Nelly Korda sets sights on St Andrews glory

Nelly Korda isn’t letting links inexperience get in the way of her AIG Women’s Open dreams.

The 25-year-old is riding the crest of a record-breaking wave, thanks to six wins in her last eight starts.

But soon on Korda’s radar will be a ‘special’ St Andrews win, when she tees it up in the final major of the season in August.

“For a golfer, there’s no greater honour than winning a major championship,” she said.

“There’s no greater feeling. [But] to do it at St Andrews, to do it at the Home of Golf – with all that history – would be so, so special.”

The American has already tied Nancy Lopez and Annika Sorenstam for the most consecutive LPGA Tour wins, but she could yet make more history.

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Aided by St Andrews glory, the world No.1 has the chance to match or even eclipse Mickey Wright’s 13-win season from 1963.

But Korda would have to do it on her first try at the legendary seaside links.

“I have never played the golf course before,” she admitted. “When we played at Kingsbarns in my rookie year we stayed in St Andrews, and I got to walk by the 18th hole and over the Swilcan Bridge but that was more sightseeing.

“So, I’m super excited how the week will turn out. We’re playing at the home of golf so I’m expecting it to be an amazing week.

“There’s so much history at St Andrews and I’m excited to be a part of that, to walk out on the Old Course and to compete out there.”

The tournament is set to take stage in Fife from August 21-25 and will be the third time the Old Course has played host.

Stacy Lewis came out on top in 2013 – it’s most recent spin around St Andrews – three years before Korda had even turned pro.

However, the two-time major champ says she is growing accustomed to the unique challenges of links golf after competing at various British venues.

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“Every year I’m figuring it out more and more. I only get to play a links course a couple of times a year. But I enjoy it. It’s so much fun.

“It brings out such a creative side in golf, where we don’t get to do that too much otherwise. You get to put different clubs in your bag, you play with such different weather.

“I personally really enjoy it because it brings out a whole other side of my game.”

Meanwhile, England’s Georgia Hall – who lifted the trophy in 2018 – says she is motivated by the prospect of a duel with Korda.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen the next six months but if you’re coming down the stretch with her, I think, for me, it would be like, wow. I’d literally just want to win even more,” Hall said.

Tickets to the AIG Women’s Open are now on sale via aigwomensopen.com.

Adult tickets are available from £20, with Saturday tickets including a full day of golf action and entry to the evening’s music concert priced at £55.

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.