Nelly Korda wins Chevron Championship for five in a row that deserves wider acclaim

Nelly Korda has fulfilled her part, and now it is up to the golf industry to utilize her incredible skills to their fullest potential.

The 25-year-old American won the Chevron Championship in Texas last Sunday, earning her a second major title. This win allowed her to match the LPGA Tour record of five consecutive victories.

Korda has matched the record of celebrated golfers Nancy Lopez (1978) and Annika Sorenstam (2004-5) with her impressive performance. These three athletes are well-known in the golfing world by their first names and are regarded as superstars.

However, the inquiry continues regarding the extent of influence Korda's streak of victories will have beyond the golf community.

She deserves to be recognized as one of the top athletes of our era, just as Scottie Scheffler's consistent winning streak in men's sports does too.

We are presenting two golf players who have given impressive performances that should capture the attention of all sports enthusiasts, not merely golf followers.

However, their victories have corresponded with a steady decline in the number of viewers watching golf on television throughout the United States, which happens to be the sport's largest market.

Korda and Scheffler, who recently won the Masters, are both exhibiting exceptional skills that deserve more recognition. Scheffler continued his success by winning the RBC Heritage tournament after receiving the coveted Augusta Green Jacket.

Following his victories at Bay Hill and the Players, as well as a second-place finish in Houston, the towering Dallas-based player has proven himself to be superior to all others in men's golf.

The reigning Olympic champion, Korda, has demonstrated that she possesses the same qualities. She has shown this by confirming the sense of fate that surrounded her during a chaotic week in Texas.

In order to get where she is now, she had to overcome some severe health problems. This included having a blood clot in her arm in 2022, which happened right after she won her first major at the KPMG PGA.

Golf was no longer a top priority. "I became more concerned about my wellbeing," Korda confessed.

Participating in competitions was not a priority for me. I did not consider entering any competitions whatsoever.

Despite the tough periods and health issues I've faced, I believe they've moulded me into the person I am at present.

I believe that my experience has greatly developed my character and influenced who I am now. I appreciate both the good and bad times that have contributed to my growth.

She maintained her composure at the Chevron tournament despite being placed in a challenging position during the first two rounds. During the first round held on Thursday, she didn't let the challenging wind conditions hold her back and scored birdies on four out of the last six holes, which helped her gain immediate recognition as a strong contender.

Throughout the remainder of the tournament, her name continued to stay strong on the leaderboards. The champion who won a gold medal in Tokyo had to wake up early at 4:00 am in the local time to finish her third round on Sunday morning. When she started her last 18 holes, she was only one shot behind the leader.

On the last day, the refreshing and breezy winds worked to her advantage because she possesses amazing ball striking skills and remarkable poise. At the moment, none of her competitors can match her ability to hit the ball at such a high level.

The fact that Korda managed to hold the green with her second shot on the closing par five at Carlton Woods near Houston, was a perfect example of her skillset. It was a challenging feat, and only a few players were able to accomplish it.

The wind was blowing directly, and the area where you putt was very firm even though there was a lot of rain that had stopped play the day before.

Korda was under immense stress. The past was at stake. "I felt a lot of anxiety during the last nine holes," she confessed. "I desperately desired to win."

She had to wait an endless amount of time to take her second shot because the speed of the game was very slow, similar to at the Masters. Despite this, the top-ranked player is known for being a fast player on the course.

Finally, the moment had arrived to swing the golf club, and she made a magnificent shot. While she walked towards where the ball had landed, she examined the club and noticed the ball mark was right in the center of its face.

Finally, a smile spread across her face. With three attempts left, she was able to achieve a win that equaled the record and marked her 13th LPGA title. However, she only required two putts to secure her triumph.

She expressed that it feels incredible to comprehend that she is capable of enduring this period. She also noted that as long as she remains focused and maintains simplicity in her golf game, she can enjoy endless amounts of amusement while she is out here.

Rephrased: Achieving five consecutive wins is already an amazing feat, but it feels even more special to me since my lucky number is 13 and I was able to accomplish it here in Houston as a major achievement.

The discussion I had with the person driving my taxi on my way back from the course was not very positive. "Did a competition occur?" was the question asked by the driver.

He had company. Except for one of the many drivers who took me to and from the course last week, I had to provide an explanation of what was transpiring in this green area of the Woodlands.

I must confess that the poll was not based on scientific facts, but it was still an eye-opener about golf's inability to appeal to a wider audience, even when important events are taking place.

Just before Korda started her mission last Thursday, the television broadcast in the United States stopped featuring Texas and started showing the first round of the men's PGA Tour competition in Georgia. The Chevron move to a specialized cable channel.

During the afternoon in the press room, we spent a considerable amount of time observing Rory McIlroy and Ludvig Åberg in a prominent pairing at the Heritage tournament, rather than focusing on the main attraction of the competition we were reporting on.

Even though we had two major events in the US that took place in back-to-back weeks, it appeared that I was the lone journalist who was present and reported from both occasions.

Although the following argument may appear as biased towards golf-related media, it begs to question how women's golf can attain greater recognition without receiving substantial coverage?

Compared to the content created by men, the investment made by TV networks is insufficient. They lack the necessary resources to capture additional footage and hide the negative impacts of slow play, as was done by broadcasters covering the Masters.

If you believe that male sports are superior to women's, then perhaps you should take a look at the influence that Caitlin Clark has had in the basketball realm.

As mentioned before, the initial draft of the WNBA led to higher TV ratings compared to the Masters and college games.

It's a significant point for women's sports and, fortunately, golf has a remarkable player like Nelly Korda to take advantage of it. It's imperative for the sport to step up to the plate and make the most of this opportunity.

If this happens, then the upcoming talent supporting Korda can look forward to a promising future.

One remarkable individual in the field is Lottie Woad from the UK, who, on her first major tournament appearance, was able to match Charley Hull and Georgia Hall from her country and end at one under par, securing a tie for the 23rd position.

The young lady, aged 20 and from Farnham, shared that the past weeks have been an exhilarating experience. She triumphantly emerged as the winner of the Augusta National Women's Amateur, thereby securing her participation in the Chevron tournament.

Woad mentioned that it was gratifying for her to observe that her game was not too dissimilar when analyzed closely with professionals.

She is an incredibly promising contender, an amazing hitter of the ball and very confident when putting on the greens.

According to former Women's Open champion Karen Stupples, there is something unique and noteworthy about her. She possesses a distinctive British demeanor, yet exhibits a powerful self-assurance that comes from within.

Woad is currently playing college games, but will make a comeback at the prestigious US Open in late May.

Hopefully, individuals will be observing. The achievements of Korda indicate that there should not be any justifications.