Nelly Korda's Dominance: Is This the Summer of Nelly? Plus Ryder Cup Drama & Tour Shifts

Alright, let’s cut the crap. We need to talk about Nelly Korda. The woman is on a tear. Just absolutely blitzed the Chevron Championship. Five-shot win. First major of the year. That’s three majors now for her. Remember two years ago? Seven wins. Then last year? Zilch. Nada. But this year? Two wins already. So, the question is, are we looking at a “Summer of Nelly”? What’s changed? Because frankly, watching her play lately… it’s something else.

This isn’t just about winning. It’s how she’s winning. On Sunday at a major, with a five-shot lead, feeling all the pressure in the world… she rolls in seven pars and two birdies on the front nine. Seven pars and two birdies. That’s not luck. That’s maturity. That’s knowing how to close. It’s pure class, and it tells you a lot about why she’s dominating right now.

Nelly’s Newfound Peace and Power

Look, golf is hard. Winning is damn hard. But losing when you’re playing like Nelly Korda did? That shouldn’t even be a possibility. It’s like she’s found this comfortable spot. When she had that big run before, there was all this pressure. Pressure to carry the women’s game. Pressure to be the next big thing, compared to everyone else. I don’t think she ever really felt great about that. It’s a lot for anyone to handle.

But now? It feels different. She’s at peace. Her caddie, Jason McDede, they decided to change things up after 2025. Play smarter golf. Cut out the unnecessary risks. Don’t let the crap – internal or external – creep into her game. McDede even said that losing last year was the wake-up call. The catalyst. And you can see it. Every part of her game is firing. They even got a “no nonsense” putting coach. Putting. The Achilles’ heel. Fixed. So yeah, I hope we get a Summer of Nelly. She’s easily one of the best we’ve ever seen. Let’s see what she can do at her absolute peak. And if I can be greedy, let’s see Jeeno Thitikul go toe-to-toe with her. That’d be a show.

The Winner’s Leap: Tradition or Gimmick?

Now, you can’t talk about the Chevron without mentioning the winner’s leap into Poppie’s Pond. Except… the tournament’s moved. New venue. Memorial Park. They built a little placeholder pool this year. Korda splashed in. But next year, Tom Doak is building a proper water feature. So, should the leap have stayed at the old place? Is it just a gimmick? Or is it a tradition worth preserving? Honestly, golf people get worked up about the stupidest things.

Sports are fun because we get emotionally invested in some pretty ridiculous traditions. Like hitting a white ball into a hole. That’s pretty dumb, right? So, if the winner wants to jump into a kiddie pool, or wrestle an orangutan… who the hell cares? We should be unmoved. Seriously.

Okay, maybe an orangutan would be interesting. But mostly, who cares? Bring your hate elsewhere. There are way more gimmicky, important things to get angry about. Nelly’s team seemed to enjoy it. The players want to keep the tradition alive. The LPGA made a move to allow it. There’s way too much hand-wringing about dumb crap in golf. This was much ado about nothing. Korda dove in. We move on. It’s sports. If you’re so aggrieved, go take a lap. Maybe in a pool.

Furyk’s Ryder Cup Redemption Tour?

Then there’s Jim Furyk. The PGA of America just announced him as the 2027 Ryder Cup captain. Fourth repeat captain in the modern era. He’s had plenty of experience since that 2018 loss. Assistant captain, Presidents Cup captain. So, what’s the biggest lesson from Paris that’s going to help him next year? Because that loss… it stung.

First off, don’t get punched in the face right out of the gate. A fast start is everything for a road team. Especially in the Ryder Cup. You can’t let the home crowd get going. You can’t let the other team build momentum. You have to come out swinging.

And this is key: pairings. They need to be decided weeks in advance. Maybe months. The Euros are pros at this. They trot out pairs they know will play together way before the event. It’s a strategy that just keeps working. The U.S. has the talent, sure. But they’re lacking everywhere else. There has to be a better strategy than letting guys play with whoever they want, flying by the seat of their pants. It’s not rocket science.

Ryder Cup Tickets: Good for Golf or a Rip-Off?

Speaking of the Ryder Cup… the tickets for 2027 in Ireland. $585. More than double the last European Ryder Cup in Rome. And this comes after $750 tickets caused a meltdown at Bethpage. The PGA of America said it’s a “Tier 1” sporting event. Priced accordingly. So, is this good for golf? Prices soaring, demand through the roof? Or is it outrageous, boxing out actual fans?

It’s pathetic. Completely antithetical to the spirit of an exhibition. An exhibition meant to celebrate golf’s best virtues. If the Euros don’t start charging admission to play in the Cup after this ticket news, they’re being naive. It’s a joke.

Is this price… Tier 2? Or still Tier 1, just in Ireland? I feel for the locals who had this circled on their calendars for years. Especially after some rich businessman won the bid to bring this now impossibly expensive event to his very expensive resort. Yeah, there are benefits that follow the Ryder Cup, making it worth everyone’s cause. But a lot of it now starts with fans paying a ton upfront. It feels… changed. It’s 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 brutal. Absolutely brutal.

Farewell, Hawaii: The PGA Tour’s Commercial Shift

And then there’s this. For the first time in nearly six decades, the PGA Tour won’t be stopping in Hawaii in 2027. A domino effect of 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 calendar have that. In many ways, this feels like the moment we look back on as the Tour’s defining shift toward pure commerce in the mid-2020s. Not necessarily a bad thing, but a thing worth noting. It’s okay to miss Hawaii as a season-starter and also know it wasn’t economically viable. We’re 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. I bet we’ll look back on it in five years and be totally accepting of it. That said, the Tiger-Ernie battle in 2000? One of the best mano-a-mano golf moments we’ve ever had.

I’ll miss Hawaii for sure. Kapalua was a great course. It 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. This decision feels like a notable moment in the PGA Tour’s for-profit journey. It’s the direction things are heading.

The Unfolding Story of Pro Golf

So, what does it all mean? Nelly Korda is proving she’s not just a flash in the pan, but a genuine force of nature. Her mental game seems to have caught up with her talent, and that’s a scary proposition for the rest of the LPGA. We could be in for an incredible summer of golf watching her chase records. Then you have the Ryder Cup. Furyk has a chance to right some wrongs, but the team needs a smarter strategy. And the ticket prices… well, that’s just a whole other level of absurdity in the modern sporting landscape. It makes you wonder who this game is really for anymore. And the PGA Tour’s move away from Hawaii? It’s another sign of the times, a clear indication that economics are driving decisions more than tradition or fan experience. It’s a constant evolution, and sometimes, it feels like we’re losing a piece of what made golf special along the way. But hey, that’s golf. It keeps you coming back, for better or worse. Want to dive deeper into the world of golf equipment that can help your game? Check out this guide on the best golf equipment for every player.