After Repeated Failures, Is Nelly Korda Playing in the 2024 Dow Championship?

Nelly Korda’s year has been no less of a rollercoaster ride. After undergoing back-to-back disappointments, it seems Korda has set her mind to “reset” mode as her name remains absent from the 144-player Dow Championship field. But what is the context that made the World No. 1 stay home, far away from the Midland Country Club in Michigan?

The answer remains hidden in the ups and downs she has faced in the last few months. Having capped her performance with a lively winning streak with six wins between late January and mid-May, which briefly dipped with her T7 finish at the Cognizant Founders Cup but strongly reignited at the Mizuho Americas Open, Korda now seems to be out of luck.

Her last three appearances have left her empty-handed. Korda missed three cuts consecutively in her last three outings at the US Women’s Open, the Meijer LPGA Classic, and the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Her absence from the forthcoming Michigan event has cast a blot of doubt on her future in the upcoming events, like the Amundi Evian Championship and the Dana Open.

Teary-eyed after the remorseful end of her last major championship, where she missed the cut by one stroke, Korda said, “It’s just golf recently for me. [There are] no words for how I am playing right now. A lot went my way at the beginning of the year and just giving it back. … I’m just going to go home and try to reset.”

While Korda recognizes the game’s unsteady nature and prioritizes the importance of rejuvenation to swing back stronger, her recent outing has led fans to wonder about her lead in the Rolex World rankings. After all, while this 25-year-old will stay home, her competitors will be present in Michigan to change their destiny. Some of the top few on the course include Ruoning Yin, Celine Boutier, Charley Hull, Roze Zhang, and more! So will her absence shift the story of her 2024 legacy?

What will Nelly Korda’s absence mean for her Rolex World Ranking?

So far, the last three cuts that Korda missed consecutively have not impacted her Rolex World Ranking. She continues to sit on top of the world’s best few with a total of 506.64 points, almost 201 points more than World No. 2 Lilia Vu, who sits just below Korda with a total of 305.56 points.

While her absence might affect this vast difference in a significant manner, it’s unlikely it will shake her world dominance and make her drive down the rankings. After all, it’s only the first time Korda has missed three consecutive cuts in her LPGA career.

After going through this intense dip, Korda’s mind seems to be set on a waving comeback to get back on her winning wagon for 2024. However, continued dominance solely rests on how well this reset functions in her favor and if she manages to come back stronger. Only time will tell.