Nelly Korda, Kim Sei-young and Madelene Sagstrom hold a share of the lead after the first round of the Women's Open.

World number one Korda has already won the Women's PGA Championship and an Olympic gold medal this year and the American set her sights on Open glory following her triumph in Tokyo.

The American made a great start at Carnoustie on Thursday, carding a five-under 67 to sit alongside Kim and Sagstrom at the top of the leaderboard.

Korda went out in 33 courtesy of four birdies and made another four gains in her final six holes, dropping shots at the 12th and 16th. 

Kim dropped just one shot at the 15, having made six birdies in the space of nine holes either side of the turn.

Sagstrom would be out on her own at six under but for a dropped shot at 18 in a round she started with four gains in her opening six holes,

Scot Louise Duncan, winner of the Women's Amateur Championship in June, got under way with an impressive four-under 68 on home soil, while Georgia Hall, Yuka Saso and Andrea Lee are also just one shot off the lead.

Lexi Thompson is well poised on three under along with Carlota Ciganda and Lizette Salas, with Hinako Shibuno and Inbee Park among the players a further stroke back.

Five years ago, Inbee Park was not sure she would even be healthy enough to compete at the Rio Olympics. 

The LPGA star had battled a thumb injury throughout the year and would end up skipping three of the tour's five majors, but she made representing South Korea a top priority and it paid off. 

Park nearly went wire-to-wire to win gold, sitting a stroke back of the lead after one round and moving ahead to stay the following day before winning by five strokes over New Zealand's Lydia Ko. 

Looking back on that experience heading into the Tokyo Games, Park said on Monday she feels much more relaxed. 

"[In] 2016 I felt the most pressure in my life. I don’t think I could do that once again," Park said. 

"It’s definitely much better and much more relaxing this year because my conditions are not as bad as in 2016, where I had to deal with injuries and a lot of pressure."

She knew how many people were counting on her then as golf returned to the Olympic programme for the first time in more than a century, and the opportunity inspired her to push through the pain. 

“I was representing the country and going through the injury," she said. "It wasn’t like a normal tournament where if you don’t feel well, you just pull out and play well in the next event.

"I really wanted to play well and didn’t want to withdraw from the tournament because of the injury. I was just trying really hard to fight the injury.

“With the injury, a lot of people got worried. My family, staff, and probably the whole of Korea was worried that I was not in the best condition.

"That was kind of the pressure I was dealing with. To overcome that was really hard.

“I think that kind of pressure gave me the power to overcome a lot of the stuff, and being able to win gold was amazing.”

Park's quest to repeat begins on Wednesday at 8:41 am local time, when she will open Olympic play in a grouping with Ko and 2016 bronze medallist Feng Shanshan of China. 

She said she watched last week's men's tournament on television to try and get a feel for the course, then got in some practice Sunday and founded it firmer and longer than she had expected. 

However it plays later this week, she expects a difficult test but feels she is in a good position to handle it this time around. 

“I’m very excited to be here representing the country twice in a row," she said.

"It’s the biggest honour for me. [To be] here in Tokyo five years after Rio, it’s truly a dream come true for me."

Nelly Korda broke through for her maiden major title, winning the Women's PGA Championship as she became the LPGA Tour's new world number one.

American golfer Korda claimed a three-stroke victory thanks to Sunday's four-under-par 68 at Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek, Georgia.

Korda was tied for the lead alongside eventual runner-up Lizette Salas (71) heading into the final round, but she moved clear of her countrywoman courtesy of two eagles, two birdies and just one bogey.

The 22-year-old Korda is now a six-time LPGA Tour champion following three wins in 2021.

"I just played really well this week. I had a great week last week, and carried the momentum through to this week," Korda said after finishing 19 under through 72 holes.

"I've put in a lot of work. To finally get three wins under my belt and to get a major, I don't even have words, honestly. This is something I've worked for since I was 14.

"To finally get it done here in Atlanta with such an amazing crowd, it's really special. I have an amazing caddy, so shout out to Jason [McDede]. I tried to keep a level head, and keep it one shot at a time."

Kim Hyo-joo (68) and Giulia Molinaro (72) finished nine shots off the pace, while three-time winner Inbee Park (73) had to settled for a share of 40th position at one over.

