Nelly Korda, Golf’s Unsung Hero Who Has Fallen on the Wrong End of the Coverage Battle
The distance between Houston and Gilbert is about 1000 miles. The differences between Memorial Park Golf Course and Seville Golf and Country Club are quite stark as well. The former, a course with a long history, suddenly got renewed attention because of a schedule change. The latter was barely making its ‘debut’ in the professional arena; the 2024 Ford Championship was the first professional tournament held on the course. Yet, the fairways and greens on both courses were witnessing history thanks to Scottie Scheffler and Nelly Korda.
Both were on the hunt for their third consecutive victory. Both dominated the course with sheer force. And both were chasing history as well. The stakes couldn’t have been much higher before the penultimate event of the season’s first major for the male and female circuits. On Sunday, Scheffler faltered, but Korda was flawless. However, there was a significant imbalance in the broadcasting weightage.
What was at stake for Nelly Korda?
Scottie Scheffler was coming off a season with 17 top-10s, including two silverware, and the PGA Tour Player of the Year award under his belt. Nelly Korda started the 2024 season with hopes of a strong bounce-back after going winless last year. Three starts later, she had two titles under her belt, heading to the Ford Championship. A third would make her part of history.
Only the fourth player since the turn of the century to win three before April.
This is the first American since Nancy Lopez in 1978 to win three straight tournaments.
And this again is the first American since JoAnne Carner in 1980 to win three times before April.
While Korda called it one of her “least stressful” wins, the day started with uncertainty. On a soggy day, the 25-year-old started two shots behind the lead—a sort of opposite trajectory from Scottie Scheffler. The climb was slow and steady. The one-time Major winner carded 7-under 65, the second lowest round of the day, to effectively settle the match.
