Few would have ever believed it had they been told at the start of the year that Nelly Korda would reach The Women’s Open without tasting victory on the LPGA in 2025.
Nelly Korda enjoyed one of the most impressive seasons of all-time in 2024. The world number one won seven times, including at the Chevron Championship.
And just when it seemed like Lydia Ko or Jeeno Thitikul may be about to push her out of the spotlight, Korda won The ANNIKA after making five birdies in a row on the back nine on Sunday.
Korda now goes into the final major of this year still awaiting her first win.
What has been weird about Nelly Korda’s year as she prepares for The Women’s Open
It is not as if Korda has had a poor year by any means. The 27-year-old is currently sixth in the Race to CME Globe standings. She is the only player in the top eight without a victory in 2025.
But there is an aspect of her year which has been quite odd to see. Speaking on 5 Clubs ahead of The Women’s Open this week, commentator Grant Boone noted that he has been taken aback by how rarely Korda has been in the conversation to win events in recent months.
“It’s been brilliant, and yet frustrating. Here’s what’s really interesting, last year, of course, she wins six times before June and sets all kinds of LPGA records historically. And then she has the weirdest summer you’ve ever seen. She misses the cut at the US Women’s Open, makes a 10 on her third hole of the tournament. Then she’s one off the lead at Sahalee at the KPMG Women’s PGA, then misses the cut with a horrible Friday and then gets bitten by a dog, literally adding injury to insult. And then she has a so-so Amundi Evian Championship and then gets herself in position right there on the back nine with the lead to win the AIG Women’s Open, costly double bogey. Comes back, wins at Pelican down in the Tampa area. Seven win season, great,” he said.
“This year, her scoring average is better. What’s weird is, with the exception of the US Women’s Open, she really hasn’t been there in the last two or three holes on a Sunday with a great chance to win. And so I think, for Nelly, it’s continuing to play well, continuing to find a way to get herself a reasonable shot. Nelly can do anything. But for her, it’s about giving yourself a reasonable shot to get it done on Sunday afternoon.
“I think this is going to be another week in which Nelly plays well. She doesn’t have bad weeks. She hasn’t missed a cut all year. She played well again this last week at the Scottish Open which she’d never played before. And you’re going to get to, potentially with Porthcawl, some nasty weather. When the weather gets terrible, give me the person who hits the ball the most squarely and there’s nobody that does that better than Nelly.”
How Nelly Korda has performed at The Women’s Open during her career
The Women’s Scottish Open arguably perfectly illustrated Boone’s point. Korda was tied for second and two shots off the lead at the halfway stage at Dundonald Links.
However, she could not find the gear she needed on Saturday and largely remained in neutral. That third round cost her a realistic chance of winning the event.
The good news is that Korda’s record at The Women’s Open is very impressive.
She has not missed the cut since her debut in the event in 2017. Meanwhile, she has five top 15 finishes in the last six years. Korda, of course, finished tied for second at St Andrews last year.
Much may come down to how the weather is on her side of the draw over the first two days. But Korda clearly has the tools to play in a way at The Women’s Open which makes 2025’s major championship season the best of her career.
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