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USA Today
07-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Here are a few of Nelly Korda's favorite hometown hangs as she contends in Bradenton
Here are a few of Nelly Korda's favorite hometown hangs as she contends in Bradenton BRANDENTON, Fla. — Nelly Korda is a regular at Tide Tables, where the fish tacos are delightfully fresh. For a cup of coffee, she frequents The Fox Mercantile. The World No. 1 grew up 15 minutes from this week's Founders Cup, though Bradenton Country Club wasn't her home course. She honed her skills from an early age at another Donald Ross design, nearby Sara Bay Country Club in Sarasota. "You have beautiful Sarasota, Bradenton, Longboat Key, Anna Maria Island," said Korda of Florida's Gulf Coast. "It's kind of like a hidden gem.' Though 26-year-old Korda now lives 45 minutes away from Bradenton Country Club, Korda still lives within the city limits. Blake Hospital, where she was born, is less than 2 miles from the clubhouse. Technically, Korda isn't the defending champion this week, though she hoisted a trophy at this venue one year ago, going wire-to-wire and defeating Lydia Ko in a flurry of a finish. That event was called the Drive On Championship, a tour stop that lacked a title sponsor and was backed by the LPGA. When Cognizant dropped its sponsorship of the Founders Cup last year, the tour moved that event from New Jersey down to Bradenton, keeping a tournament name alive as the tour celebrates its 75th anniversary. Rose Zhang won the 2024 Founders Cup but isn't in the field this week as she continues her studies at Stanford. Korda opened with a 3-under 68 at Bradenton on Thursday and trails leader Nanna Koerstz Madsen by three strokes. 'I think biggest key for me is to be good mentally out there, just stay happy, not let the bad shots get too much to your head,' said Koerstz Madsen, who famously used to keep lemons in her bag to suck on when she struggled with strong emotions. Korda began 2025 with a runner-up showing at the LPGA Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in Orlando. One of her playing partners from last week, former MLB pitcher Derek Lowe, was in the gallery on Thursday in Bradenton with his wife. 'So many of my friends have already asked for tickets,' said Korda, whose best friend Klara told her she nearly had a heart attack watching her win this event last year in person. 'That's probably the most exciting part of playing in my hometown,' said Korda, 'is having all the local support.' Korda, a 15-time winner on tour, keeps her trophies and Olympic gold medal in her home office. Her two major championship trophies are on a floating shelf, but the hardware from last year's Drive On and Ford Championship victories was so heavy that she had to put them in the built-in. 'I think the wall would've gone down,' she said with a laugh. At this rate, she might need to build more.
USA Today
05-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
With a dog named 'Awesome' by her side, Jin Young Ko looks to win fourth Founders Cup
With a dog named 'Awesome' by her side, Jin Young Ko looks to win fourth Founders Cup Show Caption Hide Caption Golfweek instruction video: How to practice properly for longer drives Averee Dovsek explains the key to unlocking power and that next level of endurance with practice on the range. Jin Young Ko typically begins each year with a winter training session in a warm place in Asia with a host of other students, including many juniors. But not this year. This time, the former No. 1 decided to bring her parents over to the U.S., along with the family dog, to gear up for 2025 in Florida. Ko's 9-year-old Maltese named Dae-bak, which translates to "Awesome" in English, captained the fan club at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions wearing a pair of red-rimmed sunglasses. Ko took a share of fourth in her TOC debut. Awesome heads next to the Founders Cup in Bradenton, Florida, where Ko looks to win that title for a fourth time over four different courses. "I had to stop by Dallas because he has to rest because of the long flight," said Ko of her dog's journey from South Korea. "He has jet lag when we were in Dallas. He's sleeping all day like two days in a row. Then he wakes me up 3 a.m. He was hungry." Ko, 29, said she often felt like she couldn't take a break at those winter training camps because all eyes were on her. In Florida, she could work at her own pace quietly with her manager and physio on hand to help. "I realize I'm getting old," she said. "I think I need to take time for myself." Until 2024, Ko had won on the LPGA every year dating to 2017. A 15-time winner on tour, the two-time major winner's last victory dates to the 2023 Founders Cup in New Jersey. Ko's first Founders Cup victory goes back to 2019 when the event was held in Arizona. She also won the tournament at Mountain Ridge Country Club in West Caldwell, New Jersey, and then again two years later at Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton. This year's Founders Cup will be held Feb. 6-9 at Bradenton Country Club, site of last year's Drive On Championship, won by the hometown hero, Nelly Korda. Ko didn't compete in last year's event, so this will be her first time playing the Donald Ross design. The Drive On became the Founders Cup after Cognizant dropped its title sponsorship. While Ko came to the U.S. in early January, she actually got back to work on her game Dec. 1, taking only a week off after the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship. She has long been vocal about her desire to get into the LPGA Hall of Fame and needs seven more points to get there. "I want to win," said