Nelly Korda heads into the 2024 Paris Olympics as the world’s best golfer, with plenty of pressure on her to succeed.
Korda ‘really struggled’ off the tee at the US Women’s Open earlier this summer, a tournament in which she was favourite to win.
But the American missed the cut after shooting 10 over in her first two rounds at Lancaster Golf Club in Pennsylvania.
In a rollercoaster year, Korda also missed the cut at the Women’s PGA Championship, but in stark contrast previously won five tournaments in a row, and six out of seven.
She is now in the French capital to represent Team USA at the Olympics, with her compatriot Scottie Scheffler having just won gold in the men’s event.
What does Nelly Korda find ‘funny’ about golf after her Olympic practice round?
Golf fans want a mixed-team event at LA 2028, with Riviera Country Club hosting the next Olympic golf tournament.
But Korda is firmly focused on Paris, having just played a practice round at Le Golf National alongside her swing coach Jamie Mulligan.
“Hopefully trending,” Korda said of her form, as quoted by the PGA Tour website. “The game of golf is a funny game.
“Sometimes you feel on top of the world and in a matter of a couple seconds, you just feel like you’re on the bottom of the sea.
“I have gone through many, many situations where I played really bad and then all of a sudden, if I just continue working hard, and doing what I need to do, the results show after.
“They may not show right now, but if I’m making small, little improvements here and there and I’m happy with the way my game is trending, at the end of the day, I know that I have what it takes to compete and to contend.”
Can Nelly Korda defend her Olympic title at Le Golf National?
Korda can certainly be compared to both men’s stars Scheffler and Schauffele going into the event this week.
Like Scheffler, she boasts six wins this season, while just like Schauffele she is the reigning Olympic champion ahead of Paris.
And she already knows what it is like to win a major and Olympic gold in the same year, having won the Women’s PGA back in 2021, shortly before her Tokyo success.
The Chevron Championship title went her way earlier this year, with another Olympic gold surely the aim at Le Golf National.
Nelly Korda out of form ahead of the Olympics
But her recent form is a real worry, with the 26-year-old missing the cut in three of her last four events, with a tied-26th finish at the Evian Championship last month.
Controlling her emotions will be key to success, although she did let them take over after her victory in Japan, admitting: “I didn’t really know what emotions I was going to have until I stood on the stage.
“As a kid, I watched so many athletes and all their raw emotions on that podium when their flag goes up and the national anthem [plays]. And when I finally got to do it myself, there was a massive rush of emotions that go through me.”
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