Nelly Korda is on a break. Probably a much needed one after the kind of season she has had so far. Although she recently completed her 100th week at the top, finishing T2 at the U.S. Women’s Open was a “heartbreaker” for her. It cleared that her putting struggles were a major factor in the outcome. The putter held her back, with stats revealing she lost 0.74 strokes to the field on Sunday, 2 strokes on Saturday, over a stroke on Friday, and 0.78 strokes on Thursday. The Sunday broadcast even highlighted that Korda had missed three putts within five feet during the week. But the heartbreak certainly wasn’t enough to dull Korda’s shine as the golfer is still out there picking herself up.
Despite a decent T15 finish at the ShopRite LPGA Classic, Korda still has enough motivation to keep going. Speaking on the latest Goldman Sachs episode Korda said, “I think that’s where you learn the most about yourself when everything is against you. You lean on the people around you.” It’s in these moments that you truly appreciate the highs. For Korda, golf isn’t just a job, it’s her “happy place,” and she’s grateful to be able to do it every day.
Korda’s transition to the LPGA was made easier by having a familiar face by her side — her sister Jessica. “I’m so lucky to have Jess,” she said, crediting her sibling for making the isolating lifestyle of a pro golfer more bearable. “I had Jess out there… that transition was so easy,” Korda added, highlighting the comfort and support of having her sister around. With Jessica, navigating the LPGA was a breeze — no stress about traveling to pro-ams, making friends, or finding dinner buddies.
“Sometimes it’s really intimidating for rookies because they don’t know anyone,” Korda notes, but with her sister by her side, she felt right at home. As a matter of fact, Jessica has always been there to support Korda, sharing a bond that goes beyond just being siblings.
According to Jessica, their relationship is built on mutual support, saying “We basically just help each other out as much as we can” and “if the other one is struggling with something, the other one’s always there to help.” And that support was exactly what was needed to nurture Korda’s competitive side in her junior years, when she would get fiercely determined to outdo her peers. Other than being there for each other, two sisters also like to roast one another.
Remember recently when Golf Digest shared a fun montage of Nelly saying the word “test” a lot? What made the video even funnier was Jessica’s comment. “Did everyone ask the same question?” she wrote in the comment section. Nevertheless, keeping their relationship and competitive spirit was nothing short of a challenge for the Korda sisters, as many wanted to pin them against each other.
Jessica Korda believed people wanted to ‘spark a rivalry’ between her and her sister
Back in 2020, the Korda sisters shared their thoughts on being siblings and competitors in the golf world. According to Jessica, people often tried to fuel a rivalry between them, but they just wouldn’t bite. “People like to put us against each other all the time to see if they can spark a rivalry or something,” Jessica said. “But we just keep disappointing everybody.” Their parents had wisely taught them to focus on competing against the golf course, rather than each other. As Korda recalled, “You’re always competing against the golf course, my parents always said.”
Despite their competitive nature, the sisters enjoyed a little friendly banter. “We have little side bets here and there,” Nelly shared. At the end of the day, they wanted the best for each other, even if they did want to beat each other. “You go into every tournament wanting to win,” she admitted.
The sisters’ last outing together was the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational in July 2021, where they finished T33 with a score of 13 under par. With their unique blend of sibling love and competitive spirit, they were and are still favorites among golf fans. But what are your thoughts on their bond? Let us know in the comment section below!
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