Nelly Korda captured her third major championship at the Chevron Championship, defeating the field by five shots at Memorial Park in Houston. The victory marks her second win of 2026 following a winless 2025 season. Korda credited mental adjustments and a focus on smart golf for her dominant performance.
Nelly Korda entered the final round with a five-shot lead and closed out the Chevron Championship with poise, making seven pars and two birdies on the front nine Sunday despite the pressure of a major. She stuck to a conservative game plan, laying up on the par-5 16th and avoiding unnecessary risks, guided by caddie Jason McDede. Korda sealed the win with a final putt, then celebrated by jumping into a temporary pool built to preserve the tournament's winner's leap tradition at the new venue. This triumph is her first major of 2026 and third overall, coming after seven victories in 2024 but no titles in 2025. The previous year proved challenging, with strong stats but no trophies, culminating in a heartbreaking runner-up finish at the U.S. Women's Open at Erin Hills. That loss prompted changes: Korda and McDede emphasized positivity, accepting mistakes, and playing shot-by-shot without overthinking. 'Sometimes, there is just a power in letting go,' Korda said. McDede noted the shift from perfectionism: 'We are accepting mistakes a little bit better... Just trying to take it shot by shot.' A new putting coach addressed her previous weakness, and every part of her game now fires on all cylinders. Korda described herself as her biggest opponent this week, battling doubt after missed putts but refocusing on the process.
