Jeeno Thitikul and Nelly Korda Have the Potential for the Next Great LPGA Rivalry

Holding the first and second spots in the world rankings, Thitikul and Korda have combined to win the past three tournaments. They can take the LPGA to new heights.

Jeeno Thitikul and Nelly Korda have made themselves the faces of the LPGA, opening up the possibly for a great rivalry. | Michael Owens/Getty Images

WEST CALDWELL, N.J. — It was a battle down the stretch at the Mizuho Americas Open. 

With just a few holes to play, Jeeno Thitikul’s lead over Ruoning Yin dwindled to just a stroke. Yet, respectfully, there was hardly any doubt about who would come out on top at Mountain Ridge Country Club. 

Ruoning Yin, a major champion, of which Thitikul is not, bogeyed the par-3 16th. And a group behind, Thitikul birdied the same hole. That gave her a three-shot cushion with two to play. 

Thitikul, the world No. 2, would inevitably hoist the trophy, closing with a long birdie putt to successfully defend her Mizuho title. And that followed wins from world No. 1 Nelly Korda the past two weeks.

They are the faces of women’s golf—and it’s the rivalry the LPGA needs.

Thitikul, 23, has two wins this year and was the tour’s season-long champion last year. Korda, 27, meanwhile, has three wins this season, including a major at the Chevron Championship, and is often putting herself in the record books alongside some of the greatest American women’s golfers in history. 

The rest of the LPGA can only marvel at what they’ve accomplished. 

Jeeno with a big bomb off the 18th tee 💣

She still holds a 3 stroke lead as she heads up the final fairway pic.twitter.com/a0ttMiiz6c

— LPGA (@LPGA) May 10, 2026

“It’s only my second year on tour,” Jenny Bae said, “and I still have to learn, many, many things to improve on. But just looking at [Korda and Thitikul], it kind of inspires me to do better, strengthen the little things that I need to work on, and hopefully, I’ll be able to compete with them.”

Of course, rivalries are healthy for any sport. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, to name a few. 

Women’s golf has had its fair share of them, too. Mickey Wright and Kathy Whitworth, once upon a time. Annika Sorenstam and Karrie Webb in the 2000s and then Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa. 

Since then, though, there have been a few that appeared to enter that territory, but never quite came to fruition. For example, Michelle Wie and Paula Creamer, Lydia Ko and Lexi Thompson and Jin Young Ko and Korda. 

Now, however, Korda and Thitikul feels here. 

“It’s great that we have Nelly as world No. 1,” Gaby Lopez said. “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's all the attributes as a world No. 1. … Very proud of what Jeeno as well has done. Both of them have been great stars for the tour.”

But one thing that eludes the potential for this rivalry is any antipathy for one another. 

Last November, Korda said, “The greats don’t come along too often,” when discussing Thitikul. And the Thai is more focused on herself than on Korda. 

“I think for me, world ranking or top players doesn’t really define what I’m doing,” Thitikul said after winning the Mizuho. “I think I’m just trying to just do my best out there, trying to be [consistent] as I can, because I know it’s going to be a really tough competition in and out every week.”

It would have been great if the two had dueled for the victory at Mountain Ridge. However, with players having the ability to pick and choose their schedules, Korda took this week off after playing—and winning—the previous two events. But now, after Thitikul’s win, Korda’s lead in the world rankings is hanging by a thread.

Should the LPGA adopt something like what the PGA Tour has with its signature event model, aimed at getting the top stars playing together in its top tournaments? Perhaps, but that’s a conversation for another day.

It won’t be long until they’re walking the fairways together, though. Korda and Thitikul are both playing next week’s Kroger Queen City Championship, and then they’ll be teeing it up at the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera. Thitikul, as great as she is, is still searching for her maiden major title, and Korda would love to win her fourth major at the crown jewel of tournaments. 

A few classic battles down the stretch between those two over the next several years would certainly incite the masses, both domestically and internationally. That can take the LPGA to new heights.