needs to make up ground while a crowded group of players ahead of her tries to do the same thing.

Before she can think about chasing Thitikul, she has to make sure she is still playing when the weekend begins.

Still, Korda has seen this score before

At the U.S. Women’s Open in June, she also started with a 73. She ended the first round seven shots behind and tied well down the leaderboard. It looked like the beginning of a frustrating week.

Instead, Korda followed with consecutive rounds of 67 and closed with a 69 to win the championship by one stroke.

That comeback does not guarantee anything at Royal Lytham. The course is different, the conditions are different, and the deficit is two shots larger. Golf does not offer repeatable scripts simply because the opening numbers look familiar.

But the comparison matters for one reason: Korda has already proved that a poor Thursday does not have to ruin an entire major.

She will need another sharp response now.

High stakes remain despite the opening setback

There was plenty at stake before the first ball was struck. Korda has already won the Chevron Championship and the U.S. Women’s Open this year. A victory at the AIG Women’s Open would give her three majors in the same season and complete the set of major titles required for the career Grand Slam.

It would also push her across the LPGA Hall of Fame threshold. Korda entered the week with 25 points, two short of the required total. A major victory is worth two.

Then there is the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award. Korda and Ryu are the only players still able to win it, having divided the season’s first four major championships between them. A victory by either player at Royal Lytham would settle the race.

After Thursday, Ryu is in the far stronger position.

That does not mean Korda’s season is suddenly unravelling. One difficult round cannot carry that much weight, even when it follows a missed cut at the Evian Championship. She still arrived at Royal Lytham with four victories and nine top-10 finishes from 12 LPGA starts this season.

There is also no reason to invent a technical explanation for the 73. Without detailed post-round comments or reliable performance data, it would be guesswork to blame her swing, putting or confidence.

Sometimes the explanation is less dramatic. Korda made early mistakes, failed to produce enough birdies and watched the best players in the field move away from her.

Friday will reveal far more than Thursday did

A low second round would not erase the deficit, but it could change the mood of her championship. It could move her safely through the cut, bring the leaders a little closer and give her two more days to test whether another major comeback is possible.

Another round around par would leave very little room for hope.

For now, the Grand Slam and Hall of Fame talk can wait. Those possibilities only matter if Korda first earns the weekend.

Her opening round made the road much steeper. It did not close it.

Korda has been in this position before—standing outside the major conversation after a 73, needing something special to pull herself back into it.

At Riviera, she found it.

Royal Lytham now asks whether she can find it again.

FAQ

What did Nelly Korda shoot in Round 1 of the 2026 AIG Women’s Open?
She shot a 2-over 73 with two early bogeys.

How far behind the leader is Nelly Korda?
She is nine shots behind Jeeno Thitikul, who leads at 7-under par.

Has Nelly Korda recovered from an opening 73 in a major before?
Yes. She opened with a 73 at the 2026 U.S. Women's Open at Riviera and came back to win the championship.

What is at stake for Nelly Korda this week?
A victory would complete the career Grand Slam, earn her the final points needed for the LPGA Hall of Fame, and secure her third major title of 2026.

GOLFRAW's Take

Nelly Korda's opening 73 leaves her with a steep mountain to climb at Royal Lytham. While nine shots off Jeeno Thitikul's lead is a daunting gap, her Riviera comeback proves she has the mindset to rally—if she can first secure her place for the weekend on Friday.