The Women's PGA Championship is a two-way battle ahead of the final day with Lizette Salas and Nelly Korda equal leaders and five strokes ahead.

The American pair are both 15-under, after 31-year-old Salas carded a five-under-67 on Saturday, to pull level with world number three Korda at the Atlanta Athletic Club.

Korda, 22, carded a bogey-free four-under 68, to follow her excellent 63 on Friday, having won last week's Meijer LPGA Classic.

Former British Open runner-up Salas had six birdies on her front nine, as she carded 67 for the third consecutive day in her pursuit of her maiden major title.

Thailand's 12th-ranked Patty Tavatanakit finished a round-best seven-under-65 to move into a tie for second.

Tavatanakit is 10-under after three rounds, equal with Giulia Molinaro and Celine Boutier.

World number two Inbee Park slipped out of contention, having started the day at five-under before a five-over-77 left her well off the pace.

Yuka Saso, who won the U.S. Women's Open earlier this month, carded a three-over 75 and is also well behind.

Nelly Korda reeled off six successive birdies to hit the front at the Women's PGA Championship after the second round.

Korda was red-hot at Atlanta Athletic Club in Georgia, where the American golfer used a birdie binge to claim a one-stroke lead on Friday.

A five-time LPGA Tour champion, Korda had consecutive birdies from the fourth to the ninth hole as she tied the Women's PGA Championship 18-hole scoring record.

"I don't know, I guess I just blacked out, out there," Korda said afterwards as she became only the third professional to card a 63 at Atlanta Athletic Club, joining Steve Stricker and Mark O'Meara.

Korda – eyeing her maiden major title – is 11 under through 36 holes, a shot better off than Lizette Salas (67).

Salas, who was the overnight leader, posted consecutive 67s to remain bogey-free heading into the weekend.

Three-time PGA Championship winner Inbee Park (68) is six shots off the pace in a tie for seventh, while defending champion Kim Sei-young (69) bounced back from a forgettable 76 to avoid the cut.

Yuka Saso carded a four-under-par 67 to earn a one-stroke lead at the halfway stage of the U.S. Women's Open.

Saso – who has modelled her swing on four-time major champion and former men's world number one Rory McIlroy – used a strong second round to soar to the top of the leaderboard on Friday.

The 19-year-old Filipino – making her third appearance at the LPGA Tour major event – had six birdies to go with two bogeys at the Olympic Club.

After birdieing her final hole, Saso is now six under through 36 holes heading into the weekend in San Francisco, where 2019 champion Lee Jeong-eun is her nearest rival (67).

Megan Khang (70) and amateur Megha Ganne (71) – the overnight leader alongside Mel Reid – are two shots off the pace, while Shanshan Feng is a stroke further back following her 70.

Inbee Park – a two-time winner of the U.S. Women's Open – recorded a two-under-par 69 to be tied for sixth alongside Lexi Thompson (71) and Reid (73).

Defending champion Kim A-lim missed the cut at seven over following a second-round 70, having opened with a 79.

Amateur Megha Ganne enjoyed a remarkable first round to hold a share of the lead alongside Mel Reid at the U.S. Women's Open on Thursday.

Ganne carded a four-under-par 67, including six birdies, as the 17-year-old earn a share of the lead at the Olympic Club in San Francisco.

With her performance, Ganne became the first amateur to lead the U.S. Women's Open since Jane Park in 2006.

"I think the first time is nerve-racking for anybody and meeting your idols and being on the stage for the first time," Ganne said after her second U.S. Women's Open appearance. "But the second time around, even the practice rounds, I wasn't as nervous. I felt like I could come here and just play my game instead of soaking that all in."

Experienced 33-year-old Englishwoman Reid – who won October's LPGA Classic – had a steady round with five birdies and one bogey.

World number five Brooke Henderson was one of the last to finish her round, holding a share of the lead until a bogey on the 18th to card a three-under 68.

Megan Khang, who finished in fifth at this event last year, is equal second with Henderson and fellow American Angel Yin.

World number one Ko Jin-young is not far off the pace after an opening round one-under, with second-ranked Inbee Park finishing even through 18 holes.

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