Moments After Her $20,000 Hole-in-One Feat, Nelly Korda Gets Candid About Enduring a 14-Year-Long Wait

The CME Group Tour Championship is reaching the final stage on the 19th of November. However, before the end of the 2023 LPGA Tour season, Nelly Korda ticked off one thing from her 14-year-old bucket list at Tiburon Golf Club.

In the 7 years of her career at the LPGA and her 25 years of life, Nelly Korda has only made two hole-in-ones. After 14 years of practice and grinding on the golf greens, the 1x major champion has finally made an ace and celebrated with her father as she recalls a story from the part.

Nelly Korda ends 14 years of drought

In Naples, in the third round of the CME Group Tour Championship, Nelly Korda hit a 9-iron on par-3 eight 148 yards and made her career’s first-ever ace. Upon making the shot, Korda got a high-five from her caddie. While the crowd cheered for the perfect shot. There is more to the story, as this was her second ace ever.

When Korda was 11, she made a hole-in-one with a 7 iron alongside her father. She vividly remembered taking the shot. However, she had forgotten the course itself; it was somewhere in Orlando. Coincidentally, her second hole-in-one took place in the same state as 14 years ago.

Korda narrated the story of the first and said, “I was playing a practice round with my dad. I hit like a 7-iron and saw it disappear. There was a cart girl coming around the corner and my dad took a shot immediately. I did not, but my dad did to celebrate.”

Back then, Korda could not join in with her father in celebrations of the ace. This time around, she did not miss the opportunity to celebrate as she said, “That was my first hole-in-one, and I waited 14 years for the other one. Now I can maybe join him in taking the shot.” The shot was special because it was Korda’s first ace in her 7 years at LPGA. The shot carried much more meaning and value due to another reason as well.

Korda’s aces for a noble cause at the Championship

The LPGA Tour and the CME Group have partnered not just for the championship but also for a charitable fund. The CME Group, in partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, will donate $20,000 for every ace made in the 2023 season.

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This week Nelly Korda and Jenny Shin made two hole-in-ones and enabled the $40,000 donation for the CME Group Cares Challenge – Score 1 for St. Jude. Till now, the challenge has raised $400,000 for the fund from 20 aces in the 2023 season. Additionally, the challenge will also donate $500,000 to the hospital.

The CME Group has donated a cumulative total of $3.2 million to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which was facilitated by the LPGA Tour and many aces made by the golfers. With only one round remaining before the season ends, we wish to have more such aces for a perfect conclusion to the 2023 LPGA Tour season.

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