Women's Open 2025: Nelly Korda is still No. 1, with the cheering section to prove it
Cece, who picked Korda out as her favourite player after watching YouTube highlights with her father Joe Snell, is right. As the Rolex Rankings have stated for the past 108 weeks, the 27-year-old is the best in the world – even if the scoreboard at Royal Porthcawl, where the Women's Open is being staged, suggests otherwise at the moment with the Floridian ending the day on 2-under-par and tied for 10th, nine shots back of leader Miyu Yamashita (-11) from Japan.
As Korda, a former Olympic champion and two-time major winner, teed off shortly after 8.30 a.m. on Friday alongside compatriot Angel Yin and Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn, there was a sizable crowd already gathered, ready to follow every shot. Cece and her dad left home 85 miles away in Chippenham, England, at 6 a.m. to ensure they would catch sight of Korda. A nice surprise was her catching sight of them.
'As soon as we got here we walked over to the putting green and Nelly was there,' Joe, 31, says. 'Cece was stood holding her sign and you could see the look in Nelly's eyes, this is why they do what they do.'
Beatrice Pearce, an 11-year-old golfer from Leeds who travelled to Spain with her mother Holly to watch Korda in the 2023 Solheim Cup, also has a paper sign. It says 'Go Nelly' and features a Welsh dragon illustration. 'She's really cool and seems like a very down-to-earth person,' says Beatrice, who is hoping to return on Sunday to support Korda again. 'She is nice and normal and isn't a show off.'
The crowd that followed Korda in their numbers on Friday are hoping she can pull herself into contention by Sunday. But they will be there either way as she tees off.
'That's been my favourite part over the last two years (of being world No. 1),' Korda said when speaking to The Athletic. 'Seeing how many people have come out to support us. It's so much fun getting to play in front of them. Hopefully it's good golf, but no matter what, no matter the outcome, they're always there to support you. It's really fun to play in front of them.
'I find it fun that for me they take time out of their day. So, to sign signatures, wave at them and see the signs they make me, the least I can do is say hi to them.'
When Korda says 'us', she refers to her team. At the forefront of that is her caddie Jason McDede. He has been carrying her TaylorMade bag, which for this tournament is pink and has numerous cuddly toys dangling from it — much to the delight of Cece — since 2018.
On Friday, McDede was always the first person to shout 'great shot' at anything that looked good. He also stood out for the special green bib he wears, which signals Korda is the highest-ranked golfer on the planet. Her shot up an intimidating hill and onto the green at the sixth signalled her control of her golf swing and her power. Korda dropped the ball just at the back of the pin but was unable to execute the birdie opportunity – an unwanted theme of her week so far.
'I didn't really capitalise on anything in the calmer conditions on the front nine,' Korda said. 'Then it got really windy on the back nine. I made a few more mistakes, but bounced back with some birdies. Overall, I'm not going to complain with even-par.'
Beatrice was not alone with her 'We're sticking with Nelly' attitude when cheers went up in the distance for a Lottie Woad birdie. And that is what they did for five hours – stuck with her.
Korda tried to stay warm by pulling on an extra pair of golf trousers and a Nike gilet. What she really needed was her putter to warm up and it did – kind of.
After making par on every hole on the front nine, sans a bogey on No. 4, Korda made four birdies on the back nine but three bogeys largely cancelled them out. The crowd that applauded most shots wherever they ended up wanted more from her and Korda wanted it from herself.
She jumped up and down after her second shot on No. 11, knowing it was on its way to a bunker but trying to somehow stop it. She made an easy escape but then lipped the hole with her putt. Cows in a nearby field groaned loudly, almost like they too were annoyed. At No. 12, when both Yin and Jutanugarn found sand, Korda found a birdie to go back under par.
The Open radio channel was on course with Korda, Yin (-1) and Jutanugarn (+1) all day. And when Sky Sports' cameras started rolling at midday with the group on the 13th hole, the sun started shining and Korda found warmth in that putter as she pulled out another birdie. Then on 14, with the sea staring at her and the wind blowing directly towards the club face, Korda made it a day out at the seaside by landing on sand again. She got out OK and came agonisingly close to salvaging par.
Getting up and down in golf in as little shots as possible is crucial but managing the up and down is even more so. And Korda came off the greens feeling happy with how she handled it.
Before teeing off on the last hole, a birdie finish, two young girls got a hand tap from Korda as she approached the tee box. They giggled excitedly before squeezing under the blue rope to watch Korda blast it down the fairway. Even if it's not a day or weekend to remember for Korda, seeing her play golf continues to be an unforgettable experience for those spectators following her.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
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