A few weeks ago, Nelly Korda shared an exciting video on her Instagram handle, showcasing her exceptional golfing skills as she prepared for the upcoming Maybank Championship at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club. But as the much-awaited tournament inches closer, the World No. 1 hit us with some disappointing news.

So what happened was that Korda took to her Instagram story recently and shared with her fans that she had to “withdraw from the LPGA events in Korea and Malaysia due to a minor neck injury,” which she sustained during her practice session. And while the BMW Ladies Championship (Oct 16–20) is already off the table, the upcoming Maybank Championship seems to be headed in the same direction. The championship is scheduled from 24th–27th October, and it’s quite obvious that she won’t be a part of this tournament.

As fans try to come to terms with this disappointing news, it stings even more, knowing it’s been quite some time since we’ve seen Korda swinging her clubs on the greens. The last time the 26-year-old teed off was back in September at the Kroger Queen City Championship, where she finished in a solid T4 position. Since then, her presence has mostly been felt on Instagram, where she’s been keeping everyone updated on her schedule—but not quite in the way fans had hoped.

Yes, Korda missed several tournaments this season, but when it comes to the rest, there’s no doubt she’s had one of her most remarkable years yet. But are all these victories enough for her to claim her first Player of the Year Award? 

Can Nelly Korda clinch her Player of the Year Award?

Despite missing some big tournaments like the JM Eagle LA Championship, NW Arkansas Championship, Buick LPGA Shanghai, and now the Maybank Championship, Nelly Korda has impressively held onto her No. 1 spot in the OWGR Rankings. It’s safe to say that 2024 has been her year, with six victories under her belt—including two major championships.

As she leads the Player of the Year race, with none of her peers coming close to her number of wins, the bigger question is: can she hold onto that top spot for long? Well, according to recent stats shared by Grant Boone on his X handle, female golfers like Lydia Ko and Ayaka Furue are still not quite close to catching up to Korda’s lead. So for now, it’s clear that Nelly is still in control of the race. But to stay on top, she’ll need to keep showing up and competing in the remaining tournaments before the season wraps up. Do you think Korda will be able to grab her first POY Award? Let us know in the comments!