In the vibrant setting of North Las Vegas, the T-Mobile Match Play event provided thrilling moments as defending champion Nelly Korda found herself in an unexpected stalemate against Brittany Altomare. Altomare, who recently returned to competitive golf after an 18-month hiatus for motherhood, demonstrated the unpredictable nature of match play. Despite her world ranking of No. 828, Altomare leveled the match from being 2 down with four holes remaining, winning the 15th with a par and the 16th with a birdie. On the final hole, Altomare sealed the halve with a determined 4-foot bogey putt as Korda was off-target with her par attempt from the fringe.
Altomare, reflecting on the match, remarked, “It’s match play, so anything can happen. To end up in a tie was a win for me. Nelly is a great player.” As the tournament progresses with a round-robin format among sixteen groups of four, Korda still retains a chance to advance to the knockout stages over the weekend.
In other performances, Hyo Joo Kim, fresh off a playoff victory in Phoenix last week, made quick work of Bailey Tardy with a resounding 8-and-7 victory. Meanwhile, Brooke Henderson delivered a dominant 6-and-5 win over Ireland’s Leona Maguire. Yet, as with every year, the unique format of match play revealed the unpredictable spirit of competition.
A dramatic comeback was showcased by Albane Valenzuela, who was 5 down at the halfway point against Megan Khang but managed a stunning recovery to level the match by the 16th hole. However, Khang held her nerve, executing a precise shot from the fairway that nestled close to the pin, keeping her in contention. Valenzuela struggled with a challenging long putt, leading to multiple setbacks and eventually conceding the match. Khang expressed relief, acknowledging the tension of the win.
Jenny Shin endured a heart-wrenching loss after holding a 3-up advantage. A Lim Kim leveled the match with a birdie on the 17th. On the final hole, Shin aggressively attempted a birdie putt but overshot, ultimately missing the par putt and conceding victory.
England’s Charley Hull broke a tied match with Alexa Pano by winning five consecutive holes on the back nine for a 5-and-3 victory. In another match, Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul, ranked No. 2 in the world, dispatched Danielle Kang with a 6-and-5 win. Kang, a Las Vegas local, entered the tournament via a sponsor exemption but currently finds herself ranked No. 375 in the world.
An opening day of surprises also saw four of the top eight seeds suffer losses. Third-seeded Lydia Ko faced a decisive 6-and-4 defeat by Hira Naveed, who only two days prior was the alternate. Naveed embraced the challenge, saying, “Having Lydia as the first girl to play, I knew I had the task at hand. Just went out there and played fearless golf and hit some great shots and made putts.” Other notable losses included Haeran Ryu, Ruoning Yin, and Jin Young Ko.
Overall, the dynamic nature of the T-Mobile Match Play is setting an exhilarating scene for fans and players alike with its unexpected turns and intense rivalries.