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Evin Priest
July 30, 2026 — 7:30pm
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Lytham St Annes: Nelly Korda is instantly recognisable, even from a distance across the windswept dunes at England’s Royal Lytham course.
As fans filed in ahead of the Women’s British Open, the final major of the year, most searched for the world No.1.
Nelly Korda in action during the Pro-Am on Wednesday before the Women’s Open at Royal Lytham.R&A via Getty ImagesIt didn’t take long to locate the tall, athletic frame of the American, not least for the fact her outfits alone have Nike X-factor compared to the rest of the field: baggy, camouflage pants, and a cropped, luxe sweater.
Then there’s the balance and power of the 28-year-old’s golf swing – equal parts natural talent, which she shares with a family of tennis and golf stars, and more than two decades of hard work advancing from Florida’s ultra-competitive junior golf scene to the LPGA Tour.
Korda isn’t just the biggest drawcard in women’s golf; she’s among the biggest women’s sports stars in the world. Worthy of a mention alongside basketballer Caitlin Clark, gymnast Simone Biles and tennis player Coco Gauff.
But Korda is a reluctant star; one who concedes she was unprepared when her profile soared in 2024.
Nelly Korda tees off.Getty ImagesThat year, she became a multiple major winner with her second trophy, won seven LPGA Tour titles including a record-equalling five in a row, returned to the Olympic stage in Paris as the gold medal winner from the previous games in Tokyo and became the first golfer since Tiger Woods to appear at the Met Gala in New York.
A year later, she was featured in Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue.
“I have had to learn that,” Korda said at Royal Lytham about dealing with her heightened fame. “It’s not something that just like came with it. In 2024, it was a lot at once, and I had to go through last year to even embrace it.”
The 19-time LPGA Tour winner can at times be coy with the media, appearing to draw a line between the public and private versions of herself. But, in 2026, Korda’s celebrity and results have taken off.
She won the first two majors of the year, including an epic battle with England star Charley Hull at the US Women’s Open at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles.
She’s searching for a maiden Women’s British Open title after finishing tied second with Yin Ruoning and Lilia Vu at St Andrews to Lydia Ko in 2024. It’s all been a learning curve.
“I think if you asked me two years ago, I maybe would’ve lied up here and said I’m fine with it [all],” Korda said candidly. “But I think that I’m at a stage in my career where I’m just going to be myself. If people don’t like it, that’s fine. If that inspires the next generation, that’s great; that’s what I would like.
“I had to learn that I’m going to go the direction I want and be very authentic. I feel like when I’m not, it drains my battery a lot.”
Korda at least has a family of athletes to lean on. Her father, Petr Korda, was ranked world No.2 in tennis and the Czech star won the 1998 Australian Open. Her mother, Regina Rajchrtová, played tennis and competed at the 1988 Olympics. Sister Jess Korda, who chose golf, won six LPGA Tour titles including the Women’s Australian Open, while brother Sebastian Korda pursued tennis and has four ATP wins.
A young Korda with father Petr, a former tennis major winner, and brother Sebastian at the US Open.Instagram“My family, I think they always make sure that my batteries are always recharged,” Korda said.
New Zealand star Ko, a former world No.1 and the most recent LPGA Hall of Fame inductee, has been blown away by Korda’s past three seasons.
“She’s had an incredible year, and to kind of have that twice in the span of three years, is really unbelievable,” Ko said on Wednesday. “She’s proven herself to everyone [that] she’s one of the best players in the United States and one of the best female athletes.”
Korda’s sustained success hasn’t just benefited herself. Interest has never been higher in women’s golf. KPMG, the title sponsor of the Women’s PGA Championship, has bumped its prize purse up to a record $US13 million ($18.7m), while this week’s presenting partner, AIG, has also moved the Women’s British Open purse up to $US10 million.
Only 11 years ago, the Masters, the biggest tournament in men’s golf, had its prize pool increased to $US10 million.
“Listen, what Nelly is doing for the game of golf is unbelievable and so good to watch, and she’s a nice girl as well,” Hull said at Royal Lytham.
Hull is regarded as the biggest women’s star behind Korda, for her aggressive, exciting brand of golf and her dry, British sense of humour.
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Fans are yearning for Hull, who has three LPGA wins, to challenge Korda on a more regular basis and
have that rivalry take women’s golf to new heights.
Hull, 30, did so at the recent US Women’s Open where she took it to Korda and finished tied second.
“I don’t really see it as a rivalry at the minute because – no offence – Nelly has got [four] majors and I’ve got none. I’ve got five second-places,” Hull said bluntly.
“So let me get my major in first and then that’s something we can think about in the future. I just want to get over the line and win my first major. Five second-place finishes in majors kind of hurts.
“I remember looking at the faces walking in on the first day from last year and I was like, ‘Oh, I wish that was me.’”
At Royal Lytham, perhaps it could become an official rivalry if local favourite Hull was to win, and better yet while fending off Korda. Perhaps both would be then on equal footing. But for now, Korda is the golfer every fan wants a glimpse of.
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