Sports
“Fresh Week, Fresh Mindset” – Nelly Korda’s New Approach at Chevron
World No. 1 Nelly Korda may not have stormed into 2025 the way she did last season, but she’s far from concerned as she heads into the Chevron Championship. While this year has yet to deliver a win for the American star, her focus is on staying grounded and building momentum.
“This is a brand new year,” Korda said ahead of the tournament’s start at Carlton Woods in suburban Houston. “What I achieved last year was amazing, but it’s about being present. A fresh week, a fresh mindset.”
Last year, Korda delivered a thrilling final-round performance to edge out Maja Stark and claim her fifth consecutive win — a streak that tied LPGA legends Nancy Lopez and Annika Sorenstam. She went on to collect seven titles during a sensational 2024 campaign.
Her 2025 season has been quieter, with only two top-10 finishes in five starts. After skipping the LPGA’s Asian swing, Korda returned with a tie for seventh at the Founders Cup and finished tied for 16th at the LA Championship last week.
Despite the slower start, Korda said she’s seen improvements, especially in her iron play, and hopes her putting will soon catch up.
“I think that’s where it’s been lacking,” she admitted. “But that’s just golf. I’ve been through phases like this before. I just have to keep grinding and wait for it to click.”
This year’s LPGA season has yet to produce a dominant figure, with eight different winners from the first eight events — a sharp contrast to Korda’s control last season.
The Chevron Championship will feature 24 of the top 25 players in the world, including world No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul and No. 3 Lydia Ko. Ko, who won this major in 2016, already has a 2025 title under her belt from the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore. Thitikul has yet to win this season but boasts five top-10 finishes in six events.
Also returning is 2023 Chevron champion Lilia Vu, who missed her title defense last year due to a serious back injury. Vu says she’s now “in a much better place” and looking forward to a strong showing.
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Sourced:Super Sport
Picture: David Becker
