Golf Apr 29, 2026

Can Nelly Korda be Tiger Woods-like force in women's golf? - 'She has the ability to be dominant', says Catriona Matthew

👤
By Admin
Sports Journalist
Can Nelly Korda be Tiger Woods-like force in women's golf? - 'She has the ability to be dominant', says Catriona Matthew

Nelly Korda "has the ability to be dominant" in women's golf after clinching a third major title, says Catriona Matthew.

Korda returned to world No 1 as she produced a dominant wire-to-wire win at the Chevron Championship, equalling the tournament record-low 54-hole score en route to a five-shot victory.

It was the sort of dominant display that was routine during Tiger Woods' time at the top of the men's game, and Matthew, Women's British Open winner in 2009, believes the women's game would benefit from a similar figurehead.

"For me, in any sport, to have one dominant player grabs the interest of the general public," Matthew told Your Site News. "We've seen in the men's game, we've had Tiger Woods, and Scottie Scheffler in the last few years.

"If Scottie is playing, I tune in and watch to see if he's going to do what he did last year.

"In the women's game, obviously, we've had [10-time major winner] Annika Sorenstam, [seven-time] Karrie Webb and [five-time] Se-ri Pak. But laterally, there's only been a few of them."

With Korda now getting to three titles, adding a second Chevron success to her 2024 win and 2021 US Women's Open, could she be the next to dominate in the women's game?

"Golf-wise, absolutely," Matthew said. "I mean her golf game: she's tall, hits it a long way and her swing is just about perfect.

"If she can just keep the putter going, then she has the ability to be dominant.

"She's got the poise and seems to have the mental toughness to do it."

Dame Laura Davies was also full of praise for Korda when speaking on the Your Site Golf Podcast, the four-time major winner saying the 27-year-old American has the "complete game".

"Cruise control," Davies said of Korda's emphatic victory at the Chevron.

"I'm not going to compare her to Tiger, because there is no comparison, but when a player like that hits the front as she did, you just can't see her backing up.

"And she didn't. She got better and better and won by a country mile.

"Nelly, for me, has the complete game when she's on. I've always said this: if she plays her best, none of them can beat her."

Davies added: "Nelly's probably got, if she wants, another five to 10 years at the very top. I'm not sure anyone will ever reach Annika's number of wins and majors, but she can certainly pull up alongside Carrie Webb, Se-ri Pak.

"She's definitely got it all there. At the moment, her game is at a slightly different level. She seems to have another gear to go to."

Tags:

golf news

Share this article

Related Posts

US Women's Open - storylines to follow: Nelly Korda, Charley Hull, Solheim Cup watch and major contenders at Riviera

US Women's Open - storylines to follow: Nelly Korda, Charley Hull, Solheim Cup watch and major contenders at Riviera

Your Site looks at the major storylines to follow ahead of the US Women's Open at Riviera Country Club...Nelly Korda is certainly showing shades of he...

PGA Tour: Erid Cole snatches lead from England's Jordan Smith ahead of final round at Charles Schwab Challenge

PGA Tour: Erid Cole snatches lead from England's Jordan Smith ahead of final round at Charles Schwab Challenge

Eric Cole notched a course-best third-round 63 featuring eight birdies to move top of the leaderboard with one round to go at the Charles Schwab Chall...

LPGA Tour: Celine Boutier wins ShopRite LPGA ahead of US Women's Open as Ireland's Lauren Walsh finishes third

LPGA Tour: Celine Boutier wins ShopRite LPGA ahead of US Women's Open as Ireland's Lauren Walsh finishes third

France's Celine Boutier rallied from a four-shot deficit on Sunday, making three birdies around the turn on her way to a five-under 66 for a one-shot...

Charles Schwab Challenge: Field, format, prize money as Brooks Koepka, Wyndham Clark withdraw from PGA Tour event

Charles Schwab Challenge: Field, format, prize money as Brooks Koepka, Wyndham Clark withdraw from PGA Tour event

Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from this week's Charles Schwab Challenge, meaning he won't be able to qualify for next week's Signature Event at the Memo...

DP World Tour: Andrew 'Beef' Johnston falls back at Austrian Alpine Open as Kota Kaneko leads heading into final round

DP World Tour: Andrew 'Beef' Johnston falls back at Austrian Alpine Open as Kota Kaneko leads heading into final round

Andrew 'Beef' Johnston fell back after starting the day atop the leaderboard at the Austrian Alpine Open and sits four shots off the pace set by Japan...

PGA Tour: England's Jordan Smith leads at Charles Schwab Challenge with Hideki Matsuyama and JJ Spaun keeping pace

PGA Tour: England's Jordan Smith leads at Charles Schwab Challenge with Hideki Matsuyama and JJ Spaun keeping pace

England's Jordan Smith holds the weekend lead at the Charles Schwab Challenge after back-to-back rounds of 65 saw him top the leaderboard at 10 under...