By: Max Bechtoldt
While Nelly Korda’s 2024 AIG Women’s Open weekend was disappointing considering the leads she had, it did give her some new hardware on her ever growing shelf.
The world’s No. 1 player won the 2024 Rolex Annika Major Award, which is designed to track the performances of women’s golfers throughout the five major championships. Players get points according to the position they finish in the majors, and only get points for top 10 finishes. Only winners of a major are eligible for the award.
Korda didn’t have heavy competition, as Ayaka Furue was the only other major champion with an additional top-10 finish. Korda notably missed the cut in both the U.S. Women’s Open and the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, but played decent at the Evian Championship. It was her win at the Chevron Championship and runner-up at the AIG Women’s Open that clinched it for her though.
The award was clinched on the same week Korda will tie Annika Sörenstam for most-career weeks ranked No. 1 in the world. Though it is important to note, that the Rolex Rankings were introduced in 2006, well into Sörenstam’s career. Korda now has the sixth most weeks at the top spot.
Korda is the third American to win the award, after Michelle Wie West in 2014 and Lilia Vu last year. Korda will likely become the fifth Annika winner to also win Player of the Year, after Vu in 2023, Jin Young Ko in 2019, Ariya Jutanugarn in 2018 and So Yeon Ryu in 2017.
