Nelly Korda Explains Why She Jumped Into the Temporary Pond at Chevron Championship

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HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 26: Nelly Korda USA celebrates her win by jumping into a small pool during the final round of The Chevron Championship on April 26, 2026 at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston, Texas. Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire GOLF: APR 26 LPGA, Golf Damen The Chevron Championship EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon260426069
After winning her third major, Nelly Korda wasn't shy of keeping the Chevron's tradition alive. Just as Amy Alcott did decades ago, Korda jumped into a small pool.
"So refreshing. Yeah, it was so hot this weekend in Houston. I got to do it with the addition of Jess this year, compared to 2024 when Jess wasn't in Houston. And, yeah, I mean, if I'm hoisting the trophy, then I'm jumping in,” said the 27-year-old on Sunday during the press conference post her win.
With no water guarding the 18th green at Memorial Park, tournament organizers installed a temporary plunge pool beside the closing hole for the week.
“I'm going to keep the tradition alive. Everyone is going to have their own opinion. My opinion is if you kill a tradition, it's going to be gone forever," said the three-time major winner.
The jump traces back to 1988, when Amy Alcott stepped into the water after her win at Mission Hills and turned the celebration into part of Chevron’s finish. That carried through the tournament’s move to Houston, even as the course changed.
Memorial Park had no lake beside the 18th, so this year’s setup filled that gap for one edition while work remains scheduled to add a permanent water feature at the hole before the 2027 championship.
“They're making the effort to want to continue the legacy of the jump, and there is a lot of effort from Chevron, from Glenn, Mike Wirth, to want this tradition to move on,” added Korda.
Korda’s celebratory splash followed a week of clinical golf where she maintained control over the field for four rounds.
Korda Returns To Number One In the Rankings
Korda closed the week at 18-under 270, and left Houston with the Chevron Championship title, the third major of her career, and the No. 1 spot in the women’s world rankings.
"Just amazing. I'm sure it hasn't really settled in yet, but what a week. I mean, I feel very relieved after what I felt mid-round, the nerves of holding that lead and the golf course, and I just feel so happy," said the 17-time LPGA winner during the interaction.
Korda opened with back-to-back rounds of 65, stayed ahead through Saturday, and entered the final round with room to manage the lead.
Her closing 70 was enough to keep control through the back nine and finish five shots clear of Ruoning Yin and Patty Tavatanakit, who shared second at 13-under.
The win marked her 17th LPGA title and her second Chevron Championship in three seasons after her first came in 2024.
It also moved her within five points of the LPGA Hall of Fame threshold, adding another step to a season in which she has remained in the final group in every start.
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Written by
Aditi Singh
Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar
