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CHASKA, Minn. — They lined up on the way to the first tee at Hazeltine National, 26 girls who ranged in age from 6 to 17, wearing U.S. soccer jerseys with Nelly Korda’s named stretched across the back. Colorful posters in hand.
“I’m going to explode when she starts to tee off,” said 8-year-old Elise DeBuse, who was mic’d up of the occasion.

For 10-year-old Hazel Gabbert, the KPMG Women’s PGA was her first LPGA event. Hazel could quit golf in a few years or play for a lifetime, her father figured, but Thursday at Hazeltine, walking around with friends watching the best American player in decades, was a day they won’t forget.

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Nelly Korda of the United States putts on the first green during a Pro-Am prior to the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship 2026 at Hazeltine National Golf Club on June 23, 2026 in Chaska, Minnesota.
(Kate McShane, Getty Images)

“When they wanted me to sign anything during the round I did it,” said a grateful Korda, who attended her first professional event not too far away at Interlachen Country Club in Edina for the 2008 U.S. Women’s Open. Korda, who was 9 years old at the time, remembers the rental house having a trampoline, and big sister Jessica taking her into the player locker room a couple times.
At Hazeltine, Korda opened with a 2-under 70 to trail South Korea’s Ina Yoon by seven strokes, the same deficit she faced after the first round at Riviera earlier this month, where she clawed back to make the U.S. Women’s Open her fourth career major title and second this season.
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