AIG Women's Open preview: World number one prepared to think outside the box at Royal Lytham & St Annes

Golf’s leading light Nelly Korda admits she enjoys the creativity demanded by links golf in preparing for this week’s AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

The Fylde coast stages the tournament for the first time since 2018 when Korda and her elder sister, Jessica, finished in a tie for 42nd place.

Korda has won four major titles since, two of them this year, and recognises that thinking outside the box may be necessary if she is to complete a hat-trick in 2026.

The world number one said: “I love that everything that you know kind of goes out (of the) window.

“Obviously (it) depends on the weather. I mean, if it’s kind of like this it’s okay.

“You can still hit it and land it where you want on the green but it’s those days where it’s gusting 25 (miles per hour) and you have to hit it really low, those stingers.

“You’re so tired after the rounds because you're looking at every aspect.

“There is (sic) so many ways I can play this shot. I can bump this with a 54, I can hit it with a nine-iron, maybe an eight-iron.

“There are so many different shots you can hit when you play links golf and I think that’s what’s really fun, the creative side of tossing everything that you really know out (of) the window.

“You’re like, ‘I’m not going to hit the fairway because all the bunkers are in play. I’m going to go in the rough because that’s a better line into the green.’

“When do you ever say that when you play normal golf, ‘I’m just going to hit it into the rough because I feel like that’s a better line?’

“I feel like that’s kind of what’s unique and fun about this type of golf.”

This week’s tournament is the last women’s major of the year, with all five having been played in a little more than three months.

Korda won the Chevron Championship and US Women’s Open before Haeran Ryu lifted the Women’s PGA and Evian Championships.

The combination of a busy schedule and the unpredictable nature of links golf means players can be tested as much mentally as physically.

Korda added: “I would say I have a little bit of a love/hate relationship with it (links golf), depending on the bounces that I get.

“It can get like you feel like you’re hitting it good and then you kind of get really bad bounces.

“I feel sometimes, with it being the fifth major and coming off a lot of condensed majors in a packed schedule,you’re a little bit more on edge because you’ve been in these high pressure moments throughout this middle part of the year.

“We’re coming off a big part in our season so I always feel like maybe I’m a little bit more tired so the bad bounces get to me a little bit mentally.

“I’m just trying to really not get into that state of mind and that’s why I said I’m going to control what I can control.

“Obviously, sometimes, it’s easier than others. It’s easy to say, harder to do.

“I would say, with it being in a condensed part of our schedule, I get pretty agitated and I think what I learned is I just need to take a step back and hit the reset button sometimes.”