Nelly Korda's Dominance: Is This the Summer of Nelly? Plus, Ryder Cup Lessons and Pricey Tickets
Alright, let’s cut the crap and talk golf. We’ve got some serious storylines brewing, and frankly, some that are just plain baffling. First off, Nelly Korda. She just blitzed the Chevron Championship, snagging her third major. This comes after a killer 2022 where she won seven times, then… crickets in 2025. Now she’s already doubled up this year. So, the question is: are we looking at a full-blown “Summer of Nelly”? And what the hell changed?
Winning a golf tournament is hard. Like, ridiculously hard. But watching Nelly play that Sunday in Houston, with a five-shot lead… it wasn’t hard at all. Seven pars and two birdies on the front nine? That’s not just playing well; that’s playing with a level of maturity that frankly, most of us can only dream of. Especially when the pressure’s on at a major. It’s like she’s found some kind of golf zen. And yeah, that explains a hell of a lot of her success.
I think Nelly’s finally in a place where she’s comfortable with who she is and what she wants to be in the game. Remember that last run she had? The pressure was insane. Everyone expected her to carry the entire women’s game on her back. Comparisons to Caitlin Clark and all that noise… I don’t think she ever really felt good about that circus. But now? I’m hoping like hell this is the Summer of Nelly. She’s easily one of the best we’ve ever seen. And seeing her hit her absolute peak? That’s what we want, right? This also happens to drop the same week DataGolf drops its women’s rankings. So yeah, let’s see her plant her flag and have one of the all-time great seasons. And if I can be greedy, I want to see Jeeno Thitikul go toe-to-toe with her. That’d be something.
Nelly's Peace and Smart Golf
What’s really apparent is that Nelly is at peace. And that maturity on the course? It’s coming from a good place. Personal happiness, sure. But also a calculated decision she and her caddie, Jason McDede, made after 2025. They decided to approach things differently. Smart golf. Less unnecessary risk. Just… not letting the crap – internal or external – seep into her game. McDede even said that the loss at Erin Hills last year was the kick in the pants she needed to change her mentality. And honestly? I think there’s good reason to believe she’s going to rip off a bunch more wins this year. Everything’s firing. And that decision to get a “no nonsense” putting coach? Genius. It finally addressed what was the glaring weakness in her game. The hype train for Riviera? It’s gonna be out of control.
Now, let’s talk about that winner’s leap into Poppie’s Pond at the Chevron. It’s at a new venue, Memorial Park, and they built a little placeholder pool this year. Korda splashed right in. But should that tradition have stayed at the old place, Carlton Woods? Is it gimmicky? Or is it a fun tradition that needs preserving?
Look, golf people get so worked up about the dumbest damn things. I’d argue sports are fun *because* of our blind adherence to some ridiculous traditions. We invest emotionally in someone’s ability to put a little white ball in a hole in the ground in fewer strokes than someone else. That’s pretty damn dumb, right? If the winner wants to jump into a kiddie pool or wrestle an orangutan, who the hell cares? We should be unmoved.
Okay, if they battle an orangutan, I’m gonna be moved. Sorry, James. But I actually kinda dig this tradition. Why? Because… who gives a shit? Bring your hate elsewhere. There are way more important – and way more gimmicky – things to get mad about. Nelly’s team seemed to enjoy the leap, and that’s all that matters.
Completely agree. What was all the fuss about? The players want to keep the tradition alive, and the LPGA did what they had to do to make it happen. There’s way too much hand-wringing about stupid stuff in golf. This was much ado about nothing. Korda was one of the players who wanted the tradition kept alive. She dove in. We move on. It’s sports. If you’re so aggrieved, go take a lap. Maybe in a pool.
Jim Furyk's Ryder Cup Lessons: What Went Wrong?
Switching gears. Jim Furyk is the new Ryder Cup captain for 2027. He’s only the fourth repeat captain in the modern era. We’ve talked about this news, but Furyk’s been around the block since that 2018 loss, serving as an assistant and a Presidents Cup captain. So, 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 the biggest asset for any road team, and it’s especially true at the Cup. You get one shot at it, and you can’t afford to be playing catch-up from the jump.
This is what the biggest learning *needs* to be: pairings decided weeks in advance. Maybe months. The Euros have been trotting out pairs they knew would be playing together back in June. It’s a strategy that keeps working. It’s not rocket science. You build continuity. You build chemistry. You don’t just throw guys out there and see what happens.
There has to be a better strategy with the pairings than letting guys play with whoever they want and just flying by the seat of their pants as the competition unfolds. The U.S. has the talent, no doubt. But they’re lacking in every other damn area. Strategy. Preparation. Execution. Everything.
The Outrageous Cost of Ryder Cup Tickets
Speaking of the Ryder Cup, let’s talk tickets. For 2027 in Ireland, they’re $585. That’s more than double the last European Ryder Cup in Rome (2023). And this comes after $750 tickets caused a riot at Bethpage last year. The PGA of America said back then it’s a “Tier 1” sporting event and priced accordingly. So, what’s the verdict? Is it good for golf that prices and demand for Ryder Cup tickets are soaring? Or is it outrageous that it’s basically boxing out certain fans?
Oh, it’s totally pathetic. Completely antithetical to the spirit of an exhibition meant to celebrate golf’s best virtues. If the Euros don’t ask for payment to play in the Cup after this latest ticket news, they’re being naive. It’s gone from a celebration of the sport to a cash grab for the elite.
So, is this price… Tier 2? Or is it still Tier 1, but in Ireland? I feel genuinely sad for the locals who have had this event circled on their calendars for years. All because some ridiculously rich businessman won the bid to bring this now impossibly rich event to his very expensive resort. There are benefits that follow the Ryder Cup that make it worthwhile for everyone, but a lot of it now starts with fans paying an insane amount of money upfront. It just feels… changed. Corrupted, even.
Completely outrageous. Ticket prices for everything have gone through the roof unnecessarily. But for an exhibition match in a sport that’s supposed to be about egalitarianism? This is pretty brutal. It’s locking out the very people who love the game and grew up watching it. It’s a damn shame.
Farewell, Hawaii: The Commercial Shift
And then there’s this. It’s official. For the first time in nearly six decades, the PGA Tour won’t be stopping in Hawaii in 2027. This is a big domino from the upcoming schedule change. Will you miss Hawaii? And what was your favorite moment during the Tour’s time in The Aloha State?
Yeah, I’ll miss Hawaii. The course was fun, it was distinct, and the vibes were aspirational in a way that few events on the golf calendar are. In a lot of ways, this feels like the moment we’ll look back on as the Tour’s defining shift toward pure commerce in the mid-2020s. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s definitely a thing worth noting!
It’s okay to miss Hawaii as the season-starter and also understand it wasn’t exactly an economically viable tournament. We’re living in an era of sports where they’ll 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 in a totally accepting way. That said, the Tiger-Ernie battle back in 2000 was one of the best mano-a-mano golf moments we’ve ever had. Pure magic.
I’ll definitely miss Hawaii. Kapalua was a great course, and it gave everyone buried in snow up north a much-needed escape. That being said, I completely understand why the decision was made from a financial standpoint. This decision really does feel like a notable moment in the PGA Tour’s increasingly for-profit journey. It’s the business of golf, I guess. And sometimes, that business means saying goodbye to traditions that, while beloved, just don’t pay the bills anymore. You can find more about the PGA Tour’s schedule changes and their impact on players and fans on sites like PGATour.com.