Nelly Korda has demonstrated that she "has the ability to be dominant" in the women's game, a sentiment echoed by former major champion Catriona Matthew after Korda secured her third major title. Korda reclaimed the world No. 1 ranking with a commanding wire‑to‑wire victory at the Chevron Championship, matching the tournament’s record‑low 54‑hole total and finishing five strokes clear of the field.
Matthew, who won the Women’s British Open in 2009, likened Korda’s performance to the type of dominance that Tiger Woods displayed during his prime years on the men’s circuit. She argued that the women’s sport would benefit from a similarly charismatic and consistently winning figurehead.
"In any sport, having a single dominant athlete captures the public’s imagination," Matthew told Sky Sports News. "We saw that with Tiger Woods, and more recently with Scottie Scheffler.
When Scottie steps onto the course, I automatically tune in to see if he can replicate his previous year’s triumphs." She continued, "In women’s golf we have legends like Annika Sörenstam, a ten‑time major winner, Karrie Webb with seven majors, and Se‑ri Pak with five. But beyond those few, there haven’t been many players who dominate the sport over an extended period." Now that Korda has added a second Chevron win to her résumé—following her 2024 victory and her 2021 U.S.
Women’s Open triumph—observers are asking whether she could become the next dominant force in the women's game. When asked if Korda could be "the Tiger" of women’s golf, Matthew answered unequivocally, "Golf‑wise, absolutely. She’s tall, she generates massive distance, and her swing is almost flawless.
If she can keep her putting consistent, she truly has the tools to dominate. She also possesses the poise and mental toughness required to sustain success at the highest level." Dame Laura Davies, a four‑time major champion, also praised Korda on the Sky Sports Golf Podcast.
Davies described Korda’s performance at the Chevron as "cruise control," emphasizing that the 27‑year‑old American displayed a complete game. "I’m not going to compare her directly to Tiger because the sports are different, but when a player hits the ball as far as she does, you can’t imagine anyone catching up," Davies said. "She kept improving throughout the tournament and won by a huge margin." Davies added, "When Nelly is playing at her best, I truly believe no one can beat her. She has the potential for another five to ten years at the very top of the sport.
While she may never surpass Annika’s record number of wins and majors, she can certainly stand shoulder‑to‑shoulder with greats like Karrie Webb and Se‑ri Pak. Her game is already operating at a slightly higher level, and I think she still has another gear to shift into." Korda’s rise comes at a time when women's golf is seeking a new era-defining star. The sport has seen periods of dominance by a handful of players, but sustained, high‑profile leadership has been relatively rare. Having a player who can consistently win majors, command media attention, and draw casual fans to the game would mirror the impact Tiger Woods had on men’s golf, boosting sponsorship, viewership, and overall interest.
Korda’s strengths are clear: her height gives her a natural advantage in generating clubhead speed, translating into long drives that often put her ahead of the field early. Her swing mechanics are smooth and repeatable, allowing her to maintain accuracy despite the distance. Moreover, her mental composure under pressure—evident in her ability to close out tournaments with a comfortable margin—suggests she can handle the spotlight that comes with being a dominant figure.
The next challenge for Korda will be maintaining that level of performance across different courses, conditions, and against a field that will inevitably study her game closely. Consistency on the greens will be crucial; while her ball‑striking is elite, putting can be a variable that determines whether she can convert opportunities into victories on a regular basis. If she can fine‑tune that aspect of her game, the path ahead looks promising. Analysts predict that a player who can dominate for a decade, as Korda appears capable of doing, will not only collect titles but also inspire a new generation of young golfers, particularly in the United States, where the sport is seeking fresh role models.
In summary, both Catriona Matthew and Laura Davies see Korda as possessing the complete skill set—power, precision, mental fortitude, and the ability to win convincingly—to become a dominant force in women's golf. While direct comparisons to Tiger Woods are more about the concept of a singular, marketable superstar rather than a literal skill match, Korda’s recent achievements suggest she could fill that role for the women's game. The next few years will reveal whether she can sustain her performance, continue to collect major championships, and become the face of women’s golf that fans worldwide rally behind.