Sisters Jessica Korda and Nelly Korda off to strong start at rain-soaked LPGA team event

Sisters Nelly Korda and Jessica Korda were amazed by the number of fans waiting in line to scan their tickets early Wednesday morning in the pouring rain at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational.

“That’s dedication right there,” said Jessica of the Midland Michigan, community.

The Korda sisters – “Team Jelly” – opened up play with a 1-under 69 in the alternate-shot format, one stroke behind early clubhouse leaders Amy Olson/Katherine Kirk and Frida Kinhult/Linnea Johansson. Play was halted mid-morning due to heavy rain and delayed for 2 hours and 40 minutes, resuming at 12:30 p.m. ET.

The Kordas, who also team up at the Solheim Cup, bogeyed the first hole but played the next 17 in 2 under. The pair tied for 12th in 2019 and tied for 17th last year at the Dow.

“We’re kind of ham-and -egging it pretty well,” said Jessica. “It was the first day, but alternate shot is tough, and you forget how out of rhythm you get in alternate shot.

“I think the first day is always kind of the toughest because you are trying to find your footing in it. But yeah, take under par. Anything under par is always good.”

Close friends Olson and Kirk also bogeyed the first hole, and Olson had an unusual response: She smiled.

“That’s not your typical response when it’s just you, right?” said Olson. “There is just something about having a partner, someone who has your back, and you’re, like, it’s going to be fine, we got this that kind of helps you almost boost yourself up while you’re trying to lift your teammate up.”

Kinhult and Johansson – “Team Swedish Fish” – are playing together for the first time in this event. Kinhult, who likes to analyze, figured out who should tee off where.

“Don’t get me started,” said Kinhult, laughing. “I’m crazy with numbers and stats and stuff like that. I do it for fun, and it seems like it worked out good today. Just happy.”

While some partnerships this week first developed at Solheim Cups, Kristy McPherson and Maddie Szeryk played alongside each other at Q-Series. This is McPherson’s second LPGA event of the season, having played only the ShopRite ahead of this week.

“I mean, I just rode her today,” said the 41-year-old McPherson, “just let her do all the heavy lifting, and it’s nice. She’s so consistent, and like I said, I played with her at Q-Series and she birdied the last two to get her card, and that’s means a lot, and it’s hard to do when you know you have to do it, and she asked me to play.”

LPGA Hall of Famers Annika Sorenstam and Karrie Webb are competing in the same tour event for the first time since 2008. While Sorenstam is with fellow Swede Madelene Sagstrom, Webb is partnered with good friend Marina Alex. Both teams went off late in the afternoon due to the morning weather delay.

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