Nelly Korda reveals the "most important thing" as she gets close to clinching the Lotte Championship 2025

Nelly Korda is right in the mix at the Lotte Championship presented by Hoakalei, aiming for her first victory of the 2025 season. The World No. 2 has been consistent all week in Hawaii and remains in contention heading into the final round.

Korda opened the event with rounds of 69 (-3) and 67 (-5), followed by another 69 (-3) on Saturday to stay within striking distance of the lead. Speaking after her third round, she said her main focus has been on staying committed to every single shot.

“For me the most important thing is giving 100% to every shot. That’s what I’m going to do tomorrow. You never know. Golf is a crazy sport. Sports are crazy. You sometimes just need a little bit of momentum,” Nelly Korda said (via LPGA Tour on Instagram).

At the time of writing, Nelly Korda has completed eight holes in her final round, making birdies on the first and second holes without a single bogey so far. Her approach has been the same throughout the week, staying focused on giving her best on every shot.

“I give it 100 percent every single round. Doesn't matter if it's at the start or the end of the year. Be nice to get a couple of good rounds in always, but at the end of the day, every round I give it a 100 percent, and I want to succeed with every shot that I hit,” Korda said during the second round.

Nelly Korda has been in strong form recently, recording three top-10 finishes in her last five events, excluding the weather-shortened Walmart NW Arkansas Championship. Statistically, she remains among the LPGA Tour’s top performers, ranking third in strokes gained total, fourth in strokes gained tee to green, and first in strokes gained off the tee.

This is her first appearance in Hawaii since 2021, when she tied for second. Although the tournament has since moved to Hoakalei Country Club, Korda has adapted quickly and continues to be in a strong position to secure her first title of the season.

How has Nelly Korda performed so far at the LOTTE Championship?

Nelly Korda started her week at the Lotte Championship with a solid 3-under 69 on Thursday, recording five birdies and two bogeys. She followed it up with a bogey-free 67 on Friday that included five birdies. On Saturday, Korda stayed steady once again, carding 69 with four birdies and one bogey to move to 13-under overall heading into the final round.

Here’s a look at her hole-by-hole scorecard from Round 3: