Nelly Korda showcased her resilience and skill at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship in Frisco, Texas, shooting an even-par 72 in the opening round despite battling a nagging neck injury. The world's top-ranked golfer aggravated her neck during a practice round earlier in the week, but she managed to stay focused and deliver a solid performance under tough conditions.

Korda, a two-time major champion, admitted that the injury affects her neck rotation and makes it difficult to sleep comfortably. However, she remains optimistic about her recovery. "It's better, yeah. Getting better every day, which is nice," Korda said. "Just takes me like a week to kind of recover when I tweak my neck now."

In the first round, Korda carded two birdies and two bogeys, finishing four shots behind Jeeno Thitikul, the tournament leader at 4-under 68. Despite the challenging Texas heat and windy conditions, Korda expressed satisfaction with her performance. "Overall I mean, even par to start the major... it was windier in the morning than I thought it would be. So played a little tougher. Yeah, I'm pretty happy with my first round in the conditions," she said.

Korda's round included a series of impressive shots, including a 294-yard drive on the par-4 seventh hole and a crucial birdie on the par-5 ninth after getting free relief from a temporary structure. "It's great to rebound with a birdie. Wasn't sure where to drop. The grass was like pavement. It was so firm, it's been walked on a lot," Korda explained. "Whenever you get to bounce back with a birdie and you get to kind of have in a sense a fresh start for the next nine holes, that's always good."

As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on Korda to see if she can overcome her injury and continue to compete at the highest level. Her determination and skill make her a formidable contender in this prestigious event.