Korda Eyes World No. 1 Return After Season-Opening Win

Nelly Korda of the United States started 2025 on a strong note, winning the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, the LPGA Tour season opener.

This was no ordinary victory. Korda dominated the 2024 LPGA Tour with seven wins in 16 events. However, she fell into a deep slump last year, failing to secure a single title. She also lost her world No. 1 ranking to Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand, dropping to second place. Her season-opening win marked her first victory in one year and three months, signaling a successful turnaround in momentum.

Korda aims to reclaim the world No. 1 spot this season. She will pursue her second win of the season at the Fortinet Founders Cup, a four-day tournament starting February 19.

Coach Kim Hyung-min analyzed Korda's driver swing sequence. Kim, a former Korea Professional Golf Association (KPGA) Tour player, currently coaches notable long hitters including Kim Bong-seop.

Address: Standing 178 centimeters tall, Korda possesses excellent upper and lower body proportions, giving her a stable address position. Her shoulders are slightly narrow while her arms and legs are long. Despite her model-like physique, her lower body muscles are substantial—a body optimized for golf. She appears relaxed without any tension from deliberately bending her knees or straining her back.

Backswing: Tall players tend to have flat backswings, but her club shows no drop whatsoever. Notably, she tilts her head slightly to the right, a small movement that creates greater shoulder rotation. Her back faces the target direction. While her upper body rotates to its maximum, her lower body and hips remain firmly anchored.

Downswing and Impact: Note the shaft angle when both arms reach the front of her left thigh. Her lagging motion—pulling the club straight down—is flawless. She slightly bends her knees, then lifts not only her right heel but also her left heel just before impact, utilizing the ground extremely efficiently. She generates maximum power while maintaining a completely stable axis.

Follow-through and Finish: With her head remaining back, the imaginary wall built on her left side holds firm. The most impressive element is her right heel. From impact until just before the finish, the angle of her lifted heel remains virtually unchanged—a movement possible only with exceptional flexibility. This technique suppresses excessive right foot movement to enhance accuracy.