Nelly Korda is officially back to her winning ways. By taking the Chevron Championship title in Texas last weekend, the first women’s Major of the season, she’s sent a clear message to the rest of the field. While it felt like a foregone conclusion when she headed into the final round with a five-shot cushion, we all know how quickly things can shift when Major championship pressure is on. She stayed composed, though, and got the job done at 18-under, finishing five shots clear of Patty Tavatanakit and Ruoning Yin.
With this win, Nelly has reclaimed the World No. 1 spot from Jeeno Thitikul. It’s going to be fascinating to see if she can tap into another history-making run like she did back in 2024, when she became only the third player ever to win five consecutive LPGA titles. She seems to have that unbeatable aura about her again.
Closer to home, it was brilliant to see the English contingent showing up so strongly. Lottie Woad and Charley Hull did fantastically well to finish tied 7th and 10th respectively. It’s such a proud moment for British golf to have both of them currently ranked inside the world’s top 10. It really feels like we’re in a golden era for our homegrown talent.
I watched quite a lot of the coverage on TV over the weekend, and I’m always encouraging you to do the same. It’s not just because the golf is world-class, but because there is so much we can learn just by observing. Whether it’s their disciplined pre-shot routines, their short game technique, especially out of the sand, or the deliberate, patient way they approach their putting. Seeing how the pros take their time and stay present is such a great reminder for our own games, especially now that the competition season is officially underway.
Talking of putting, it reminds me of this article by Katie Dawkins on the world’s best female putters. The stats might be from 2023, but the lessons are timeless, and I definitely should have re-read it before heading out last Saturday!
I left far too many shots out there on the greens, and it was a reminder that putting is often the one part of the game we all neglect to practice. We do, or should, spend time on the range, but a few more minutes on the putting green could make all the difference to our scorecard.
I also like to see what the pros are wearing… but that was another story entirely during Sunday evening’s viewing. Nelly was wearing a Nike racerback top, which appears to have caused quite a stir on the Women’s Golf Lounge Facebook page.
Opinions were split, with a debate over whether the look was modern and sporty or simply showing too much flesh for the golf course, with many women asking if it would be allowed at their own home clubs. Personally, I thought she looked amazing. I was surprised at first, as I thought the LPGA dress code excluded racerbacks, but because Nelly’s had a collar, it was fine. Now, if only I played and looked like Nelly!
Alison Root
Women's Editor Golf Monthly
