Korda edges Kupcho to stay alive; Hull Eagles Fairway; 12 players still unbeaten ahead of day three

In the latest LPGA T-Mobile Match Results, Nelly Korda kept her title defence alive with a narrow victory over Jennifer Kupcho at Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas. After a shaky start and a halved opening match, Korda bounced back on Thursday, edging Kupcho by one hole in a tense showdown. The defending champion was under pressure to deliver — and she did just enough to stay in contention.

Korda admitted she wasn’t playing her best golf but was grateful that match play offered room to grind out results. “Very questionable by me,” she said of her performance. “Definitely don’t have my best stuff right now. That’s the greatest thing about match play – even if you don’t have your best stuff, you have to grind it out.”

With the win, Korda moves to 1-0-1 in Group One and sets up a decisive clash on Friday with Ariya Jutanugarn, who currently leads the group after defeating Brittany Altomare 2&1. The winner of that showdown will top the group and move into the knockout rounds.

Charley Hull, meanwhile, stole the spotlight with the shot of the day. The English star holed out for an eagle from the fairway against South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai, thrilling fans and grabbing a crucial point in their second-round match. The pair tied the match and now sit level in Group Six with one win and one draw apiece.

Hull’s eagle was a momentum-shifter that kept her tournament hopes alive. “You live for moments like that,” she said afterwards. “It’s about making things happen when you need it most.”

Twelve players remain unbeaten with 2-0 records heading into Friday’s final day of group play, all poised to seal their place in the quarter-finals. Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul stayed perfect in Group Two with a win over Gaby Lopez, while Kim Sei-Young of South Korea made quick work of Yuna Nishimura, winning 4&2 in Group Four.

In Group Five, Australia’s Stephanie Kyriacou leads the way at 2-0 after beating Japan’s Ayaka Furue 4&2. But it’s Group Nine that promises the most tension, as South Korea’s Kim Hyo-Joo and Sweden’s Maja Stark both remain perfect. Their head-to-head match on Friday will determine who advances.

Lydia Ko delivered one of the most dominant displays of the day, thrashing Australia’s Gabriela Ruffels 6&5 to move into a four-way tie in Group Three. Despite mixed results, Ko is relishing the unique format. “I love this format and it’s been a lot of fun,” she said. “Yesterday I came off the day not feeling defeated. I still had a great time.”

With 64 players split across 16 groups, each golfer plays three round-robin matches before the top performer from each group moves on to the knockout stage. The final round of group play on Friday will decide the 16 who make it through to the weekend’s quarter-finals.

Korda must now get past Jutanugarn to extend her title defence, while Hull will need another standout performance in her final group match to go through. Every shot will count as the intensity ramps up in the Nevada desert.

Golf fans can catch Friday’s drama live on Sky Sports Golf, with coverage beginning at midnight UK time.