Nelly Korda almost looked a little sheepish on the 18th green as she clinched a lifelong dream victory at the 81st US Women’s Open at Riviera Country Club to win the first two majors of the season.
Korda’s par putt of two feet ten inches went left off the blade and did a lap of honour before eventually falling for a one shot victory on eight-under after a 69 ahead of Charley Hull and Gaby Lopez.
“I feel like I’m in a dream,” smiled the world number one. “Gosh, I can’t explain how much this means to me. I want to thank my whole team, my family, my sister who has been grinding with me before rounds and after rounds on the grip!
“Don’t make me relive that putt, I’m sure I will see a lot of videos about it!
“It’s such a dream, it’s an iconic golf course and venue. It’s a dream to win here, the golf course holds so much history and to have my name alongside so many great champions is a dream come true.”
Hull and Lopez were guilty of missed short putts on the 14th and 16th respectively but Korda managed to keep her nerve. There were big moments as Hull birdied 17 and made a clutch par on the last to set the clubhouse target with a weekend 36-hole record low of 65, 67 before Lopez joined her with a birdie on 18.
Korda though, edged one clear with a terrific birdie on the par-5 17th having missed the green short left.
The American made the ideal start with an opening birdie and added another on the par-3 6th. She dropped a shot on the 7th and had to wait until the 17th for another birdie, but there were a few classy par saves in between on her way to her first US Women’s Open and fourth major of her career.
After an opening round of 74, it looked like another week to forget for Korda but some timely grip advice from her sister Jessica and a great touch on and around the greens paid dividends.
Hull will have her own regrets. After a blistering 65 took her from the middle of the pack into contention she continued in that vein with a sensational eagle at the par-5 1st before birdies on 3 and 6 took her to four-under for the day and into a share of the lead.
A bogey on 9 was followed by back to back birdies on 10 and 11 to take her into the solo lead, before the Englishwoman, looking for her maiden major, blinked. A three-putt bogey on 12 was followed by another bogey on the par-3 14th but she did give herself hope with a late flurry.
It’s 62 attempts of trying in majors for Hull who now has five runner-up finishes.
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