Nelly Korda recently reclaimed the World No. 1 rank, and Mexico’s Gaby Lopez was full of praise for her. But besides the endearing remarks, Lopez also explained why Korda is the ideal contender for the top spot.

After the wire-to-wire major victory at the Chevron Championship, Korda reached the top of the rankings for the seventh time, leaving Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul behind. Lopez addressed Korda's feat during a recent media interaction following the Mizuho Americas Open.

The 32-year-old lauded Korda, saying, “Yeah, it's great that we have Nelly as world No. 1. I think it's great for golf. It's great for the sport. She's an American Idol. She's pretty. She's tall. She has all the attributes as a world No. 1. She has a great sportsmanship."

Lopez also described the feeling of competing with the world No. 1, saying, "I really enjoyed playing with her last week and every single time we get paired together, looking forward to that challenge."

Korda’s superstardom is second to none in the LPGA. She belongs to a family of sports stars and has backed herself up with her extraordinary performances.

The 27-year-old presents the perfect balance between her on and off-course ventures. On one hand, she’s secured 18 LPGA Tour victories and 3 major championships, and on the other, she became the first LPGA player to attend the Met Gala, considerably increasing her fame.

“So, very proud of what Jeeno as well has done. Both of them have been great stars for the Tour,” added Lopez.

Both Thitikul and Korda have been formidable opponents on the LPGA tour. Being the top two-ranked players on the tour, both have gone into intense head-to-head battles in the last two seasons.

2025 was Thitikul’s year to shine. She secured three titles, whereas Korda came up with nothing. This year, Korda seems to have turned on the gear with three wins already, compared to Thitikul’s two.

Let’s take a deeper look at both of their performances this season.

Korda and Thitikul’s Record This Season

Korda has had a comparatively stronger start compared to Thitikul. She’s yet to finish out of the top-2 this season.

The World No.1 backed her January win at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions with back-to-back wins in April. She got hold of her third major at Chevron and followed it up with the win at Mayakoba.

On the other hand, Thitikul has been inconsistent this year as she struggled with a wrist injury. Despite that, the 23-year-old has secured two titles this season.

The World No.2 won the Honda LPGA Thailand in mid-February, and this weekend, she lifted the Mizuho Americas Open title.

What are your thoughts on the Korda-Thitikul rivalry? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Avishek Sarkar

Edited by

Souvik Roy