2024 U.S. Women’s Open: Nelly Korda aims to continue heater with major at Lancaster Country Club

Entering the second major championship of the season, all anyone can discuss is No. 1 in the world. Nelly Korda, winner of six of her eight starts in 2024, arrives at Lancaster Country Club for the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open with a world of momentum on her side, a wave of form behind her and a mountain of expectations on her shoulders while she plans to earn another specialization – the second and third in her career.

“I don’t think some [the expectations] it pisses me off,” Korda said. “Obviously, with the position I’m in, there will be expectations. I don’t want to lose who I am. I will always be true to who I am because at the end of the day, when I go to sleep, I need to be proud of who I am. In a way, no, I don’t think I have any expectations. I just try to be very, very pure and very, very honest with everyone around me, and hope they see that I’m proud of the person I am at the end of the day.

“And that’s how I hope to develop the game.”

This week marks the 25-year-old’s 10th appearance at the US Open and her first at Lancaster Country Club, as she did not play the last time it was held at the venue in 2015. She has enjoyed middling success on this stage with some top 10 and a few missed cuts in his last six championship appearances, but there has been nothing average about Korda in 2024.

The victories are well documented and coverage of women’s football is growing – Korda’s profile follows suit. Attending the Met Gala in early May, Korda became the first LPGA player and the first golfer since Tiger Woods in 2013 to walk the red carpet at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

“Our responsibility is to go out and play golf to put on a show for everyone and go out there and play our best golf,” Korda said. “Hopefully it will attract the public. I know there are expectations from players and I think our number one priority should be to get out there, enjoy our time on the golf course and develop our game by playing good golf.”

To say that Korda is “playing good golf” would, of course, be an understatement. After starting her year in the top 20 at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Championships, the American has won five straight, including one of the biggest wins at the Chevron Championship.

At the Cognizant Founders Cup earlier this month, Korda had the opportunity to win for the sixth consecutive time and break the record for consecutive victories she shared with Annika Sorenstam and Nancy Lopez. She eventually finished T7, but it took her just a week to get back into the winner’s circle at the Mizuho Americas Open, where she admitted she may not have had her “A” game despite lifting another trophy.

Korda understands he may not have that luxury this week, as Lancaster Country Club will demand only the best from the eventual champion. Setting up to be a tough test with narrow fairways, thick, rough and firm greens and crowds expected in deep rows, Pennsylvania’s jewel will prove to be a stern examination. It’s one that Korda is more than capable of passing with flying colors.

“It’s going to test every aspect of your golf game and even your mental game because it’s a major championship,” Korda said. “You can get ahead of yourself, get lost in the moment. If you make a few mistakes here and there, sometimes it can get away from you, but it will test every aspect of your game this week.”