LPGA Tour: Nelly Korda triumphs after controversial abandonment in Florida

After a titleless season, Nelly Korda has made an impressive comeback. At the first event of the LPGA Tour 2026 at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club, the US-American secured her 16th career title. But the victory in the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions was anything but ordinary: extreme cold and heavy squalls forced the organizers to make a drastic decision.

The new year on the LPGA Tour could hardly have got off to a more turbulent start. While the golfing world was eagerly awaiting the duel between the world's elite, an unexpected cold snap caused chaos in Orlando. In the end, Nelly Korda emerged as the winner - albeit without having played a single shot on the final Sunday.

Here you can find the complete leaderboard of the Tournament of Champions of the LPGA Tour.

Spectacular comeback on the LPGA Tour: the round of 64 as a foundation

The fact that Korda ended up with the trophy in her hands was thanks to an almost heroic performance on Saturday. In gusty winds and falling temperatures, the world number two played a brilliant round of 64 (8 under Par). While the rest of the field struggled with the conditions, Korda clearly distanced herself from her rivals.

With a total score of 203 strokes (-13), she was three ahead of second-placed Amy Yang from South Korea. "That was probably one of the three best rounds of my entire career," said Korda, commenting on her runaway success. After a winless 2025, this success marks a turning point for the 27-year-old on the LPGA Tour.

Controversial decision: Cancellation causes discussion on the LPGA Tour

However, the sporting brilliance was overshadowed by a heated debate about the conduct of the tournament. As temperatures dropped well below freezing on Sunday morning and the ground was frozen, the LPGA Tour decided to cancel the final round completely and shorten the tournament to 54 holes.

The LPGA Tour officials justified this step with the unplayability of the course and the lack of fair play, as balls were bouncing uncontrollably on the hard ground. Prominent criticism came from golf legend Annika Sörenstam, among others, who rated the course as "playable". Players such as Lydia Ko were also disappointed ("gutted") as they were denied the chance to catch up. Particularly curious: while the professionals took a break, the amateurs of the celebrity tournament taking place at the same time were allowed to complete a shortened 9-hole round.

Mental strength and focus: Korda's way back to the top

Despite the unusual circumstances, the win is an important milestone for Korda. After a long dry spell, she proved that she can deliver world-class golf even under extreme external influences. Her focus on the essentials - supported by a deliberate social media break - seems to be bearing fruit.

Korda and her colleagues on the LPGA Tour will now take a longer break before the Asian Swing continues in Thailand in February. The US-American has already announced that she will skip the Asian trip in order to start the rest of the season with fresh energy.

Conclusion on the start of the 2026 LPGA Tour season

Even if the aftertaste of the weather-related interruption remains, this tournament underlines Nelly Korda's exceptional position. The LPGA Tour leaderboard shows Amy Yang in second place after the first event, followed by Brooke Henderson in third. It remains to be seen whether the Tour will adjust its protocols for extreme weather events after the players' criticism.