Melanie Green ace carries her to
share of LPGA lead in Mexico. Korda is 2 behind
[May 01, 2026]
PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico (AP) Melanie Green got the
surprise of her life with a hole-in-one she didn't know she made
Thursday. It carried her to a 6-under 66 and a share of the lead
with Brianna Do after the opening round of the Riviera Maya Open at
Mayakoba.
Nelly Korda showed no real sign of slowing her pace. Despite playing
in the windier afternoon that made the fairways at El Camaleon look
even tighter, she opened with a 68 just four days after capturing
the first major of the year.
On her sixth hole of the day at the par-3 15th, Green hit a 7-iron
that landed about 20 feet short of the hole and rolled into the cup.
The announcers got excited because they could see it. Green, in her
first year on the LPGA, did not.
I was like, OK, great shot. Phenomenal. Grab the putter
normally hit the green, grab the putter, it's a cool effect.' Then
we're walking up and I'm looking at the green. There is no ball,
Green said.
She was momentarily embarrassed by having to hand her caddie the
putter and take a wedge to chip. Her caddie repaired the pitch mark,
glanced in the hole and saw her golf ball, which he knew by it being
marked with a cross.
She thought he was joking.
I walk up there and all I could see was the cross. I was so
excited, Green said. Yeah, thought I just went way left. But
whatever. Good bounce.
And it was a great start. Along with her hole-in-one, Green had five
birdies and went out in 30. She was slowed by a bogey on her final
hole but had few complaints.
Do was first off in the afternoon, before the wind reached full
strength, and opened with four birdies in five holes. She also
dropped a shot at No. 9, then played the back nine bogey-free with a
trio of birdies to join Green.
Do said it was windy in her U.S. Women's Open qualifier a few weeks
ago and it prepared for the wind coming off the Gulf of Mexico.
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Nelly Korda celebrates after winning the Chevron Championship LPGA
golf tournament Sunday, April 26, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David
J. Phillip)
I think for some reason playing in the wind helps
me kind of just play golf, instead of like playing a golf swing, Do
said.
Korda returned to No. 1 in the women's world ranking last week at
The Chevron Championship, a performance so dominant she led over the
final 57 holes and won by five.
She stuck to her commitment to Mayakoba, where she is the only
player from the top 10 in the world. Korda also started on the back
nine, and made the turn with a 7-iron that settled 15 feet right of
the cup for an eagle.
She made only one bogey and was happy with a her start playing in
the brunt of the wind. All her scoring came on the par 5s three
birdies and the eagle.
The fairways are really tight, Korda said. When it gets gusty
like this it is harder to hold them, so just hit solid drives.
Carlota Ciganda played the par 5s in even par and still managed a
67. Korda was joined at 68 by a group of players that included Gaby
Lopez and Erika Hara of Japan.
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