Nelly Korda's Dominance: Is This the Summer of Nelly? Plus, Ryder Cup Lessons & Golf Ticket Outrage
Alright, let’s cut the crap. Golf’s been a bit wild lately. You got Nelly Korda absolutely crushing it again, which is awesome, but then there’s this Ryder Cup drama and ticket prices that are just… well, they’re something else. Let’s dive in. This ain’t your grandpa’s golf chat. This is the real deal.
Nelly Korda: Back on Top, and It Feels Different
Nelly Korda just blitzed the Chevron Championship. Won by five. Her third major. Two years ago, she was winning seven times. Then 2025 was a bust, winless. Now? Two wins already this year. So, the big question: Is this the “Summer of Nelly” we’ve been waiting for? What’s changed?
Look, winning in golf is hard. Like, really hard. But when Nelly’s playing like she did in Houston, it’s like she’s playing a different game. She had a five-shot lead on Sunday at a major. Front nine. All that pressure. And what did she do? Seven pars, two birdies. That’s not luck. That’s maturity. That’s knowing how to close. That’s what explains her win.
She seems… settled. Comfortable. When she had that last big run, there was all this pressure on her to carry the entire women’s game. Comparisons to Caitlin Clark and all that cross-sport noise. I don’t think she ever really enjoyed that. Now? It feels like she’s found her own lane.
I really, really hope we get a Summer of Nelly. She’s easily one of the best we’ve ever seen. Watching her at her absolute peak is just… electric. This comes the same week DataGolf dropped its women’s rankings. I want to see her plant her flag, have one of the best seasons ever. And if I can be greedy, I want to see Jeeno Thitikul go toe-to-toe with her. That’d be something.
Here in Houston, it was obvious. Nelly Korda is at peace. Her maturity on the course? It’s from personal happiness, sure. But it’s also a conscious decision she and her caddie, Jason McDede, made after 2025. They decided to approach things differently. She’s playing smart golf. No unnecessary risks. No letting the crap – inside or out – get to her. McDede told me the loss at Erin Hills last year was the kick in the pants she needed for her mentality. I think she could win a hell of a lot more this year. Everything is firing. And that decision to get a no-nonsense putting coach? Genius. Putting was her Achilles’ heel. The hype train for Riviera? It’s gonna be insane.
The Winner's Leap: Tradition or Gimmick?
Okay, so there was this whole thing about the winner’s leap into Poppie’s Pond at the Chevron. Now the tournament’s at a new spot, Memorial Park. They built a little pool for her this year. Tom Doak’s supposed to build a real water feature next year. Should the leap have stayed at the old place? Is it gimmicky? Or is it a tradition worth keeping?
Honestly, golf people get worked up about the dumbest crap. Sports are fun *because* we cling to these ridiculous traditions. We invest emotional energy into someone hitting a ball into a hole in fewer strokes. It’s insane. If the winner wants to jump into a kiddie pool or wrestle an orangutan, who the hell cares? We should be unmoved.
If they battled an orangutan, I’d be moved. Sorry. But I kinda dig this tradition. Why? Because… who cares? Take your hate somewhere else. There are way more important, and way more gimmicky, things to get angry about. Nelly’s team seemed to enjoy the leap. Good for them.
Completely agree. What was all the fuss about? The players want to keep it going. The LPGA made a move to allow it. There’s way too much hand-wringing over stupid stuff in golf. This was much ado about nothing. Korda wanted it. She dove in. We move on. It’s sports. If you’re so aggrieved, go take a lap. Maybe in a pool.
Jim Furyk and the Ryder Cup: What Did He Learn?
The PGA of America dropped the bomb: Jim Furyk is the Ryder Cup captain for 2027. He’ll be the fourth repeat captain ever. We already talked about the news, but Furyk’s got experience since that 2018 loss – he’s been an assistant and a Presidents Cup captain. What’s his biggest takeaway from Paris that’ll actually help him next year?
Here’s the deal: Don’t let yourself start the Cup by getting punched in the face. A fast start is everything for a road team. Especially in the Ryder Cup. You get momentum, you get the crowd going, and the other guys start to feel it. Getting that early lead is crucial.
The biggest learning *needs* to be this: Pairings decided weeks in advance. Maybe even months. The Euros have been trotting out pairs they knew would play together since June. It’s a strategy that keeps working. It’s not rocket science. You identify your strong partnerships and you build around them. You don’t just wing it.
There has to be a better strategy for pairings than letting guys play with whoever they want and just flying by the seat of their pants. The U.S. has the talent, no doubt. But they’re lacking everywhere else. Strategy. Teamwork. You name it. Talent alone doesn’t win the Ryder Cup. You need a plan. A cohesive plan.
Ryder Cup Tickets: Outrageous Prices and What It Means for Golf
Speaking of the Ryder Cup, tickets for 2027 in Ireland are $585. That’s more than double the cost of the last European Ryder Cup in Rome. And this comes a year after $750 tickets caused a riot at Bethpage. The PGA of America called it a “Tier 1” sporting event. So, what’s the take? Is it good for golf that prices and demand are soaring? Or is it just outrageous, pricing out fans?
Oh, it’s totally pathetic. It’s completely the opposite of what an exhibition meant to celebrate golf’s best virtues should be. If the Euros don’t start charging players to play in the Cup after this ticket news, they’re being naive. It’s a business, I get it. But this is getting out of hand.
So, is this price… Tier 2? Or is it still Tier 1, but in Ireland? I feel bad for the locals who have had this event circled on their calendars for years. Especially after some rich businessman bought the rights to bring this impossibly expensive event to his very expensive resort. There are benefits that follow the Ryder Cup for everyone, sure. But a lot of it now starts with fans paying a ton upfront. It feels… changed. The whole vibe is different.
Completely outrageous. Ticket prices for everything have gone through the roof unnecessarily. But for an exhibition match for a sport that’s supposed to be about egalitarianism? This is brutal. It’s boxing out the average fan. The guy who just wants to go watch some great golf. It’s becoming a sport for the wealthy, and that’s a slippery slope.
Aloha, Hawaii: Saying Goodbye to a PGA Tour Staple
It’s official. For the first time in nearly six decades, the PGA Tour won’t be stopping in Hawaii in 2027. This is part of a bigger schedule shake-up. Will you miss Hawaii? What was your favorite moment from the Tour’s time in the Aloha State?
I’ll miss Hawaii. The course was fun, unique. The vibes were aspirational, something you don’t get at many events on the golf calendar. In a lot of ways, this feels like the moment we’ll look back on as the Tour’s defining shift towards pure commerce in the mid-2020s. Not necessarily a bad thing, but definitely something to note.
It’s okay to miss Hawaii as a season-starter and still know it wasn’t economically viable. We’re living in an era where sports will squeeze out plenty of things we like and replace them with things we still like, but are better funded. It is what it is. This is a strictly commercial move, and I think in five years, we’ll look back on it with total acceptance. That said, the Tiger-Ernie battle in 2000? One of the best mano a mano golf moments we’ve ever had. That’s the stuff you remember.
I’ll miss Hawaii for sure. Kapalua was a great course. It gave everyone buried in snow up north an escape. That being said, I completely get why the decision was made from a financial standpoint. Yeah, this decision feels like a significant moment in the PGA Tour’s journey to becoming a fully for-profit entity. It’s the direction things are heading, and Hawaii just couldn’t keep up.
So, what’s your take on all this? Nelly’s dominance, Furyk’s captaincy, and the insane Ryder Cup ticket prices? Let us know. The game’s changing, and we’re all along for the ride. For more on the latest in golf, check out the official PGA Tour website.