Winner Profile: Nelly Korda Finally Breaks Through at the U.S. Women’s Open
The U.S. Women’s Open had long been Nelly Korda’s most elusive major championship.
Despite becoming World No. 1, winning multiple majors, an Olympic gold medal and establishing herself as the dominant player in women’s golf, the U.S. Women’s Open had continued to be a source of frustration. There was the devastating missed cut in 2024 after making a 10 on a par 3 and the runner-up finish in 2025. Year after year, one of golf’s biggest prizes remained just out of reach.
At Riviera Country Club, that changed. Korda captured her first U.S. Women’s Open title with a winning score of 8-under par, claiming her fourth major championship and 19th LPGA Tour victory.
Nelly Korda holds the U.S. Open trophy after her one-shot victory during the final round at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif., on June 7, 2026. (David Cannon/Getty Images)
The Dominant Force in Women’s Golf
While this victory added another major championship to an already impressive résumé, it also marked her first U.S. Women’s Open title and the completion of a journey that had included several near misses in the championship.
Coming into Riviera, Korda’s worst finish of the season was a tie for eighth. Every other start resulted in either a victory or a runner-up finish. She arrived at the championship as the clear World No. 1 and the player everyone was chasing. The advanced statistics tell an even more impressive story.
Strokes Gained Rankings
SG Total: 1st
SG Tee-to-Green: 1st
SG Off the Tee: 1st
SG Approach: 2nd
SG Around the Green: 2nd
SG Putting: 31st
Korda currently gains more than four shots per round on the average LPGA Tour player, an extraordinary level of performance over the course of a season.
What makes her profile unique is that her dominance is built almost entirely on elite ball striking. She leads the tour in Strokes Gained Off the Tee, Tee-to-Green and Total, while ranking second in both Approach and Around the Green. Unlike many players who rely on streaky putting weeks, Korda’s advantage comes from consistently outplaying the field from tee to green.
How She Won
Score: -8
Par 3 Scoring: -3
Par 4 Scoring: +3
Par 5 Scoring: -8
Driving Distance: 270 yards
Driving Accuracy: 70%
Greens in Regulation: 58%
The statistics from Riviera reveal a player who understood exactly where to attack.
Korda played the par 5s in 8-under par for the week, accounting for her entire winning score. On a golf course where birdies were difficult to find and mistakes were heavily punished, she maximized scoring opportunities while staying patient everywhere else.
Her 70% driving accuracy allowed her to play from position throughout the week, while her short game helped offset a relatively modest 58% greens in regulation.
That GIR number is particularly interesting. Most golfers assume major championships are won by hitting every green. Korda proved otherwise. When she missed greens, she relied on her elite short game and course management to keep momentum on her side.
After opening with a 73, Korda steadily improved throughout the week, shooting 69, 65 and 69 over the final three rounds. The victory was built on patience, discipline and a complete game that currently has no obvious weakness.
The Bigger Picture
At 27 years old, Nelly Korda now owns four major championships, an Olympic gold medal, 19 LPGA Tour victories and the title of World No. 1. More importantly, she has finally conquered the one major championship that had previously eluded her.
For most players, winning the U.S. Women’s Open would define a career. For Nelly Korda, it feels like another milestone in what is rapidly becoming one of the great seasons in modern women’s golf. The statistics, the consistency and now the U.S. Women’s Open trophy all point to the same conclusion.
With four majors already secured and only the AIG Women’s Open and Amundi Evian Championship missing from her collection, the conversation is no longer about whether she is the best player in the world. It’s about how much more she can accomplish from here.