'Tiger’s Kids': Nelly Korda Explains What Majors Mean to Her Legacy

It all started in 2013, when a teenage Nelly Korda went to the practice range at the U.S. Women’s Open at Sebonack. From that moment, she felt she wanted to be part of this level of golf.

“Growing up, the only time I watched my sister compete was in major championships,” Korda said. “Seeing the amazing shots and how much it means to every person that has come before us to win a major, and then how much that has inspired other generations to keep wanting to come out and grind.”

Major titles became the real measure of success for her, not money, world rankings, or scoring averages. “They are the reason I started playing this game,” Korda said about majors.

She began the final round with a five-shot lead, bringing added pressure. Playing it safe is not her style. After a bogey on the 12th, she bounced back with a birdie on the 13th.

Her sister Jessica was there to support her, and after the win, both jumped into the temporary pool near the 18th green, a tradition Korda enjoys continuing.

Nelly Korda’s Real Story Behind Her 2026 Dominance

Korda did not win in 2025. Her stats were slightly better than in 2024, when she won seven times, but she had no trophies. She later pointed towards one main issue.

“I was getting frustrated, and I started overanalyzing everything,” she said. “Sometimes there is power in just letting go.”

In 2026, Korda finished first or second in all six of her starts. Only Karrie Webb (2000) and Annika Sorenstam (2001) matched that start, while her 28th final group appearance, five more than any since 2017, also puts her among the few to win three majors before 28.

The U.S. Women’s Open is next in early June at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California. For now, Korda says she has no magic number in mind.