By: Max Bechtoldt
It is no secret that the story of the LPGA Tour season has been the incredible dominance of Nelly Korda. Korda has won four events in a row dating back to January and looks to be unstoppable. Every facet of her game is working right now at a high level. Yet, she and world No. 6 Jin Young Ko haven’t played in the same tournament this year. That changes next week at the Chevron Championship.
It would be an exaggeration to say that Ko and Korda have a rivalry. They are actually quite friendly. Ko said in an interview with Golf Magazine: “She’s very funny,” … “And so talented. I have learned so many things from her.”
Korda and Ko are the dominant figures of women’s golf over the last five years. Since 2019, they have combined to win 24 LPGA Tour events, Ko 13, Korda 11. They have won three majors, Ko with two and Korda with one, and they have finished as the top two for Player of the Year twice. Ko won both of those.
This season appears to be different. It isn’t even mid-May yet and Korda has built up enough Player of the Year points already that it seems impossible for anyone to knock her off the pedestal. Though it is important to note that the last time Korda won four LPGA Tour events in a season, 2021, Ko also won four and the Player of the Year award.
The most impressive part of the runs of these two players is that they have both dealt with significant injuries. Korda missed four months in early 2022 with blood clots, and missed time in 2023 with a back injury. Jin Young Ko has dealt with wrist and knee injuries for the past three seasons.
Though it seems Jin Young Ko’s career has slowed from her torrid early pace, she still won two tournaments in 2023 with four more top-10s. So far she has only played two events in 2024, in Thailand and Singapore, and finished top 20 in both appearances. Nelly Korda did not play in either event.
Ko is back at Chevron, and hopefully we can get our first look in years at what happens when a healthy Jin Young Ko and a healthy Nelly Korda are on the course at the same time.
