Nelly Korda’s game won’t give away the fact that it’s been more than 13 months since her last victory. The eight-time LPGA Tour winner is hungry for a title but not desperate to make costly mistakes. And Korda credits one hometown legend behind her calm demeanor. It was Hollis Stacy, the three-time U.S. Open Champion and a Bradenton resident like Korda, who perhaps gave her the best advice: don’t force it, let it happen.

It was simple yet so deep that Korda jotted it down in her yardage book. As Stacy hit the ceremonial tee shot at the LPGA Drive-On Championship, Korda was asked about her special bond with the veteran golfer. Korda revealed that even at 69, Stacy radiates “positive energy.”

The million-dollar Hollis Stacy advice 

Hollis, in fact, inspired Korda to her first LPGA Tour victory. Korda went winless in her first season on the elite circuit. While practicing her short game at the Concession, the 25-year-old was chatting with the 18-time LPGA Tour winner. “I remember before I won my first ever LPGA event, I was putting on the putting green at Concession, and we were just talking about just how I haven’t won out here yet.” 

It was almost the end of the second season. Naturally, then 20-year-old Korda was down in the dumps. The Hall of Famer, however, simply advised, “When the time is right, it will happen.”  It hit her so strongly that Korda wrote it in the yardage book before heading over to Asia. “I put it actually in my yardage book, and I went out to play in Asia, and I won in Taiwan. And I had it in my yardage book.”

The 2018 Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA was her first victory on the top circuit. Nelly Korda would go on to defend her title next season as well. Even now, the eight-time LPGA Tour winner cherishes every moment spent with her. “Whenever I get to see her, she’s such a positive energy, and she’s so nice. She’s very vibrant. Always love seeing her around,” Korda said in the media interaction. 

It’d indeed be fitting if Korda managed to snatch her ninth piece of silverware in the presence of the 69-year-old. In fact, she is well on course at the Bradenton Country Club. 

Nelly Korda is striding forward to the title

It didn’t take long for Korda to shake off the rust from the previous season. The Florida native fluttered six birdies, three each in the front nine and the back nine, to post 10-under 67 in the second round. The former World No. 1 held on to her overnight lead by posting 10-under 132 through 36 holes.

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Lydia Ko, coming after her HGV Tournament of Champions triumph, was tied with Nelly Korda in the first round. However, in the second round, it was South Korean rookie So Mi Lee who took on the duty of chasing the leader on her shoulder. Still, the 2021 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship winner has a two-shot lead heading into the next round.

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