As the final group raced against the dwindling daylight up the 18th hole at the picturesque Pelican Golf Club, Charley Hull faced a setback when her approach shot found the water hazard, while fellow competitor Nelly Korda experienced frustration with a disappointing three-putt that marred her performance.
“I was hitting a 7-iron to the green, and usually my 7-iron in this weather is like 165 yards, 107 club. The sun then dropped, and it was kind of dark. Then it got the wind up, and I hit a really good 7-iron in and hit it pure. It just came up short in the water. Tricky little up-and-down,” reflected Hull, capturing the tough conditions faced in the final moments of the round.
“But my putt, I could barely see the hole. I couldn’t see the break or anything. So it was pretty dark to finish in,” she added, expressing her challenges in the fading light.
Korda, analyzing the situation, labeled the late start of the third round at The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican as poor planning. The scheduling intended for the TV broadcast to conclude at 5 p.m. ET, yet the final threesome, which had teed off at 12:13 p.m., didn’t finish until 5:50 p.m. Golf Channel remained on the air until the very end, much to the viewers’ delight.
Hull and Korda, both recognized as some of the fastest players on the tour, certainly cannot shoulder the blame for this scheduling conflict. The excitement mounts as the final round is set to conclude at 4:30 p.m. ET, promising another thrilling finish on Golf Channel.
Leading the pack, Hull sits comfortably at 12 under, while Korda—who has famously clinched this event twice—finds herself just one stroke behind alongside China’s Weiwei Zhang. Korda is eyeing her seventh title of the season, whereas Zhang is battling for full status for the upcoming 2025 season.
“I just felt it’s an amazing day today,” said Zhang, who dazzled the crowd by carding a career-low 8-under 62. “I can’t say anything. Just I don’t know how to play that well today,” she expressed, overwhelmed by her performance.
There’s a considerable amount at stake Sunday at Pelican, which consistently delivers a top-tier finish year after year. Besides competing for the coveted trophy, players are also vying for a coveted spot in the 60-player CME Group Tour Championship, as well as their status for the upcoming season. South Korea’s Jin Hee Im, currently trailing by three, aims to make a significant leap in the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year race.
In a moment of nostalgia, two-time major winner Brittany Lincicome, a local favorite residing in nearby St. Petersburg, prepares for her final round as a full-time player on Sunday. After carding a second consecutive 69, Lincicome finds herself tied for 36th place and is set to tee off at 9:12 a.m. alongside fellow golfers Ally Ewing and Jiwon Jeon.
Lincicome, who has her husband, Dewald Gouws, caddying for her this week, intends to have her father, Tom, step in to carry her home on the 18th hole during her emotional last round. This poignant moment will undoubtedly resonate with fans and players alike, as the beloved mother of two bids farewell to her full-time golfing career.
What challenges did Charley Hull and Nelly Korda face during the late rounds at Pelican Golf Club?
**Interview with Charley Hull and Nelly Korda: Reflecting on the Challenges at Pelican Golf Club**
**Editor**: Thank you both for joining us today. It seemed like a tough finish to the day at Pelican Golf Club. Charley, let’s start with you. Can you walk us through that pivotal moment on the 18th hole?
**Charley Hull**: Sure! It was definitely a challenging situation. I was hitting a 7-iron to the green, and normally in that weather, I can cover about 165 yards with it. But as the sun started to set, it got pretty dark, and the wind kicked up a bit. I hit a really solid shot but unfortunately, it landed short and ended up in the water. It just turned into a tricky up-and-down from there.
**Editor**: It sounds frustrating. You mentioned the light conditions being a factor. How did that impact your game?
**Charley Hull**: Oh, absolutely. When I was putting, I could barely see the hole. It was hard to gauge the break and really difficult to finish that way. I think that affected both my and Nelly’s performance as the light faded; it just added to the pressure.
**Editor**: Nelly, you expressed frustration about the scheduling of the third round. Can you elaborate on that?
**Nelly Korda**: Yeah, it was certainly a bit concerning. We all want to give our best on the course, but starting so late and finishing in the dark feels like poor planning. The intention was for this round to wrap up well before dark for TV audiences, but we didn’t finish until almost 6 p.m.! I know the Golf Channel kept viewers engaged, but it was stressful for us out there.
**Editor**: With both of you being some of the fastest players on tour, this scheduling situation seems particularly frustrating. How do you plan to approach the final round tomorrow?
**Charley Hull**: We’ve just got to stay focused and learn from today. I think being prepared for anything is key. Regardless of the situation, we need to play our game and keep our mental game strong.
**Nelly Korda**: I agree. We’re on a beautiful course, and at the end of the day, we still love what we do. We’ll just take it one hole at a time and hope for better conditions.
**Editor**: Great insights! Best of luck to both of you in the final round. Thank you for your time.
**Charley Hull & Nelly Korda**: Thank you!
