Nelly Korda is making the Riviera Maya Open look like her own personal highlight reel. After three rounds at Mayakoba, the world number one sits comfortably atop the leaderboard, holding a three-stroke advantage heading into Sunday's final round. With scores of 68, 67, and 67, she's been a model of consistency—and dominance.
This season, Korda has been nothing short of sensational. In just five LPGA Tour starts, she's already racked up two wins and three runner-up finishes. Coming off a victory at the Chevron Championship last week, the 27-year-old from Bradenton, Florida, is showing no signs of slowing down. It's a remarkable turnaround after a winless 2025 campaign, and she's clearly making up for lost time.
But it's not just her game that's drawing attention—it's the crowds. Mayakoba has been buzzing all week, and Korda is undoubtedly the fan favorite. That's nothing new for the superstar, who receives overwhelming support wherever she tees it up. When asked about the atmosphere in Mexico, Korda didn't hold back.
"The crowds have been great. The location is great," Korda said with a smile. "It's been nice. I haven't been back here in a really long time. When you have the vibe that you have on 18, it is a lot of fun, but it is hot out here. So, I show much appreciation to the fans who come out and stuck out all 18 holes."
Korda will have that same energy behind her on Sunday as she chases her 18th LPGA Tour victory. But standing in her way is Arpichaya Yubol, the 24-year-old from Thailand who sits three shots back. For Yubol, this is more than just a final-round pairing—it's a dream come true.
"All right. It's like my dream come true," Yubol said, beaming. "I never play with her before. Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko—they both are like my idol, kind of like that, because they play very good. If I have to play with her tomorrow, it's just like my dream is come true. So my life is complete right now."
Yubol certainly has the game to make it interesting, but she'll need to be at her absolute best to catch a player who seems unstoppable right now. One thing's for sure: Sunday at Mayakoba is going to be a show.