LOS ANGELES – Scottie Scheffler and Nelly Korda, the two leading players in the men and women’s games, have produced the most dominant run that professional golf has seen in years and neither appears ready to slow down.
With his three-shot win at the RBC Heritage on April 22, Masters champion Scheffler has won four of his last five starts and became the first player to win a Major and on the PGA Tour the following week since Tiger Woods in 2006.
His triumph came a day after Korda won the year’s first Major – the Chevron Championship – to become the third player since 1978 to win five consecutive events on the LPGA Tour, joining Nancy Lopez (1978) and Annika Sorenstam (2004-2005).
“One of the people asked me, is this turning into a competition between you and Nelly? I was like, I don’t know, I think if it’s a competition she’s got me pretty beat right now,” Scheffler said after his win.
“Five wins in a row... it’s pretty special stuff. To win four times in a row and then show up at a Major championship and win is extremely impressive.”
In their last 10 starts, the American world No. 1s have combined for nine wins – including a Major triumph each – the only blemish coming from Scheffler at the pre-Masters Houston Open as he missed a birdie putt to force a play-off.
Sustaining excellence for so long in golf is no easy feat and perhaps why the sport has not seen such dominance from both a man and a woman at the same time since World Golf Hall of Fame members Woods and Sorenstam were on top of their game.
Korda’s return to Major glory, which she celebrated by jumping into the lake, was all the more special for the American given the long road back she endured following her breakout 2021 campaign.
Korda admitted that doubts crept into her mind during that stretch where she was sidelined for lengthy periods due to back injuries and a blood clot in her left arm, but she refused to let the adversities of life take her down.
Still, she admitted she never could have imagined the record-tying current streak she is on, back when she was struggling to get back to health.
“Obviously then I was just more scared for my health. Competing was kind of on the backseat,” said Korda. “But all of the sad times and the health scares have made me who I am today. It has matured me a lot, and I’m very grateful for the ups and downs.”
The golf world will, however, have to wait a little longer to see whether she can make history with a sixth straight win.
Korda withdrew on April 22 from the LA Championship, scheduled to start on April 25 in Los Angeles.
“It was not an easy decision,” she said. “After the unbelievable week at the Chevron and grinding through the mental and physical challenges of four events in the past five weeks, I am definitely feeling exhausted.” REUTERS
