Nelly Korda hits from a fairway bunker on the ninth hole Sunday during the final round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Johns Creek, Ga. John Bazemore/Associated Press

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Nelly Korda powered her way to her first major championship Sunday with a performance worthy of her new status as the No. 1 player in women’s golf.

Korda nearly holed out with a 7-wood from 243 yards for a tap-in eagle, and the 22-year-old American seized control by using her length from that graceful swing for another eagle that sent her on her way to victory in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

She finished with a 15-foot par putt for a 4-under 68, giving her a three-shot victory over Lizette Salas at the Atlanta Athletic Club.

At 19-under 269, she tied the Women’s PGA record to par last matched by Inbee Park at Westchester Country Club in 2015.

Korda won for the second straight week and third time this year, and it was enough to become the first American at No. 1 in the women’s world rankings since Stacy Lewis in 2014. Jin Young Ko had held the No. 1 spot for nearly two years.

“I put in a lot of work,” Korda said. “To get three wins under my belt and get a major, I don’t even have words.”

Her only mistake came when it didn’t matter.

Korda seized control with an iron into the par-5 12th for an 8-foot eagle putt, a three-shot swing when Salas – who had to lay up on the hole – hit wedge over the green into a bunker and made bogey.

Korda made an 18-foot birdie putt on No. 14 to stretch her lead to five shots with four holes to play. She ended 49 consecutive holes without a bogey when she hit into the water on the par-3 15th for a double bogey.

But she steadied herself with a pair of pars and played it conservatively down the par-5 closing hole over water.

Salas closed with a 71 in her bid to win a first major, and her first LPGA Tour title in seven year.

Korda’s older sister, Jessica, was among the first to embrace her on the 18th green as the tears began to below, and before long the newest major champion was doused with champagne.

It was a big celebration for one of the top sporting families in the world. The Korda sisters each have six LPGA victories. Their younger brother, Sebastian, is at Wimbledon this week as the 50th-ranked player in men’s tennis and has a chance to join them in Tokyo for the Olympics.

Their father is Petr Korda, who won the Australian Open in tennis in 1998.

Korda is the first American to win a major since Angela Stanford three years ago in the Women’s British Open.

PGA: Harris English birdied the eighth hole of sudden death to win the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut, beating Kramer Hickok after both birdied the final hole of regulation to force the playoff.

It matched the second-longest sudden-death playoff in PGA Tour history.

English shot a 5-under 65 to finish the fourth round at 13 under, then made a 5-foot putt on the seventh trip down the 18th hole of the day. Hickok had missed a 36-foot birdie putt and finished the playoff with eight consecutive pars.

It was the second win this year and the fourth career victory for English, who finished third at the U.S. Open last week – and fourth in the pandemic-delayed U.S. Open in September. He won $1,368,000 and 500 FedEx Cup points, moving into second in the standings.

CHAMPIONS TOUR: Steve Stricker won the Bridgestone Seniors Players Championship at difficult Firestone in Akron, Ohio, for his second PGA Tour Champions victory of the year and third major title.

Stricker closed with an even-par 70 and finished at 7-under 273 for a six-stroke victory over defending champion and Wisconsin friend Jerry Kelly.

Fred Couples shot a 67 to tie for third with David Toms (70) at even par.