Ko. "I like to win. I like to win major, especially." Several years ago, it looked like Ko and Korda might engage in a back-and-forth rivalry on the LPGA, but injuries from both derailed that storyline. Ko has spent 163 weeks at World No. 1, while Korda sits at 83 weeks and counting. Now they head to Bradenton with their own unique history at an event that celebrates the LPGA's origins in this 75th anniversary season. Korda, who finished runner-up to A Lim Kim last week, matched Ko's Sunday effort of 65 at Lake Nona. They both walked off the course feeling good about what's to come. "This is what I love about golf," said Korda, "being in the hunt on a Sunday, going down the back nine." Ko called her tee-to-green efforts last week "perfect," but noted that she has 23 events left to go in 2025. Now in her eighth season on the LPGA, Ko hasn't played more than 19 events since 2019. "I'm still hungry," she said of a season that could hit all the right notes.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Look who's back: Lexi Thompson in field for second LPGA event of the season
Lexi Thompson is back on the LPGA. At least for one event. Thompson, who said last year would be her final season playing full time on tour, is in the field for next week's Founders Cup. The tournament is being contested at Bradenton Country Club in Bradenton, Florida. Thompson, a South Florida native and resident, is eligible to compete after finishing 50th on last season's CME points list. Why are so many LPGA players retiring? What keeps others going? It's complicated On the heels of 13 retirements, Brentley Romine dives into the uniqueness that is being an LPGA player and what all goes into deciding on one's future. Brentley Romine, Brentley Romine, Though she said she wouldn't be playing a full schedule in 2025 and beyond, Thompson did leave the door open for occasional starts. She will be joined in the Founders field by Brittany Lincicome, who has also retired from full-time competition. Lincicome, a two-time major winner, resides near Bradenton and is a sponsor's invite. The Founders Cup is in a new spot on the schedule. It was previously contested in May in New Jersey but lost Cognizant as its sponsor. The LPGA opted to shift the tournament to February and replace the Drive On Championship, which was held at Bradenton C.C. Nelly Korda won the 2024 Drive On at Bradenton and Rose Zhang prevailed at the Founders. Zhang will officially be the defending champion next week.
NBC Sports
29-01-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Look who's back: Lexi Thompson in field for second LPGA event of the season
Lexi Thompson is back on the LPGA. At least for one event. Thompson, who said last year would be her final season playing full time on tour, is in the field for next week's Founders Cup. The tournament is being contested at Bradenton Country Club in Bradenton, Florida. Thompson, a South Florida native and resident, is eligible to compete after finishing 50th on last season's CME points list. Brentley Romine, Though she said she wouldn't be playing a full schedule in 2025 and beyond, Thompson did leave the door open for occasional starts. She will be joined in the Founders field by Brittany Lincicome, who has also retired from full-time competition. Lincicome, a two-time major winner, resides near Bradenton and is a sponsor's invite. The Founders Cup is in a new spot on the schedule. It was previously contested in May in New Jersey but lost Cognizant as its sponsor. The LPGA opted to shift the tournament to February and replace the Drive On Championship, which was held at Bradenton C.C. Nelly Korda won the 2024 Drive On at Bradenton and Rose Zhang prevailed at the Founders. Zhang will officially be the defending champion next week.
USA Today
28-01-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Semi-retired Lexi Thompson, Brittany Lincicome make quick returns to LPGA at Founders Cup
It wasn't a long goodbye for Lexi Thompson and Brittany Lincicome. After both players announced last year that they'd be stepping away from a full-time schedule, the two Florida natives will make their 2025 debut in the LPGA's second event of the year. Lincicome, a two-time major champion, is in the Founders Cup field via a sponsor exemption, while Thompson qualified by way of her ranking of 50th on the CME points list. The field closed at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, and both players were listed. The Founders Cup will be held Feb. 6-9 at Bradenton Country Club. World No. 1 Nelly Korda will defend her title in Bradenton, though technically the event has changed from the Drive On Championship. Rose Zhang, winner of the 2024 Cognizant Founders Cup in New Jersey, will head back to Stanford after the season-opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions to continue classes and will not compete. Thompson, who got engaged over the offseason, tied for 16th last year in Bradenton. While the 29-year-old said she'd be cutting back her schedule in 2025, she has yet to reveal how many times fans might see her this season. As a past champion of the Chevron, Thompson is exempt into the year's first major for as long as she wishes to play. Lincicome, 39, warmed up for her return to competition with her annual lefty day. The mother of two shot 38 playing left-handed at Pasadena Yacht and Country Club earlier this week alongside several former touring pros and friends, including former Solheim Cup player Kristy McPherson (50), Kris Tamulis (54) and Jenny Gleason (56). 'My belly is still hurting from all the laughs,' Lincicome wrote on Facebook. The Founders Cup is the first full-field event of the 2025 season and features a purse of $2 million.
