Nelly Korda's Dominance: Is This the Summer of Nelly? And What About Jim Furyk's Ryder Cup Redemption?
Alright, let’s cut the crap and get down to it. Golf’s always got something brewing, doesn’t it? This week, the talk is all about Nelly Korda. Seriously, the woman is on fire. And then there’s the Ryder Cup. Again. Jim Furyk’s back in the hot seat. Plus, some other stuff that’s got people up in arms. Let’s unpack this mess.
Nelly Korda: Is She Back, Better Than Ever?
So, Nelly Korda just blitzed the Chevron Championship. Five shots clear. Boom. That’s major number three for her. Two years back, she was winning seven times. Then, crickets in 2025. Now? Two wins already this year. Is this the start of a ‘Summer of Nelly’? What the hell changed?
Look, winning a golf tournament. It’s the hardest damn thing. But when you’re playing like Nelly did? Losing becomes damn near impossible. She had a five-shot lead on Sunday at a major. Feeling all that pressure. And what does she do? Seven pars, two birdies. That’s maturity, plain and simple. That’s what you saw in Houston.
She’s found her groove. Settled into what she wants to be. Remember that last run she had? The pressure to carry the whole women’s game. Comparisons to Caitlin Clark and all that crap. I don’t think she ever felt great about that. Not one bit.
But now? You hope for a Summer of Nelly. She’s undeniably one of the best we’ve ever seen. Makes you wanna see what she’s truly capable of at her absolute peak. This comes right when DataGolf drops its women’s rankings. I want to see her take off. Plant her flag with one of the best damn seasons ever. And if I can be greedy, I want to see Jeeno Thitikul go toe-to-toe with her. That’d be a show.
Here in Houston, it was obvious. Nelly’s at peace. Personal happiness. Plus, a decision she and her caddie, Jason McDede, made. They decided to approach things differently after 2025. Smart golf. No unnecessary risks. No letting the crap – internal or external – seep in. McDede himself said that the loss at Erin Hills last year was the catalyst. For the changes she made to her mentality. And yeah, there’s reason to believe she could rip off more wins this year. Every part of her game is firing. And that decision to hire a “no nonsense” putting coach? That tackled what was the Achilles’ heel. The hype train heading into Riviera? It’s gonna be out of control.
The Winner's Leap: Gimmick or Tradition?
Before the Chevron, there was talk. Should the winner’s leap into Poppie’s Pond continue? The tournament’s at a new venue. They built a small pool this year. Korda splashed in. But a real water feature is coming. Should the leap have stayed put? Is it gimmicky? Or is it a fun tradition that needs preserving?
Honestly, golf people get worked up about the stupidest things. Sports are fun *because* of our blind adherence to outrageous traditions. Like the winner’s leap. We get emotionally invested in someone’s ability to hit a ball into a hole. That’s as dumb as it gets. If the winner wants to jump into a kiddie pool or fight an orangutan afterward, we should be unmoved.
Okay, if they battle an orangutan, I’ll be moved. Sorry. But I kinda dig this tradition. Why? Who the hell cares? Bring your hate elsewhere. There are way more important – and way more gimmicky – things to get angry about. Nelly’s team seemed to enjoy the leap, for what it’s worth.
Completely agree. What was all the fuss about? The players want to keep tradition alive. The LPGA made a stopgap move to allow it. Too much hand-wringing over dumb 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. Go take a lap if you’re so aggrieved. Maybe in a pool.
Jim Furyk and the Ryder Cup: Learning from Paris?
Then there’s Jim Furyk. The PGA of America named him captain for 2027. Fourth repeat captain in the modern era. We already talked about it, but Furyk’s got experience since his 2018 loss. Assistant captain, Presidents Cup captain. What’s his biggest learning from Paris that’ll help next year?
Don’t let yourself get punched in the face at the start of the Cup. A fast start is the biggest asset for any road team. Especially at the Cup.
Here’s what the biggest learning needs to be: pairings decided weeks in advance. Maybe months. The Euros trot out pairs they *knew* would play together back in June. It’s a strategy that keeps working.
There has to be a better strategy with the pairings than letting guys play with whoever they want and flying by the seat of their pants. The U.S. has the talent. But they’re lacking everywhere else.
Ryder Cup Ticket Prices: Outrageous or Just Demand?
Speaking of the Ryder Cup. Tickets for 2027 in Ireland. $585. More than double the last European Ryder Cup in Rome. And that’s after $750 tickets caused an uproar at Bethpage. The PGA of America said it’s a “Tier 1” sporting event. Priced accordingly. Is it good for golf that prices and demand are soaring? Or is it outrageous that it’s boxing out 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 ticket news, they’re being naive.
So, is this price… Tier 2? Or is it still Tier 1, but in Ireland? I feel sad for those locals who had this event circled for years. Especially after some rich businessman won the bid to bring an impossibly rich event to his very expensive resort. There are long-term benefits that follow the Ryder Cup, making it worthwhile. But a lot of it now starts with fans paying a ton upfront. It feels… changed.
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.
Aloha, Golf: The PGA Tour's Hawaiian Farewell
It’s official. For the first time in nearly six decades, the PGA Tour won’t stop in Hawaii in 2027. A domino effect from the schedule changes. 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, distinct. The vibes were aspirational. Few events on the golf calendar have that. In many 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 a bad thing, but a thing worth noting!
It’s okay to miss Hawaii as a season-starter. And also know it wasn’t an economically viable tournament. We live in an era of sports that will squeeze out plenty of things we like. Replace them with things we still like, but are better funded. It is what it is. This is a strictly commercial move. I think we’ll look back on it in five years and be totally accepting. That said, the Tiger-Ernie battle from 2000? One of the best mano-a-mano golf moments we’ve ever had. Check out some classic Ryder Cup moments here: Ryder Cup Classic Moments.
I’ll miss Hawaii for sure. Kapalua was a great course. Gave everyone buried in snow in the northeast an escape. That said, I completely understand the decision from a financial standpoint. Agree, this decision feels like a notable moment in the PGA Tour’s for-profit journey.