Nelly Korda Triumphs In Chilly LPGA Season Opener

Cold, blustery, and downright unpredictable—those words sum up the 2026 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Orlando, Florida. Yet out of the swirling winds and freezing temperatures, Nelly Korda emerged as the undeniable star, capturing her 16th career LPGA victory and her first win since 2024. For fans and players alike, the season opener was a wild ride, with weather delays, suspended play, and a field stacked with some of the world’s best.

The tournament, which concluded on February 1, 2026, was unlike any other in recent memory. With a record field of 39 LPGA champions—up from 32 in 2025 and 29 in the two years prior—the competition was fierce from the get-go. But Mother Nature had her own plans. Freezing overnight temperatures in the mid-20s Fahrenheit forced officials to push back Sunday’s tee times by several hours, and the threat of even colder weather on Monday led to the cancellation of the final round altogether. “I feel like this week is kind of a warm-up week for us but it’s not warm for the weather,” world No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul quipped earlier in the week, well before the real chill set in.

Despite the frigid conditions, Korda’s game was white-hot. On Saturday, she fired an electrifying 8-under 64—more than nine shots better than the field average, according to Golf Channel. “It feels amazing. I’m just super proud of [caddie] Jason [McDede] and I yesterday for how we fought those conditions,” Korda said after her round. “For my team. I wouldn’t be here without them. We’re all pieces of a puzzle. I wouldn’t be who I am without them. Just so grateful. And to be able to do it here at Lake Nona, I mean, the conditions were so amazing. We have to thank the superintendent for making this golf course just so world class.”

Korda’s 64 vaulted her to the top of the leaderboard at 13 under par, three clear of Amy Yang, who finished solo second at 10 under. Brooke Henderson, another past champion, secured third place at 7 under. The stacked field also featured 16 of the top 25 players in the world rankings, including Jeeno Thitikul (1), Korda (2), Miyu Yamashita (4), Charley Hull (5), and Lydia Ko (6). Thitikul, despite the cold, managed a respectable ninth-place finish.

The drama didn’t stop with Korda’s performance. As the third round unfolded on Saturday, escalating winds turned the par-3 17th into a nightmare. Play was officially suspended at 4:18 p.m. ET after rookie Youmin Hwang’s ball rolled off the exposed green, prompting officials to sound the horn. “You could surf on that water today,” Korda joked, referencing the whitecaps on Lake Nona. She later described the final holes as “brutal,” saying, “[Nos.] 15, 16, 17, 18, they’re brutal once you get a little bit exposed. Mentally, I was already preparing for that. I knew it was going to be tough on those holes, especially the wind kind of coming from the north.”

With play suspended and several golfers—including Amy Yang and Lydia Ko—still needing to complete their third rounds, officials initially planned for an early Sunday restart. However, the mercury refused to climb, and the forecast for Monday looked no better. Ultimately, the decision was made to call the tournament after 54 holes, cementing Korda’s victory. “The gusts, it’s so exposed off the water there,” Korda added. “So that’s a very exposed green where you’re going to probably run into some issues when the wind starts to gust a little bit more, but that was a brutal hole.”

The unusual circumstances didn’t dampen the stakes. The total prize purse for the event was $2.1 million, with Korda taking home a hefty $315,000 for her win. Every player in the field received a payout, with Amy Yang earning $224,001 for her runner-up finish and Brooke Henderson collecting $162,497 in third. Detailed prize money distributions underscored just how deep the field was, with even the last-place finisher, Moriya Jutanugarn, pocketing $13,244.

Lake Nona Golf & Country Club, a Tom Fazio design that opened in 1986, once again proved itself a fitting host for the LPGA’s season opener. The course’s challenging greens and strategic layout were only amplified by the harsh weather, turning every shot into a test of skill and nerve. The superintendent and grounds crew earned high praise from players for keeping the course in world-class condition despite the elements.

TV coverage had to adapt on the fly as well. Sunday’s broadcast began on Peacock from 1-6 p.m. ET, moved to NBC from 2-4 p.m., and concluded on Golf Channel from 4-6 p.m. ET. The shifting schedule mirrored the tournament’s on-the-fly adjustments, as officials and broadcasters scrambled to keep up with the unpredictable weather and its impact on play.

For Korda, the victory was especially sweet. After a winless 2025 season, she’s made an emphatic statement to start 2026, signaling that her form from two years ago is back in full force. “I’m just super proud,” she reiterated, crediting her caddie and team for their resilience. The win not only adds to her impressive resume but also sets the tone for what could be a thrilling LPGA season.

Looking ahead, the LPGA will take a short break before heading to Asia for tournaments in Thailand, Singapore, and China. With the world’s best golfers already showing their mettle in Orlando’s chill, anticipation is high for the next chapter of the tour. Past winners of the Tournament of Champions read like a who’s who of women’s golf: A Lim Kim (2025), Lydia Ko (2024), Brooke Henderson (2023), Danielle Kang (2022), and Jessica Korda (2021). Now, Nelly Korda adds her name once again to that illustrious list.

As the sun sets on a memorable—and freezing—week at Lake Nona, one thing’s for sure: Nelly Korda is back, and the LPGA’s 2026 season is off to a rousing start.