Evian Championship 2022: Nelly Korda takes off shoes and plays from water, shoots 64 to sit one off the lead

Nelly Korda played a shot from the water as she got to within one shot of the lead after her first round of the Evian Championship.

The American is playing her way into form after an illness and injury-interrupted season, and she made an excellent start to the fourth major of the season.

Korda made seven birdies in a round of 64 to move within one shot of Ayaka Furue.

The world No. 3 found water on the 18th, her ninth, when attempting to reach the green in two.

Instead of taking a penalty drop, Korda took off her shoes and socks and entered the water.

Those types of shots often end badly, but Korda somehow advanced the ball to the front of the green and made par.

“I have never done anything like that,” Korda said. “I must say it is really gross, it is really slimy.”

While Korda’s length allows her to devour par fives, her iron play is as good as anyone in the game and she went at the pin on the fifth, her 14th, and it set up a simple birdie.

She had the chance to draw level with Furue on her final hole, but leaked her approach to the right and had to settle for a par and a score of seven-under.

“I was just making putts,” Korda said. “That’s generally what I struggle with the most on this course. I have figured out where to miss and where to not.

“The birdie putts are key around here and they were rolling in today.”

First Round Leaderboard

• 1. Ayaka Furue, eight-under
• T2. Nelly Korda, seven-under
• T2. Brooke Henderson, seven-under
• 4. Cheyenne Knight, six-under
• T5. Yuna Nishimura, five-under
• T5. Charley Hull, five-under
• T5. Jun Young Ko, five-under
• T5. Lydia Ko, five-under

Furue hit nine birdies and one bogey in her round of 63 to top the leaderboard.

Brooke Henderson returned to action for the first time in a couple of months, and showed no signs of rust as she opened the Evian with a round of 64.

The Canadian made six birdies and an eagle in her first round since the Women’s PGA Championship in June.

Henderson’s putting was excellent, she required only 26 putts in round one, and is happy with the decision to switch to a left-below-right technique.

“I just had a really great feeling to it,” Henderson said. “Just gave me a lot more confidence. I think that’s the main thing with putting, is just confidence and feeling good over the putts.

“That was the main thing with left-hand low for me. I feel like it has fixed a few things, few flaws in my stroke that I had, which is good.”

Defending champion Minjee Lee made a slow start to her defence, as she mixed birdies and bogeys in an opening round of 70.

Lydia Ko has an excellent record at the Evian, and the 2015 winner made a bright start with a bogey-free round of 66, the same score as Britain’s Charley Hull.

Anna Nordqvist arrived in France on the back of a win in the Netherlands at the weekend, and the Swede started well with a round of 67.