Nelly Korda makes childhood dream come true with f...
Key takeaways
- For 72 holes of one of the tougher tests the best women in the world have faced, Korda played far from perfect golf.
- AP Photo/Ashley Landis"That 14-year-old girl that stepped on the range at Sebonack in 2013," Korda said, referring to her U.S.
- The crowd that had rooted for her the moment she stepped onto the property and filled the natural amphitheater around the 18th green burst into celebration.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
Nelly Korda holds the trophy after winning the U.S. Women's Open. AP Photo/Ashley Landis Paolo Uggetti Jun 7, 2026, 11:25 PM ETMultiple Authors Email Print Open Extended Reactions LOS ANGELES -- If Nelly Korda had ever colored her childhood dream, if she had filled in the edges with specific sights and sounds and allowed her mind to build the world that would witness her finally winning the U.S. Open, it might have still not looked better than the reality that played out on the 18th green at Riviera Country Club on Sunday afternoon.
For 72 holes of one of the tougher tests the best women in the world have faced, Korda played far from perfect golf. The pressure, though not outwardly visible, was palpable. The best player in the world was not just the favorite coming into the week, she was all but expected to win. It was time, the narrative said. With three majors under her belt, the U.S. Open hung in the balance, the line in her résumé that seemed as if it should have already been written for a player of her caliber.
So when the final par putt curled in, a dramatic, near 360-swirl around the cup that made the slight difference between agony and elation, it was not relief as much as it was disbelief that the moment, the dream, had been realized at last.