Nelly Korda was in the headlines in 2024. For all the right reasons! She became the first golfer to attend the Met Gala since Tiger Woods. She won seven tournaments on the Tour and also became the first American to do so since Beth Daniel in 1990. Notably, four of Korda’s victories came after she entered the final round trailing. However, apart from all the glitz and glamour, being a public figure often comes with its backlashes. And well, the 26-year-old’s story is no different.

Nelly Korda last appeared at the CME Group Tour Championship before she teed off at the Grant Thornton Invitational after almost a month’s break. She enjoyed her time with her family and took a snowy trip to Park City, Utah. She was recently seen on the 5 Clubs show as the first guest. Nelly Korda was asked how she felt being away from fame and living like a normal person for a while. To this, her reply was only heartfelt.

“The first couple years on tour, whenever I didn’t have my visor on or hat on everyone was like oh my gosh you look so different with your hair down like we didn’t recognize you at all. So sometimes it’s nice to not dress in golf clothes and to kind of be a ghost that no one recognizes you and when you’re going to a place where there’s a lot of snow and you’re wearing a lot of puffy jackets and a beanie, not many people recognize you,” said #1.

She then continued, shedding more light on her blissful moment, “So that was a perfect moment for me to recharge my batteries and do something that I normally don’t live in Florida we don’t see snow so growing up we used to always make a yearly trip out to Austria and um that was a little too far for me so Utah was a perfect Escape”

Korda has never been a fan of the spotlight. She likes being in her element. Her child-like persona is known and loved by all. As per Golf Digest, someone who worked with her on an off-course project said it was clear that Nelly Korda didn’t love the spotlight. She had a surprising magnetism and was a “nice, low-key” person who was the same off-camera as she was when in front of it.

While sometimes all the attention and scrutiny might get weary for her, it is needless to say that golf has managed to shape her. Playing through the years has made her all the more confident.

Nelly Korda, once shy, now embraces the limelight

In May, Nelly Korda was invited to attend the Met Gala as a guest of Casey Wasserman. She became the first LPGA player to walk the red carpet. She stunningly pulled off the event, with an exceptionally beautiful outfit by Oscar de la Renta. Just a few days ago, she achieved another milestone.

She became the first athlete featured in the 2025 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition. She managed to step out of her comfort zone, and that was all because of golf. Her transition to becoming an SI Swimsuit model marked a dramatic shift in her personality. On one of the episodes of the Fore Play Podcast Plus, the hosts discussed her on-course achievements and noted how much her confidence has grown over the years. 

“In the beginning, it seemed like she was a little shy,” one host remarked. She was rarely seen doing interviews early in her career, but now she’s becoming more comfortable in the spotlight. A great example of this was the 2017 Solheim Cup, where she was paired with Lexi Thompson for the foursomes. While Thompson confidently led social interactions and media interviews, Korda was more reserved, often stepping back and letting Thompson take the reins. And look at her now, leading the charts of the Tour, and that too with such confidence!

What are your thoughts on Nelly Korda’s transition through the years? Let us know in the comments section below!