Skip to main content
Thursday, November 12, 2026Nov 12

Golf roundup: Nelly Korda makes a splash with third major championship

Nelly Korda, second from right, celebrates her Chevron Championship victory Sunday in Houston by jumping into the water alongside the 18th green at Memorial Park. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Nelly Korda, second from right, celebrates her Chevron Championship victory Sunday in Houston by jumping into the water alongside the 18th green at Memorial Park. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Nelly Korda, second from right, celebrates her Chevron Championship victory Sunday in Houston by jumping into the water alongside the 18th green at Memorial Park. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

HOUSTON — Nelly Korda is back to No. 1 in the Women’s World Golf Rankings and looks every bit the part.

Korda was so untouchable at the Chevron Championship that no one got closer than four shots of her the entire weekend. She played her last 29 holes at Memorial Park at par and still won by five shots — the largest margin at this event in 18 years — as she finished the 72-hole major tournament at 18-under 270.

And it was one of the toughest times she ever had.

“It’s not easy going in with that big of a lead,” the 27-year-old Floridian said. “I think that was the challenging point with like, where do I still play like Nelly and where do I play a little defensive?”

That’s why there was as much relief as joy for Korda when she holed a seven-foot par putt to close out a 2-under 70, capture her third major title and return to No. 1 for the first time since last August.