Nelly Korda also had some words of advice for Charley Hull ahead of this week’s AIG Women’s Open…

Charley Hull is one of golf’s most compelling and unique talents, but right now she is also one of the game’s ‘nearly ones’. The Englishwoman’s runner-up finish behind Nelly Korda in last month’s US Women’s Open at Riviera Country Club was her fifth time as a bridesmaid in the five majors.

The world no.7 enters her 15th AIG Women’s Open this week at Royal Lytham & St Annes, a tournament where she has finished second twice in her past three appearances.

It has long felt a matter of when not if Hull adds to her nine professional wins with one of the sport’s most gilded titles. But there is also never a guarantee.

The dominant Korda denied Hull at Riviera and the 30-year-old dismissed talk of a blossoming rivalry between two of the LPGA’s most thrilling competitors during her press conference here on the Fylde coast. “I don’t really see it as a rivalry at the minute because Nelly has got [four] majors and I’ve got none,” Hull smiled. “I’ve got five second places. So let me get my major in first and then that’s something we can think about in the future.”

Korda, who has won two of the year’s four majors, was asked about Hull’s wait for a major when she met with reporters on Wednesday. Intriguingly, she compared Hull’s quest to a nearly man on the PGA Tour.

“It’s kind of like Sam Burns,” she said. “He’s been in the hunt a lot during major championships, hasn’t got it done. Eventually he will. You can’t get discouraged, it has to be encouraging.”

Burns missed an opportunity on the 18th green to force a playoff at last month’s US Open at Shinnecock Hills, before failing to convert a 54-hole lead in The Open. He is a five-time PGA Tour winner, but has not closed out a tournament for three years.

Korda added: “It’s about putting yourself in that position. You can’t control what others are doing, but she’s doing something right to always be there and be relevant, to be in the hunt.

“I think it would be great for her to do it on home soil, too. She’s an amazing player. She’s such a great personality. Funny personality for sure. I enjoy playing with her any time.”

Hull would arguably be the most popular winner on the Lytham links on Sunday.

And, as the biggest threat to her chances admitted, “it would be great for the game of golf.”