Bradenton's Nelly Korda crushes Bradenton Country Club for a United States Women's Open qualifying berth

BRADENTON -- In the past two years, Nelly Korda's trips to the United States Women's Open sectional qualifiers have ended in heartbreak.

There was the playoff defeat for one of the final berths into the women's golf major two years ago.

Then, last year, Korda bogeyed her final hole and watched as she missed the final qualifying berth awarded at the Bradenton Country Club by one shot.

So on Monday at the same venue that produced a bittersweet ending in 2015, Korda, a Bradenton native, pushed all doubt aside.

She fired a 65-67-132 for the 36-hole qualifier to gain medalist honors on the 6,277-yard, par-71 Donald Ross-designed layout.

"I was really upset," Korda said about missing out last year by a shot. "My goal this year was not to get into that type of situation. I did not want feel like that. It's the worst feeling. Being so close, it's like it's there but it's not there."

The top two scorers on Monday advanced to July's U.S. Women's Open, held at CordValle Golf Club in San Martin, Calif.

Jodi Ewart-Shadoff joined Korda with a 70-67-137 total.

Korda credited her putting for getting her into this year's U.S. Women's Open.

Her older sister, Jessica, is an LPGA Tour mainstay and already is in the field. The two have a friendly sibling rivalry, Nelly Korda said. Alongside their younger brother Sebastian, who plays tennis, the Korda siblings motivate each other, Nelly Korda said.

They speak in what Nelly Korda described as "Czechlish," a mix of Czech and English. On the course with father and former Grand Slam tennis champion Petr Korda caddying for her, it's

strictly Czech to communicate.

"It's his first language, so he explains stuff a bit better than what he'd do in English," Nelly Korda said. "I get to exercise the language a bit more."

Keeping up with her roots -- both her parents are from the Czech Republic, while their children were born in Bradenton -- Nelly Korda has found herself even using Czech on the golf course when thinking.

"Even now, I sometimes count my steps in yards in Czech, and I'm like, 'What am I doing,'" she said.

To prepare for the Bradenton Country Club's test on Monday, Nelly Korda said she played a practice round with big sister Jessica Korda, who offered some tips on course management and the swing.

Add in the work she's been doing with swing instructor David Whelan and Nelly Korda was primed for a scorching result.

"We were trying to improve every aspect, because there were some loose ends here and there," said Korda, who will make her major debut as a professional after playing a couple as an amateur in the past.

Meanwhile, Ewart-Shadoff faced a three-shot deficit entering the afternoon round. However, the England native and former Manatee County resident is not a scoreboard watcher. So she had no idea where she stood.

Instead, her ball striking crept her up the leaderboard, while a few putts dropped en route to a 4-under par 67 in the second round.

"It was just keep doing what you are doing mentality," said Ewart-Shadoff, who turned at 3-under par heading into her final nine on Monday. "I wasn't really stressing about anything."

Ewart-Shadoff also said she was patient.

That allowed for a steady approach, which gave her the final qualifying berth and entry into the July tournament at a course, CordValle Golf Club, that fits her eye.

"It's long, it's not too tight off the tee (and) the greens are pretty big," Ewart-Shadoff said.

Ya Chun Chang grabbed the first alternate position in a playoff with Youngin Chun, who earned the second alternate berth, after the pair posted 139 totals. Chang had the low round of the day with a 64 in the afternoon session.

Jason Dill, sports reporter, can be reached at 745-7017 or via email at jdill@bradenton.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jason__Dill and like his Facebook page at Jason Dill Bradenton Herald.

This story was originally published May 17, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Bradenton's Nelly Korda crushes Bradenton Country Club for a United States Women's Open qualifying berth ."