Charlie Hull and Nelly Korda prepare for Sunday’s showdown at The ANNIKA, with the Englishwoman holding a one-shot lead over the world No.1 ahead of the final round.
Hull took a two-shot lead over America’s Korda, a player he beat 6-4 in September’s Solheim Cup singles, through 36 holes at Belleair, both after four-straight second rounds.
That lead was cut in half on Saturday as Korda recovered from two bogeys over his first four holes to post a 3-under 67, recording six birdies in the 10-hole stretch before dropping the last shot and sliding to 11 .
Korda is aiming to win The ANNIKA for the third time in four years
Hull also bogeyed his final hole on an eventful back nine, with each of his three birdies coming home, followed immediately by a blemish as he signed for a two-under 68 to move to 12 over.
The 28-year-old was six shots ahead of Korda when he birdied the first and seventh holes and his opponent stuttered on nine, but the gap is now just one, setting up an intriguing final day.
Hull, Korda bogey final holes in the Florida gloom
Both players were unhappy about finishing their rounds in near darkness and Hull, who found the water at 18, said:
Korda added: “It’s kind of hard when you can’t actually see it. I think it was a little bit of poor planning because you started so late for us.
“When you’re sitting on the 18th and the sun is already setting, it’s never nice, especially with how delicate these greens are.”
China’s Weiwei Zhang is next to Korda at 11 under after a superb eight-under 62 in Florida, South Korea’s Jin Hee Im and Wichani Michai are tied for fourth at 9 under and Germany’s Olivia Cowan is four shots at eight under.
Korda had six wins in seven starts during a brilliant January-May stretch, a record-tying five-game streak on the LPGA Tour that ended with her claiming the second major of her career, the Chevron Championship.
If the 26-year-old wins on Sunday, she will win ANNIKA for the third time, following back-to-back successes in 2021 and 2022.
Get the best prices and book on one of 1,700 courses across the UK and Ireland
Hull’s previous victory came just earlier this month when she won the Women’s European Tour Aramco Team Series – Riyadh for her first worldwide trophy since the Volunteers of America Classic in October 2022.
Watch The ANNIKA Finale Live! Sky Sports Golf Sunday evening from 7 p.m. Get Sky Sports or stream NOW!
