At stake for the No.1 player in women's golf is chance to win back-to-back titles on the LPGA Tour and become the first player since Annika Sorenstam in 2001 to start a season with six consecutive tournaments finishing no worse than runner-up.
She has played in the final group in all six of her tournaments this year.
Equally impressive is that Korda is coming off a win at major championship, going wire-to-wire in The Chevron Championship at Memorial Park, a big course for big hitters. El Camaleon is tight with trouble on both sides, and she's navigating that just fine.
"Even though I'm coming off a major win, I took Monday off to relax. From there, I'm here to work. I'm not on vacation," Korda said with a smile.
"It's a tough golf course. Most important for me is mentally, being relaxed. I'd be lying if I said my energy level was 100 per cent."
Korda is 14 under and Saturday's (Sunday AEST) finish included a 9-iron into a right-to-left wind to two feet on the par-3 15th, where the green is exposed to the wind of the Caribbean Sea. This was her second straight bogey-free round — her only bogey of the tournament was on her 11th hole on Thursday.
Three shots behind is Thailand's Arpichaya Yubol, whose birdie-birdie finish gave her a 66 and a spot in the final group.
"Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko, they both kind of like my idol because they play very good," Yubol said.
"And if I have to play with her tomorrow it's just like my dream is come true. So my life is complete right now."
Japanese Minami Katsu (69) was four shots behind, but Australians Gabriela Ruffels, Robyn Choi and Hira Naveed all shot 74s to be well out of contention.
Korda has not been to Mayakoba since her rookie year in 2017. She has experience on her side in one big area, however. As she goes for her third win of the year — and 18th of her career on the LPGA — the four players immediately behind her have yet to win on tour.
Yubol had the low round of the day and she gets to play with one of her golfing idols on Sunday, her birthday. She turns 24.
With AAP.
