'I Have Dreamt About This Moment Since I Was A Little Girl' - Nelly Korda Wins Fourth Major Title At US Women's Open

Nelly Korda is now a four-time Major champion after the World No.1 defeated Charley Hull and Gaby Lopez by a single stroke at Riviera to win the 2026 US Women's Open.

Korda, who lifted her third Major at the Chevron Championship in April, battled from seven strokes back after 18 holes to finally lift her national open, accomplishing a dream she has had since she was a girl.

She admitted she only had her B or C game this week but her wedge and putter saved her many times, and a clutch birdie at the par 5 17th ultimately pulled her away from the pack before her short par putt to win on 18 managed to just about lip in.

"I really don't have any [words]," she told media after victory, which won her a huge $2.5m.

"I mean, that 14 year old girl that stepped on the range at Sebonack in 2013, I mean, her dream has just come true sitting next to this trophy right now.

"It's really hard to put into words. This week was definitely a grind. I don't even feel like I had my B game. I was just grinding out there. And that's what I guess Major Championships are all about, right? It doesn't matter if you have your B or C game, you have to be there mentally.

"And I have a great support system off the golf course, on the golf course, and I literally would not be standing here without millions of pep talks I just got on the golf course from Jay [her caddie]."

It has been a rollercoaster ride in the US Women's Open for the Floridian, who infamously made a 10 on the par 3 12th at Lancaster CC two years ago to miss the cut after once again entering the week as tournament favorite.

That was her third missed cut in five US Women's Opens, but she followed it up with a runner-up at Erin Hills last year, which she said was the catalyst to helping her finally lift the famous trophy.

"I always felt like I emphasize the Women's Open so much like that's where my dream started of playing on the LPGA," the 27-year-old said.

"Every year I like never played well. I was always over par or I made a mess of a hole at Lancaster, and I just felt like that dream was almost kind of like slipping away. But it was still keeping me very much so motivated.

"Being in the chase at Erin Hills, I kind of turned the corner of, okay, like can I be in the hunt, I can do this, I can play and I can contend at a US Women's Open. I can put the dream aside and focus on what's right in front of me. I really tried to focus on that today.

"When I entered the back nine all Jay and I were talking about was one shot at a time. Not getting too ahead of myself. Not looking at the leaderboard, seeing what other people were doing. It was just a shot at a time."

Korda is now a four-time Major champion, putting her as one of the most decorated active players on the LPGA Tour. She isn't thinking about that, though.

"I've never really thought about the legacy of my career, if I'm being completely honest. I just really love competing and I love being in this position of sometimes having a big lead going into Sunday and/or being tied for the lead and having to absolutely grind it out," she said.

"Like I didn't feel my best on the back nine. I had a lot of emotions kind of swirling in my stomach. I would say it's just a dream come true.

"I have dreamt about this moment since I was a little girl. I watched my sister compete in the Women's Open from a really young age. I mean, she started at the age of 15.

"So it's just been, it's honestly just a dream come true sitting next to this trophy."

US Women's Open 2026 leaderboard

• -8 Nelly Korda
• -7 Gaby Lopez
• -7 Charley Hull
• -6 In Gee Chun
• -5 Sei Young Kim
• -3 Nasa Hataoka
• -3 Kiara Romera (a)
• -2 Allisen Corpuz
• -2 Jennifer Kupcho
• -2 Pajaree Anannarukarn
• -2 Ruoning Yin
• -2 Maja Stark
• -2 Maria Jose Marin (a)
• -1 Lauren Coughlin
• -1 Alison Lee
• -1 Shiho Kuwaki