The cutline was 1-over par, just about what was expected given the major-championship conditions of the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills. But what wasn’t expected was the fast and furious start a couple of players made in the warm morning hours on Saturday, long before the leaders teed off.

First came Jessica Korda. The winner of the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions was first player out. Because an odd number made the cut, Korda went out alone and played at a pace that would have made Old Tom Morris proud. From the first tee shot until the final putt, Korda took 2 hours and 53 minutes to shoot 68. And for a long time, it looked a lot better than that. The 28-year-old was 6-under par for the round through 17 holes, but a pushed tee shot into thick rough on 18, followed by a layup in a divot and a chunked wedge into the water, resulted in a double-bogey finish.

“After yesterday being really slow and waiting on just about every shot, this was really, really nice,” Korda said. “The way golf should be played.”

Speaking of how the game should be played, Stacy Lewis played 18 near-perfect holes in the middle of this championship. They just happened to be on the same nine holes.

Starting on the back nine on Friday, Lewis shot 38 and turned at plus-6 for the championship, well outside the cut line. Her parents, Dale and Carol, were already looking at change fees for their flight home when Stacy birdied No.1 (her 10th hole of the day). Late in the afternoon, Lewis rolled in a birdie at No. 9 to shoot 31 and make the cut on the number.

Back out on the front nine on Saturday morning, Lewis picked up where she left off. She made six birdies and no bogeys to shoot 30 – an unofficial 61 on the front nine. But the back bit her again. Lewis made triple-bogey on the par-3 14th and closed with a 37 for a respectable 67 on Saturday.

“I hit a lot of fairways, hit a lot of really good iron shots and I really didn't miss a golf shot until 14,” Lewis said. “So just hit it really solid and got the putter going late yesterday. But it’s pretty crazy. I mean, you add those two nines together and I shoot 61, so that’s pretty sweet.”

Fast and Furious: Korda and Lewis Make Early Waves On Saturday Morning

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