If it wasn’t for a surprising, different worldly six-victory run by world No.1 Nelly Korda in 2024, Australian star Hannah Inexperienced can be garnering much more picks as a possible winner on the US Open.
With two wins underneath her belt this yr already, Inexperienced, now the world No.5 stated she’s by no means been extra assured heading into a serious championship with the document prize cash of $18m, and $3.6m for the winner, an amazing motivator to convey her finest.
However having gone head-to-head with Korda within the closing spherical on the final LPGA occasion, dropping y a single-shot after an errant 18th gap drive, Inexperienced is aware of the specter of an on-song Korda may finish together with her “beating us by in all probability rather a lot” on the Lancaster Nation Membership.
Gamers on the Open have been peppered with questions on Korda, who has received six of her previous seven occasions and in keeping with Inexperienced, received a few them with out even being at her finest, which makes her a scary prospect with the most important trophy in ladies’s golf up for grabs.
“Yeah, she’s making the sport look very straightforward,” Inexperienced stated.
“I performed together with her in Palos Verdes (in March) and I didn’t make the (reduce) weekend that week, however I don’t actually know she was in competition all that a lot,” Inexperienced stated,.
“I feel on the weekend she did a whole lot of work, however she didn’t even play that effectively. Like she didn’t make it appear to be she was a robotic. She was hitting some photographs that all of us hit each every now and then, however she was simply making up-and-downs and never making too massive a numbers.
“So she made it look very easy however not additionally like she performed very well, which is the scarier factor, is that when she’s on she’s going to be on and she or he’s going to be beating us by in all probability rather a lot.
“So attempting to beat Nelly is sort of what we are attempting to purpose for, as a result of for those who beat her you’re in all probability going to have the trophy in your arms.”
However the prospect of taking down Korda shouldn’t be a frightening one for Inexperienced who’s feeling essentially the most snug on tour she has in latest seasons, on the again of getting married, and discovering her finest steadiness for on and off the course.
“I might suppose that is truly essentially the most assured I’ve come into a serious. It seems like I don’t need to work on an excessive amount of coming into a serious, which is good,” she stated.
“It’s type of onerous for me particularly with my inconsistencies in terms of successful a golf match, however I’m feeling actually good, and I’m truly actually excited this week.
“Yeah, I simply really feel actually settled this yr. I don’t know what it comes all the way down to. Lots of people have stated it’s the marriage, being married, not having to fret about having a marriage to plan and issues like that. However it simply feels totally different this yr.
“I don’t know what it’s. I want I may have such a feeling each week that I tee it up, but it surely simply feels actually enjoyable out right here at Lancaster.”
Inexperienced is one in every of six Australians within the occasion with Minjee Lee, Gabi Ruffels, Steph Kyriacou, Sarah Kemp and main debutante Keely Marx flying the flag.
