MOBILE, May 25, 2014 (AFP) - Korda fired a bogey-free seven-under par 65, playing the last nine holes in six-under 30, to finish 72 holes on 20-under par 268 and defeat Sweden's Anna Nordqvist by one stroke.
It was the third career LPGA victory for Korda, who won the 2012 Australian Women's Open and this year's season opener in the Bahamas.
The American gave much of the credit to how well the Robert Trent Jones Trail Crossings course matched up with her skills.
"It just sets up great for my game. I can be aggressive," Korda said. "I hadn't been playing well coming in. Once I got playing, my confidence just kept rising every single day. I just love this course."
Korda birdied the par-4 seventh but was still well off the pace until the back nine, when her putts began to fall.
She began the back nine with a birdie, added another at 12 and sank a curvy 12-footer at the 14th to begin a run of three in a row, including a tense 15-footer at 15 and a tap-in at the par-5 16th to seize a two-stroke lead.
"They started dropping on the back nine," Korda said. "I was frustrated but I was able to stay patient and make some shots."
At 18, Korda curled in a birdie putt that forced Nordqvist to make an eagle to match her. The Swede dropped a long birdie putt but it only trimmed Korda's victory margin.
Korda became the third multi-event winner on the LPGA Tour this season, joining Nordqvist and Australian Karrie Webb, but she said it has been a struggle to get back into winning form.
"I have not been playing well basically since I won in the Bahamas," Korda said. "Still trying to work on the same swing thoughts... I have been working on, so for it to finally pay off here is really nice."
- Very comfortable -
Korda fired 20-under in the same event last year but finished second, one stroke behind winner Jennifer Johnson.
"This feels very comfortable," Korda said. "I feel very much at home here, and so I wouldn't say I was expecting to win but I was definitely expecting to play well."
England's Charley Hull, Scotland's Catriona Matthew and American Michelle Wie shared third on 270, with South Korean Jenny Shin on 271 and American Lexi Thompson, South Korean Ji Eun-Hee and England's Jodi Ewart Shadoff on 272.
American world number two Stacy Lewis, who had the chance to overtake South Korean Park In-Bee atop the rankings this week, failed in her bid at the top spot.
Lewis, who needed a solo third-place finish or better to become number one, fired a 71 -- the worst final round of anyone in the top 18 -- to settle for share of 10th on 273.
Also finishing on 273 were Spain's Belen Mozo, American Brittany Lincicome and South Korean Ryu So-Yeon.
Leading scores after Sunday's final round of the Airbus LPGA Classic (USA unless noted, par-72):
268 - Jessica Korda 67-67-69-65
269 - Anna Nordqvist (SWE) 68-66-66-69
270 - Michelle Wie 71-66-66-67, Charley Hull (ENG) 65-67-71-67, Catriona Matthew (SCO) 64-67-70-69
271 - Jenny Shin (KOR) 67-68-69-67
272 - Lexi Thompson 70-65-71-66, Jodi Ewart-Shadoff (ENG) 69-67-68-68, Ji Eun-Hee (KOR) 66-70-68-68
273 - Brittany Lincicome 69-69-69-66, Belen Mozo (ESP) 70-68-67-68, Ryu So-Yeon (KOR) 70-67-67-69, Stacy Lewis 66-70-66-71
274 - Chella Choi (KOR) 69-68-71-66
276 - Carlota Ciganda (ESP) 72-69-69-66, Paula Creamer 71-71-66-68, Jennifer Johnson 71-69-68-68, Julieta Granada (PAR) 67-70-71-68
277 - Hannah Jun Medlock 73-66-71-67, Paz Echeverria (CHI) 70-71-67-69, Lin Xi Yu (CHN) 69-68-71-69, Pornanong Phatlum (THA) 69-68-71-69, Paola Moreno (COL) 68-71-68-72, Haru Nomura (JPN) 71-65-70-71, Pak Se-Ri (KOR) 67-69-71-70