In the opening round of the Paris 2024 Olympics, Nelly Korda, the world's number one golfer, got her campaign underway to defend her Olympic gold medal. The American star finished with an even-par 72 at Le Golf National in Guyancourt, France.

Despite being well off the lead held by France's Celine Boutier, Korda's solid performance keeps her in contention for a run at the medal podium throughout the four-day tournament. A lower score in Round 2 on Thursday could potentially position the 26-year-old golfer within striking distance of the top spots.

Reflecting on her round, Korda acknowledged the challenges she faced, stating, "It's never easy when you make four three-putts out there today. Battled back on the back nine and kept myself in it." The golfer also highlighted the difference in course conditions from the practice days, noting that the greens were slower, which initially posed some difficulties. However, she found her rhythm in the back nine, offering hope for building momentum in the next three days.

Korda's performance in the first round saw her struggle on the front nine, recording three bogeys and finishing 2-over par across the first nine holes. However, she managed to salvage her round with two birdies on Holes 13 and 14, ultimately concluding the day even par.

Looking ahead, Korda is scheduled to tee off at 5:55 a.m. ET for the second round on Thursday. She will be paired with Jin Young Ko from the Republic of Korea and Ruoning Yin from China as they take on the Le Golf National course.

As the excitement continues to build at the 2024 Paris Olympics, all eyes will be on Nelly Korda as she aims to defend her Olympic gold medal.