Nelly Korda made it two out of two in the season’s first two majors, holding her nerve over a knee-knocking final putt to win the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open by a single shot
The world No. 1 arrived having never contended at the championship, but a closing two-under 69 gave her an eight-under total of 276 and a fourth major title.
It was also her fourth win of a remarkable 2026, a season that could hardly contrast more sharply with a winless 2025. Having taken the Chevron Championship in April, Korda became the first player since Inbee Park in 2013 to win the season’s opening two majors — and the first American to do so since Pat Bradley in 1986.
The 27-year-old now needs only the Amundi Evian Championship or the AIG Women’s Open to complete the career Grand Slam, and sits two points shy of automatic LPGA Hall of Fame eligibility.
“It’s a dream come true,” said Korda, who admitted to a stomach full of nerves coming down the stretch. “I’ve dreamt about this moment since I was a little girl.”
Hull’s major wait goes on
The biggest threat came from Charley Hull, who produced the best golf of anyone over the weekend but came up one short. The Englishwoman opened with rounds of 73 and 72 to scrape inside the cut, then exploded into contention with a Saturday 65 — the lowest round of the championship. She kept it going on Sunday with an eagle at the first and a 67 that tied for the low round of the day, briefly sharing the lead before a three-putt bogey at the 12th and a missed four-footer at the 14th proved costly. It was a fifth runner-up finish in a major for the 30-year-old, the most of any player yet to win one bar Ayako Okamoto’s six.
“It’s just frustrating,” said Hull, who drew the loudest galleries of the afternoon but was quick to credit Korda for going back-to-back.
A nervy finish at Riviera
This was nothing like the Chevron, where Korda ran away from the field. Seven shots adrift after an opening 73, she ground her way back with weekend rounds of 67 and worked into a share of the lead, but never broke clear of a congested Sunday leaderboard.
The decisive moment came at the par-five 17th, where she rolled in a nine-foot birdie — her only one of the back nine — to edge out of a four-way tie. That left a three-foot par putt to win on the 18th. It caught the left lip before tumbling in, sparing her a play-off and, by her own account, a putt she will remember longer than any other. Tellingly, she was the only player among the top seven finishers without a bogey on the back nine.
Final rounds highlights video
Lopez and Chun keep the pressure on
Hull shared second on seven under with Mexico’s Gaby Lopez, who birdied the 72nd hole for a 68 and a career-best major finish. In Gee Chun, the 2015 champion, briefly reached nine under after birdies at the 10th and 11th, only for back-to-back bogeys to end her bid; she closed with a 70 for solo fourth, a shot clear of overnight co-leader Sei Young Kim in fifth.
British and European interest
Beyond Hull, the European challenge was led by defending champion Maja Stark, who recovered from a front-nine 39 on Thursday to finish tied eighth at two under. Lottie Woad’s debut, meanwhile, was undone on Saturday.
The 22-year-old, ranked sixth in the world, was assessed a two-stroke penalty under Rule 8.1a for improving her stance after her approach plugged in the face of the greenside bunker at the par-four ninth.
Having lost her footing trying to play out, she walked off with what she thought was a bogey, only for officials to review the incident and turn it into a triple-bogey seven two holes later.
Woad signed for a 74 and finished tied 49th at seven over, alongside Germany’s Esther Henseleit. Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist and Denmark’s Nanna Koerstz Madsen shared 54th, with Sweden’s Ingrid Lindblad and Spain’s Julia López RamÃrez tied 60th and France’s Céline Boutier 66th.
Full results go to USGA Womens US Open
What’s Next
- The LPGA Tour continues next week with the Dow Championship in Midland, Michigan.
- The next major, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, follows later this month — and offers Korda the chance to win a third straight major of the season.
Picture Credit: USGA / Simon Bruty
