Eight LPGA Tour wins, the 2021 Ladies PGA and an Olympic Gold medal — add it up and Nelly Korda, age 24, has the most impressive playing resume in this 2022 version of the QBE Shootout down in Naples.
She’s also the current world’s No. 2, she was just bumped from No. 1 by Lydia Ko and they are separated by .26 of a point in the Rolex Rankings — 7.54 for Ko, 7.28 for Korda.
So the real star in the field is Korda — who finished strong this season, overcoming health issues with a blood clot in her left arm that required surgery and kept her out of action for an extended period of time this past season.
Korda will pair with Denny McCarthy to form one of two mixed teams in the 12-team field. The other is a familiar face — Lexi Thompson — who will team with Maverick McNealy, who is making his first appearance in the event.
Most intriguing team? That would be the last Ryder Cup captain — Steve Stricker — who is joining forces with PGA Tour Rookie Of The Year — Cameron Young.
Click here for Friday’s Tee Times At Tiburon:
Tiger Woods Will Test New Golf Ball At “The Match”:
Tiger Woods is well on his way to becoming a “Gentleman Of A Certain Age” — and like every other aging golfer — pro or amateur — Tiger’s looking for a little more distance.
When Tiger pairs with world No. 1 Rory McIlroy for Saturday evening’s newest version of “The Match” — he’ll be playing a Bridgestone ball, of course — but it will be the Tour B X rather than his normal ball — the Tour B XS.
Reason is simple. The Tour B X is a lower spin ball, one that he can probably hit farther than the B XS, a high-spin ball.
“The Tour B XS is a great golf ball, it has the feel and spin I’ve preferred. Right now, though, I’m experimenting with the Tour B X to get a little more pop,” Woods said regarding the switch. e. “Based on the situation, I have different preferences and it’s great that Bridgestone has multiple balls right off the shelf that I can play.”
Will Zalatoris Will Return At Tournament Of Champions:
Things were going really well for Will Zalatoris last summer. He notched his first PGA Tour win at the St. Jude Classic and was looking to contend in the BMW Championship. During the second round he felt a shooting pain after hitting a tee shot. He was forced to withdraw and was diagnosed with not one, but two herniated discs in his back. He was out of the Tour Championship and went from third to 30th in the FedEx cup standings.
After five months of treatment and rehab, Zalatoris will return to the PGA Tour at next month’s Tournament Of Champions (Jan. 5-8) at Kapalua’s Plantation course.
