Nelly Korda Dominates U.S. Women's Open: What We Learned From Her Riviera Masterclass
So, Nelly Korda just went and did it. Won the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera. Again. Fourth win this season. Fourth major. First U.S. Women’s Open title. Yeah, the one everyone’s been talking about. And let me tell you, watching her outlast everyone on Sunday was something else. It wasn’t just a win; it was a statement. A damn good one.
Nelly's Unstoppable Run: Winning When It Matters Most
Look, winning when everyone expects you to win? That’s the damn hard part. Most athletes choke. They fold under the pressure. But not Nelly. She’s been on a tear, finishing first or second in like, seven out of eight starts this year. That’s insane. And she’s kept that season-long grand slam storyline alive. That’s pure class. She just kept plugging away on Sunday, hitting fairways, not making stupid mistakes. That’s how you put pressure on everyone else. They know they have to make a move because Nelly Korda? She’s not messing up. And you know how tough it is to make birdies in a U.S. Open, right? Especially at a place like Riviera.
There’s also this thing Nick Piastowski brought up, about her mindset. She talked about a “mindset shift.” Like, instead of thinking, “Oh crap, I’m screwed,” she’s just embracing the challenges. Figuring it out. Whatever clicked for her, it’s working. Big time. Josh Schrock hit the nail on the head too. He said he didn’t learn anything *new* about Nelly, but watching her handle that pressure on Sunday, probably the scariest round of her life? It confirmed what we all suspected. Her talent was always obvious. But winning a U.S. Women’s Open on a beast of a course like Riviera? That’s different. Everything pointed to this being her destiny. Even she admitted she had doubts. It’s damn rewarding to see someone reach that point. Now, the real question is, where does she go from here?
Riviera's Stage: Stars, Scenery, and What It Means for Women's Golf
Okay, so Charley Hull was on fire. Broke records. Gaby Lopez got hot late. In Gee Chun was lurking. This U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera was a classic. But what made it so damn memorable? Was it the big stars battling it out, or was it the iconic stage itself? And how can women’s professional golf even begin to replicate that magic?
Josh Berhow nailed it. You can have one or the other and still get a good tournament. But when you get both? That’s must-watch TV. That’s the goal, right? Nelly and Charley are arguably the two biggest names in the women’s game. And they’re so different. Charley’s this twitchy, aggressive player with that fast swing. Nelly’s just smooth, methodical. A great rivalry, if we saw them at the top of leaderboards more often. But what I really loved was seeing how the women attacked Riviera compared to the PGA Tour guys. It’s a killer private course, sure, but watching the women play it, home viewers could actually relate to it and appreciate it way more.
Nick Piastowski thinks they go hand-in-hand. Great courses bring out great play. Subpar courses? Well, you know the rest. This tournament *felt* big. Prime time. L.A. Riviera. History. Challenges. That place just looks cool as hell. And when you give it the right spotlight, people pay attention. Though, can we talk about that three-hour broadcast on Sunday? Come on. This is the LPGA’s next big step: getting more regular-season events at big-name courses. And the majors? They need to keep doing this. And you know what? Somehow, someway, the women need to be playing at Augusta National. Period.
Josh Schrock added that you absolutely need both. But he agreed with Michelle Wie West, who said it best before the tournament: playing the same courses as the men adds context. It elevates everything. When the same venue hosts both the men’s and women’s U.S. Open in the same year, like Pinehurst in 2014 when Michelle won after Martin Kaymer played there? That’s huge. It’s incredibly important for the women to create their own moments on those iconic holes, at those cathedrals of golf. The best players, the cream, always rise to the top at these places. It happened at Riviera this week, and at St. Andrews in 2024. Venues matter. A lot.
Final Thoughts: The Summer of Nelly and the LPGA's Golden Opportunity
So, what’s the final takeaway from this U.S. Women’s Open week? Nelly Korda is just ridiculously good. She’s going to dominate the conversation at the KPMG Women’s PGA, trying to make it three in a row. But there’s another storyline brewing: Charley Hull. Five runner-up finishes in majors, and still no win. Her last three major results? T2, T10, T2. She’s gotta break through at some point. It’s inevitable.
Josh Schrock is calling it the “summer of Nelly.” She’ll be a favorite at the KPMG, and then she’ll head to the Evian with a shot at the LPGA Grand Slam (four out of five majors). And then the AIG Women’s Open. If she wins both of those, she’ll have what Lydia Ko and other golf nerds would call the *real* career Grand Slam. She’s on the fast track to the Hall of Fame. It’s all about Nelly right now. But the biggest question for the LPGA is this: Can they actually capitalize on this moment? It feels bigger than Nelly’s run back in 2024.
Nick Piastowski put it simply: We’re watching a historic run. And yeah, the LPGA brass needs to seize this opportunity. This is their chance to shine. To get people talking. To grow the game. Don’t screw it up.
LIV Golf's Investor Hunt: Should the Stars Step Up?
Now, let’s switch gears. LIV Golf is in a bit of a pickle. Saudi PIF isn’t funding them beyond this season, so they’re scrambling for investors. Bryson DeChambeau’s out there saying he’s doing everything he can to make it happen, but admits his player role might be limited. Jon Rahm, on the other hand, is saying he knows squat about the business side. His “job is to play golf.” So, should these LIV stars feel obligated to help keep the league afloat? Do they even have any real power?
Josh Berhow’s answer is a resounding “Noooo.” I mean, sure, if they’ve got wealthy investors in their Rolodex, reach out. But Rahm shouldn’t be criticized for what he said. He’s right. His job is to play golf. He probably had promises made to him when he joined, and I’m guessing “help us find future funding in a few years” wasn’t one of them. That’s what they pay the executives the big bucks for, right?
Josh Schrock agrees. No. If you *really* want to help keep the league alive because you believe in team golf or just want a place to play that isn’t the PGA Tour, then go for it. But Rahm’s got the right idea. Play golf. See what happens when all the dust settles. It’s not their job to be venture capitalists.
Nick Piastowski thinks maybe. If DeChambeau and Rahm told potential investors they’d commit to playing LIV for the next decade and help bring in other stars, that’s a pretty damn good pitch. But yeah, at the end of the day, the product is golf. So the golfers need to play compelling golf. That’s their power.
Who Won the Weekend Without Winning on Sunday?
We saw some damn good golf all over the place this weekend. Spain, California, Ohio. But who really won the weekend without actually taking home the trophy on Sunday?
Josh Berhow tossed out J.T. Poston, the Memorial winner. He gets to skip U.S. Open Final Qualifying, so he’s gotta be stoked. But that doesn’t quite answer the question. How about Kiara Romero? This 20-year-old amateur tied for sixth at the biggest professional women’s golf tournament on the planet. That’s pretty damn good. And honorable mention to Maria José Marin, another amateur, who tied for 8th. Impressive stuff.
Josh Schrock highlighted four amateurs – Romero, Marin, Asterisk Talley, and Aphrodite Deng – who all played incredibly well at Riviera. Talley even made U.S. Women’s Open history with her Saturday 66. Romero took home low-am honors. The future of women’s golf? It’s in damn good hands.
Nick Piastowski’s answer? We all did, right? What a weekend. Here’s your pass to take off on Monday. You earned it.
This U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera was more than just a tournament. It was a showcase. A reminder of what happens when talent meets opportunity on a legendary stage. Nelly Korda is rewriting the record books, and the LPGA has a golden chance to ride this wave. Let’s see if they can make it count. For all the latest on the golf world, keep an eye on major championships and how they shape the careers of these incredible athletes. You can find more about major championship schedules and results on sites like the U.S. Open official website.