Rested Nelly Korda ready to tackle ‘beast’ US Women’s Open course

LANCASTER – For all of Nelly Korda’s accomplishments at just 25 years old, the world’s No. 1 women’s golfer has yet to finish better than a tie for eighth at the US Women’s Open.

She will take her 10th crack at the prestigious Major, which starts on May 30 at Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania. A winner of six of her past seven starts, Korda has never been in better form ahead of a US Women’s Open.

“I’ve definitely played some really solid golf,” she acknowledged.

“But this golf course is a beast. Off the tee, if you don’t hit it into the fairways, it sinks down into the rough. These greens are small and very, very undulated. It’s a beast of a golf course.”

Korda has successfully tackled most of the challenges thrown her way on the course this season. She has won six of eight starts overall, including the first Major of the year at the Chevron Championship.

She attributes her record-setting form to having her “team” around her. That includes coach Jamie Mulligan travelling to most tournaments to provide on-site swing instructions along with caddie Jason McDede.

“The only week that I haven’t had someone out was during Cognizant (Founders Cup), and I just didn’t really hit it that well that week,” she said, referencing the tied-seventh finish in New Jersey that snapped her record-tying streak of five consecutive victories.

“So making sure that my team is taking time for me as well and coming out and making sure that we’re all dedicated to each other has kind of really been the thing that has changed this year.”

The two-time Major champion is also careful in planning her schedule for breaks from the tour grind.

After playing 25 holes at the Chevron to win her fifth consecutive start, Korda withdrew from the following week’s tournament at Los Angeles to recharge. She has played two events since, winning the Mizuho America’s Open before taking another week off ahead of the US Women’s Open.

“I feel like that’s just everyone in general. That’s everyone who works your regular 9-5 job, just got to get away for the weekend,” she said. “I think that in a sense it’s something that I’ve had to also work on.

“As a kid, my parents really instilled that family values and hanging around our family and just disconnecting from the world has really been important to us.”

Many observers believe Korda’s length and the ability to stop the ball on the greens with loftier iron shots will give her a significant advantage over much of the field. That, along with the fact she has dominated the LPGA Tour through the first half of the year.

Korda, however, is keeping her feet firmly on the ground.

“I think, obviously, with the position I’m in, there are going to be expectations,” she said.

“You can get ahead of yourself, get lost in the moment. If you make a couple mistakes here and there, sometimes it can get away from you.

“So I’m going to always stay 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.” REUTERS, AFP