Although Nelly Korda may be a reluctant heroine for women’s golf, she has a responsibility to help propel the game to new heights, according to Solheim Cup captain Stacy Lewis.
Korda is the leading light in the women’s game and is doing extraordinary things having won four tournaments in a row ahead of the first Major of the season at the Chevron Championship.
And after another fine start, Korda is just two shots off the lead in Texas and looming ominously in her bid to make it five in a row.
The World No.1 is being championed as her sport’s Caitlin Clark, the college superstar who has elevated women’s basketball to another level during her stellar spell.
If Korda can continue to dominate that could well start to attract more headlines and therefore more eyeballs on her sport – something she’s well aware of after already voicing her opinion on the lack of TV airtime women’s golf gets.
Korda also has a part to play off the course too, with Lewis saying as the top player in the world she has a responsibility to help spread the word by doing as much media as possible as well as performing wonders on the course.
“You know, I think Nelly does have a responsibility, and she probably doesn't always want it, just knowing her,” said Lewis on how Korda can help grow the game.
“But it's saying, yes. Continuing to play great golf though is number one. That's what helps our tour the most is her playing great golf. I would tell her, is to remember that.”
Lewis agreed with Korda’s take on women’s golf not being shown on TV enough, and thinks the Olympic champion can help press their sport's claims for more coverage.
“I would tell her to do as much extra stuff as you can for us,” Lewis added. “We got to continue to push our TV partners to help us get more coverage. I was disappointed to not see that entire match on Sunday on TV.
“I just felt like you're really probably looking at a twosome, three to three and a half hours of golf, and I was really disappointed we didn't get that entire match on TV.
“So those little things like that we have to push. We have to push out partners to say, how can we make this happen. It's getting creative. Maybe changing tee timing, playing earlier, later, whatever it is. We got to figure out a way to be more visible.”
Lewis has also been World No.1 during her career so knows the added media duties that accompany that position – but giving extra time to the press is something Korda will have to do to elevate herself and her sport.
“Well, I mean, every week she needs to be in here talking about it and how good she's playing,” Lewis said. “I don't know what that's going to be, what that looks like for you.
“I've been in her shoes. I've been the No. 1 in the world and top American, and you're asked to do a lot of things. But give the media a couple hours every week. That's what she's going to have to start doing.
“Like I said, her playing great golf, that's what pushes us more forward than anything.”
