United Kingdom, 21 Aug (V7N)-World number one Nelly Korda is aiming to regain her early-season dominance as the Women's British Open returns to St. Andrews this week. Korda had an exceptional run earlier this year, winning six out of seven LPGA Tour events from January to May, including her second major at the Chevron Championship. However, her recent performances have been less impressive, with her best finish since then being a tie for 22nd at the Olympics. Korda struggled at the season's other three majors, missing the cut at both the US Open and PGA Championship and finishing tied for 26th at the Evian Championship.
Korda acknowledged that she has been making consecutive mistakes recently, which has affected her game. Reflecting on her performance at the Paris Games, where a poor finish took her out of contention to defend her Olympic gold medal from Tokyo, she emphasized the need to control her mistakes better.
World number two Lilia Vu, the defending champion, is excited about her first experience playing at St. Andrews, the iconic home of golf. Vu is trying to soak in the experience and is not putting too much pressure on herself to defend her title, noting that defending feels like having something to lose.
Vu will be grouped with Korda and last year's runner-up, Charley Hull, for the first two rounds. Hull, the top British contender, is recovering from a shoulder injury that forced her to miss the Evian Championship last month. She is hopeful the weather remains mild in Scotland, as cold temperatures could aggravate her condition. Hull, who suffers from degenerative arthritis in her shoulder, is eager to compete and aims to keep the area warm. The world number 10 is still seeking her first major win, and securing it at St. Andrews would be particularly meaningful for her.
New Zealand's Lydia Ko, who recently won gold in Paris, is now focused on ending her eight-year drought to secure her third major title. The Women's British Open not only offers glory and a $9 million prize purse but also serves as the final qualifying event for both the European and American teams ahead of next month's Solheim Cup. Europe is aiming to retain the trophy for a record fourth time after last year's dramatic 14-14 tie in Spain.
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