Nelly Korda Stays in Contention at Aramco Championship

Nelly Korda is positioned for a strong finish at the Aramco Championship in Las Vegas after finishing the opening round one shot behind the leaders.

The first round of the tournament took place on April 3, 2026, at the Shadow Creek Golf Course. Korda, an American professional golfer and former world number one, carded a 4-under 68 to place her in a tie for fourth position.

Korda shares her current standing with Hyo Joo Kim, a South Korean professional golfer and former major champion and Jing Yan. All three players remain just one stroke off the pace as the competition moves into the weekend.

Opening Round Leaderboard

The top of the leaderboard after the first round is crowded, with three players tied for the lead. Lauren Coughlin, Nasa Hataoka, and Miyu Yamashita each shot a 5-under 67 to share the lead.

Hataoka is a Japanese professional golfer with multiple LPGA Tour wins, while Yamashita is a Japanese professional currently in her second season on the LPGA Tour. Coughlin is an American professional golfer on the tour.

Rounding out the top scores from the first day of competition was Gemma Dryburgh, who carded a 3-under 69.

Tournament Details and Course Specifications

The 2026 Aramco Championship is a high-profile LPGA Tour event held in partnership with Golf Saudi. The tournament is scheduled to run from March 30 to April 5, 2026, featuring a 120-player field competing for a $4 million prize purse.

The competition is being hosted at the Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas. For this event, the par-72 course played at a length of 6,765 yards.

Player Context and Field Notes

Nelly Korda entered the event as a significant contender, bringing a record of 11 LPGA Tour wins and the title of 2024 T-Mobile Match Play winner. Korda has maintained a strong trajectory throughout the early part of the 2026 season, having been in contention as early as January 29, 2026.

While several stars are competing for the title, some prominent names are absent from the 120-player field. Lexi Thompson, who has 11 LPGA Tour wins and won the 2014 Chevron Championship, is not participating in the 2026 Aramco Championship.

Thompson announced her semi-retirement in 2024 and has since played a limited schedule. She recently married Max Provost and has appeared in only one LPGA tournament this season, the Ford Championship presented by Wild Horse Pass, where she did not make the cut.

Georgia Hall, a major champion who won the 2018 Women’s British Open and the 2022 Saudi Ladies International, is also absent from the event.

The competition will conclude on April 5, 2026, as the leaders and those trailing by a single stroke, including Korda, vie for the championship title.