Nelly Korda lost the 2026 Fortinet Founders Cup by one shot to Hyo Joo Kim after missing a three-foot par putt on the 17th hole during the final round. Despite erasing a five-shot deficit with a flurry of birdies, the late error doomed her comeback at Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club. Korda called it one stupid mistake.
In the final round of the 2026 Fortinet Founders Cup, World No. 2 Nelly Korda started five shots behind leader Hyo Joo Kim. After an early bogey on the second hole, Korda responded with five birdies on the front nine and a sixth at the par-5 10th, tying Kim at 17 under par with eight holes left to play. Kim then bogeyed the 16th to lead by one heading to the par-3 17th. Korda reached the green with her tee shot, but missed her birdie putt, leaving a three-foot par try. She missed low, resulting in a 3-putt bogey that dropped her two shots back. Kim, chipping from deep rough, set up a similar-length par putt and drained it for a key save. On the closing par-5 18th, Kim made bogey while Korda managed only par, securing Kim's one-shot victory. After the round, Korda reflected: “Obviously, something like 17 stings, so it is what it is. I felt great all day. I just kind of made one stupid mistake, and that was 17 (and then) 18. I wish I could have hit that drive into the fairway and given myself a better opportunity to press a little bit more.” She added, “That’s just golf. Those are sports. Sometimes it’s on your side, and sometimes it’s not.” The defeat comes after Korda's first win of the season at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in late January, shortened controversially to 54 holes due to freezing temperatures. LPGA commissioner Craig Kessler later apologized in a memo, noting it was a tough judgment call.
