Nelly Korda returns to LPGA, talks persimmon driver, brother's tennis and flirting with 59
Nelly Korda returns to LPGA, talks persimmon driver, brother's tennis and flirting with 59 Golf Channel will have live coverage from 4-6 p.m. Thursday and Friday and from 3-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Nelly Korda comes into the Ford Championship with major FOMO (fear of missing out) as she's the only member of the family not in Florida watching brother Sebastian take on Novak Djokovic on Wednesday night in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open.
World No. 1 Korda is instead back in the Phoenix area this week as defending champion of the Ford, though it's being held over a different course than where she won last year.
'It's so funny, I usually watch it on Tennis TV or on TV, but live scoring is always ahead of it,' said Korda, 'so I watch the live scoring while I'm watching him because I want to know the outcome of the point before the point happens.
'I'm always like a nervous wreck when I watch him.'
The Ford marks the first time the top 10 players in the world are competing in the same field this season, and with Korda only playing twice so far this season, her month-and-a-half break certainly feels like a second offseason for the American star.
"I mean, it's always nice to take time off where you're not injured and you're kind of trying to hopefully become better and catch up on maybe some lost time," she said.
The field of 144 players will compete for a $2.25 million purse at Whirlwind Golf Club's Cattail Course, which has a history of producing low scores.
Korda once flirted with a 59 at the Tokyo Olympics before ultimately settling for a 62.
"I came pretty close at the Olympics," said Korda, "then I doubled my last one. It was like starting to creep into my head and I was like, yeah, I don't even think about it, no."
Only one player in LPGA history has shot 59, and that was Annika Sorenstam at Moon Valley Country Club in Phoenix 24 years ago.
'I think that's kind of like the trend of golf here in Arizona,' said Korda. 'I mean, the weather is usually perfect. The grass is usually perfect as well.
'So that all sets up for low scoring ability, and then it's hot, so it flies really far. So the par 5s are pretty reachable.'
At this event last year, Korda came in off a victory at the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship at Palos Verdes, California, which was canceled this year, and in the mist of what would ultimately become a five-tournament victory streak. The 2024 Ford Championship marked her third consecutive title, and while she hasn't won this year, Korda certainly has a history of winning after long breaks, having done it twice last season.
Lydia Ko also in the field at the 2025 Ford
LPGA Hall of Famer Lydia Ko, the winningest player on tour right now, captured her 23rd career victory at the HSBC Women's World Championship in Singapore earlier this month and comes into Phoenix off a three-week break. She has made only three LPGA starts so far this season.
Ko's most recent break came with plenty of golf, however, as she played eight to 10 fun rounds with her husband, including historic spots like Pebble Beach, Cypress Point and Pasatiempo. By the end of it, she said, they were 'golfed out.'
In the run-up to Phoenix, Ko met with swing coach Holton Freeman for some touch-up work, noting that her long game felt good in Singapore.
'I think the last year or so, it really hasn't been anything new,' said Ko, 'but it's sometimes feeling different things to get to the same point. It's like, do you go from Point A to B to get to C? Or do you go like B to A to get to C. I think it's finding a feel that works good."
Korda used an old Persimmon driver during recent range session
Korda spent five days a week in the gym during her Florida break and six days a week with her physio. Two of the more noteworthy moments she posted on Instagram of her range work looked like she was getting prepped for British Open conditions. First toughing out a range session in driving wind and rain, and then giving an old MacGregor Persimmon driver an impressive 268-yard rip. The ball carried 195 yards and rolled for 73.
When asked if she put the Persimmon in the bag, Korda said 'No, but I was like, God, this would be a great Open club. It was going low and running almost 100 yards.'
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