Is the summer of Nelly Korda upon us?

Check in every week for the unfiltered views of our writers and editors as they analyze the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we discuss Nelly Korda’s second turn at the helm, the new Ryder Cup captaincy and its exorbitant prices.

Nelly Korda won the Chevron Championship, beating the field to win five and take the first major of the year, the third of her career. Two years ago he won seven times, but followed that in 2025 without a win. This year he has won twice. Is the summer of Nelly Korda coming? What has changed?

James Colgan, news and features editor (@jamescolgan26): It’s the hardest thing in golf to win a tournament. But still, it’s very hard to lose golf tournaments when you play the way Nelly did this weekend. On Sunday’s front nine with a five-over lead, feeling all the pressure in the world to close it, Korda made seven pars and two birdies. There’s a maturity to that kind of understanding Sunday in the big time, and I think it explains his success in Houston.

Sean Zak, senior author (@sean_zak): I think Nelly has settled into a comfortable place and whatnot he you want to be in the game. The last time she ran like this, there was a lot of pressure on her to carry the entire women’s game. Try and survive by playing various games with Caitlin Clark. I’m not sure Korda ever felt good about it all.

To answer the question, I hope Nelly summer is upon us. He is without a doubt one of the best golfers we have ever seen, which just makes me want to see what he can achieve at his highest level. This comes the same week that DataGolf launched the women’s rankings. I want to see him strip down and plant his flag in one of the best seasons of all time. And then, if I can be greedy, I want to see Jeeno Thitikul go toe-to-toe with him.

Josh Schrock, news editor (@schrock_and_awe): Here in Houston all week, it was clear that Nelly Korda is at peace with who she is, and her maturity on the golf course comes from personal happiness and the decision she and caddy Jason McDede made to look at things differently after 2025. He made a great effort to play smart golf, not taking unnecessary risks and not allowing himself to get too comfortable with his game. McDede told me that last year’s loss at Erin Hills was the catalyst for a change in his mindset, and I think there’s reason to believe that he can grab many more wins this year. Every part of his game is exploding, and his decision to hire a “no brainer” coach helped solve what had been an Achilles’ heel in his game. The train to the Riviera will be out of control.

The discussion before the competition at Chevron was that if the winner jumps into Pond’s Pond they should continue with the competition which will be held at the new location, Memorial Park. A small pond was built as a placeholder this year (Korda affected it) until a natural water feature is built by Tom Doak before next year. Should the winner’s jump have stayed at the previous venue, Carlton Woods? Is it gimmicky? Or is it a fun and important tradition to preserve?

Colgan: Golfers are obsessed with stupid things. I would argue that sports are fun precisely because of our foolish attachment to such annoying (and often destructive) traditions as the winner’s jump. We invest emotionally in someone’s ability to put the cue ball into the hole a few strokes lower than their opponent. That’s as dumb as it gets. If the winner wants to jump in a kiddie pool or fight an orangutan afterwards, we should not budge.

Zak: If they fight an orangutan, I will be moved by that. Sorry, James. But I actually kind of dig this culture, mostly because … who cares? Take your hate somewhere else. There are more important – and more wonderful – things to be angry about. Nelly’s team seemed to be enjoying the jump.

Scrock: I completely agree. What was the argument? Players want to keep the tradition alive and the LPGA has created a stopgap movement to allow it. There’s a lot of hand-wringing about dumb things in golf. This was meaningless. Korda was one of the players who wanted the tradition to be kept alive. He went inside. Let’s continue. It’s a game. Go for a lap if you’re really worried, maybe a pool.

The PGA of America has announced Jim Furyk as its 2027 Ryder Cup captain, and he will become just the fourth repeat captain in the modern era. Although we already discussed this news earlier this week, Furyk has had a lot of experience since losing in 2018 (as Ryder Cup assistant and President Cup captain). What do you think his major study in Paris would be most beneficial for next year?

Colgan: Don’t allow yourself to start a fight by getting punched in the face. Getting off to a fast start is a huge asset to any road team, and it’s especially true in the Cup.

Zak: Here’s a great read requirements to be: the pairing is decided weeks in advance. Maybe months before. The Euros released pairs knowing they would play together in June. It seems to be a strategy that continues to work.

Scrock: There has to be a better pairing strategy than letting guys play with whoever they want and then fly by the seat of their pants as the competition progresses. The US has talent but is lacking in all other areas.

Speaking of the Ryder Cup, tickets for 2027 in Ireland have just been announced as $585, which is double the cost of the last European Ryder Cup (Rome in 2023). It also comes a year after $750 tickets caused chaos in Bethpage. The PGA of America said at the time that it was a “Category 1” sporting event and was reasonably priced. What do you say? Is it good for golf that prices (and demand) for Ryder Cup tickets are going up? Or is it sad that it punches out some fans?

Colgan: Oh, it’s totally sad and totally against the spirit of a show meant to celebrate the best qualities of golf. If the Euros don’t ask for payment to play in the cup after the latest ticket news, they don’t work.

Zak: So is this price…Stage 2? Or it’s still there Section 1, but in Ireland? I feel bad for those residents who have circled this event on their calendars for years – after a very wealthy businessman won the bid to bring an impossibly rich event to his expensive resort. There’s a long tail of benefits that follow the Ryder Cup and make it affordable for everyone, but a lot of it now starts with fans paying a ton up front. It feels different.

Scrock: Totally annoying. The ticket prices for everything are unnecessarily high, but for a sports exhibition game that should be about equality, this is outrageous.

It’s official – for the first time in nearly six decades, the PGA Tour will not be making a stop in Hawaii for the 2027 season, which is the site of an upcoming schedule change. Will you miss Hawaii? And what was your favorite moment while visiting the Aloha State?

Colgan: I will miss Hawaii. The golf course was fun and unique, and the vibes were aspirational in a way that few events on the golf calendar are. In many ways, it feels like this is the time we’ll look back on as the transition to commercial travel in the mid-2020s. Not a bad thing, but something to be aware of!

Zak: It’s okay to miss Hawaii as a season opener and know it wasn’t an economically viable tournament. We live in an era of sports that will squeeze plenty Things We Like remove and replace them Things We Still Love But Better Funded. It is what it is. This is a strong business move and I think we will look back on it in five years in a completely acceptable way. That being said, the Tiger-Ernie battle from 2000 was one of the best golf moments ever.

Scrock: I will miss Hawaii for sure. Kapalua was a great course and gave everyone buried in the snow in the northeast an escape. That being said, I completely understand why the decision was made from a financial standpoint. Agree, this decision feels like a significant moment in the PGA Tour’s profit journey.