Nelly Korda's Dominance: Is This the Summer of Nelly? And What About the Ryder Cup?
Alright, let’s cut to the chase. Golf’s always got something cooking, right? This week, it’s Nelly Korda absolutely crushing it, Jim Furyk getting another crack at the Ryder Cup whip, and the damn ticket prices for the Ryder Cup going stratospheric. We’re talking about the kind of stuff that gets you riled up, or at least makes you shake your head and say, “What the hell is going on?”
The Nelly Korda Show: Is She Back and Better Than Ever?
So, Nelly Korda just bagged the Chevron Championship. Blew the field away, won by five. That’s major number three for her. Remember two years back? She was winning seven times. Then last year? Zip. Nada. Now, she’s already got two wins this year. The question is: are we looking at a “Summer of Nelly”? What the hell has changed?
Look, winning a golf tournament. Hardest thing in the world. But when you’re playing like Nelly did this weekend? Man, it’s damn near impossible to lose. She was up by five on the front nine Sunday, feeling all that pressure to close it out. What did she do? Seven pars, two birdies. That’s maturity, pure and simple, especially at a major. That’s what we saw in Houston. No panic. Just golf.
I think Nelly’s found her groove. She’s settled into what she wants to be for the game. Last time she went on a tear like this, there was all this pressure on her to carry the whole damn women’s game. Comparisons to Caitlin Clark and all that cross-sport nonsense. I don’t think Korda ever felt great about that circus.
Do I hope for a Summer of Nelly? Hell yeah. She’s easily one of the best golfers we’ve ever seen. Makes you wonder what she can do at her absolute peak. And this comes the same week that DataGolf dropped its women’s rankings. I want to see her plant her flag, have one of the best seasons ever. And if I’m being greedy, I want to see Jeeno Thitikul go head-to-head with her. That’d be something else.
Here in Houston, it was pretty obvious Nelly Korda is at peace with herself. Her maturity on the course? It comes from personal happiness. Plus, a decision she and her caddie, Jason McDede, made to change their approach after 2025. She’s been playing smart golf. No stupid risks. Not letting any negativity, inside or out, creep into her game. McDede told me that losing last year at Erin Hills was the real kick in the pants for her mentality. I think there’s a solid reason to believe she could rack up several more wins this year. Every part of her game is firing. And she hired a “no nonsense” putting coach. That’s huge. Putting was always the Achilles’ heel. The hype train for Riviera is gonna be off the rails.
The Winner's Leap: Tradition or Gimmick?
Before the Chevron, there was a whole debate: should the winner’s leap into Poppie’s Pond continue? The tournament’s at a new spot, Memorial Park. They built a little pool as a placeholder this year, and Korda jumped in. But a real water feature by Tom Doak is coming next year. Should the leap have stayed at Carlton Woods? Is it a gimmick? Or a tradition worth keeping?
Golf people get worked up about the dumbest crap. I’d argue sports are fun *because* of our blind devotion to ridiculous traditions. We’re emotionally invested in someone’s ability to put a ball in a hole in fewer strokes than their opponent. That’s pretty damn dumb. If the winner wants to jump into a kiddie pool or fight an orangutan afterward, who the hell cares?
If they battle an orangutan, *then* I’ll be moved. Sorry. But I actually kinda dig this tradition. Why? Because who gives a damn? Bring your hate somewhere else. There are more important – and way more gimmicky – things to get mad about. Nelly’s team seemed to enjoy the leap.
Seriously, what was all the fuss about? The players want to keep tradition alive. The LPGA made a stopgap move to allow it. There’s way too much hand-wringing about dumb things in golf. This was much ado about nothing. Korda was one of the players who wanted the tradition kept. 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 Redemption Tour?
Okay, moving on. The PGA of America tapped Jim Furyk to captain the 2027 Ryder Cup. That makes him the fourth repeat captain in the modern era. We talked about the news already, but Furyk’s got plenty of experience since his 2018 loss. He’s been a Ryder Cup assistant and a Presidents Cup captain. What’s his biggest lesson from Paris that’ll actually help next year?
Don’t let yourself get punched in the face right at the start of the Cup. A fast start is the biggest asset for any road team. And that’s especially true in the Ryder Cup.
Here’s what the biggest learning *needs* to be: pairings decided weeks in advance. Maybe months. The Euros have trotted out pairs they knew would be playing together back in June. It’s a strategy that keeps working.
There has to be a better strategy for pairings than letting guys play with whoever they want and just winging it as the competition goes on. The U.S. has the talent, no doubt. But they’re lacking in every other damn area.
Ryder Cup Tickets: Good for Golf or a Rip-Off?
Speaking of the Ryder Cup, tickets for 2027 in Ireland are going for $585. That’s more than double the cost of the last European Ryder Cup in Rome. And this comes a year after $750 tickets at Bethpage caused a massive uproar. The PGA of America said then it was a “Tier 1” sporting event and priced accordingly. So, what’s the deal? Is it good for golf that Ryder Cup ticket prices and demand are soaring? Or is it outrageous that it’s boxing out certain fans?
Oh, it’s totally pathetic. Completely against 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.
So, is this price… Tier 2? Or is it still Tier 1, but in Ireland? I feel sorry for those locals who have had this event circled on their calendars for years. All because some rich bastard won the bid to bring a now impossibly rich event to his ridiculously expensive resort. There are long-term benefits that come with the Ryder Cup, making it worthwhile for everyone. But a lot of it now starts with fans paying a fortune upfront. It feels like it’s 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 equality? This is pretty brutal.
Aloha, Hawaii: Will We Miss It?
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 domino effect from upcoming schedule changes. Will you miss Hawaii? What was your favorite moment during the Tour’s time in The Aloha State?
I’ll miss Hawaii. The golf course was fun and unique. The vibes were aspirational in a way few events on the golf calendar are. 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 necessarily a bad thing, but definitely something worth noting!
It’s okay to miss Hawaii as a season-starter and also know it wasn’t an economically viable tournament. We’re 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 with total acceptance. That said, the Tiger-Ernie battle from 2000 was one of the best mano-a-mano golf moments we’ve ever had.
I’ll miss Hawaii for sure. Kapalua was a great course and gave everyone buried in snow in the Northeast an escape. That being said, I completely understand why the decision was made from a financial standpoint. Agreed, this decision feels like a notable moment in the PGA Tour’s for-profit journey. For more on the business side of golf and how it impacts tournaments, check out insights on sports business news.