The 2024 season has been forgiving to Nelly Korda. The LPGA Tour’s cover girl made headlines as she lifted trophies six different times and five were back-to-back. Korda certainly wanted her dominant run to continue as the LPGA Tour shifted to initiate the Asian Swing. However, an unexpected injury spoiled all her plans. She injured her neck during a practice session and had to withdraw from all the Asian events. Korda returned at the season’s penultimate event, The Annika Driven by Gainbridge at the Pelican Golf Club in Bellaire, Florida, for the first time after not playing for as much as two months.

While she was away from the game, it didn’t mean that Korda was resting at all times. The 14-time LPGA Tour winner was preparing to make her debut as a swimsuit model for Sports Illustrated. Yes, Korda became one of the only LPGA Tour pros to be cast on the SI Swimsuit 2025 edition and the golf world truly loved to see her in a different light. As she returned to the game at Annika Driven, at the press conference, the 26-year-old was asked about her latest experience. She recalled the shoot time and said, “It was so cool,” adding that she got the call two months before the shoot and Korda was going to do that after coming back from Asia. But we all know, that the Asian plan never unfolded.

She remembered the first time she entered the set and said, “I was very shy at first. I’m not used to doing anything like that; so outside my comfort zone.” However, the editor-in-chief, MJ Day, and the staff were amazing as Korda recounted, and they made her forget about the fact that it was her debut. At the end of the day, she was having much fun and was grateful that these opportunities knocked on her door and allowed her to try something different, even if it meant going the extra mile and stepping outside of her comfort zone.

This is not the first time Korda stunned the golf world with her off-the-course antics. The LPGA star also became the only golfer since Tiger Woods in 2013 to be invited to the Met Gala as she made her red-carpet debut. Indeed, the 2024 season has been all kinds of unique for the 2-time major champion. As the season comes to a close, Korda has one last wish to fulfill.

Nelly Korda gives an update on her neck injury

From winning the Drive On Championship in Bradenton to teeing up at the Annika Driven, Nelly Korda looked over her season and humorously said, “Feels like I lived nine lives since then.” From winning six times to missing the cut consecutive three times for the first time in her career, undoubtedly, there were many ups and downs in her season. But Korda has emerged on the other side through it all.

But starting at the Pelican Golf Club was a bit rushed, as Korda had one thing in mind. She said, “I rushed my rehab to get to these two events because they were important to me playing in front of a bit of a home crowd here and season championship in Naples.” Bellaire is closer to where the 14-time LPGA Tour winner grew up and thus wanted to show her best performance before the season ended.

Korda couldn’t win after the Mizuho Americas Open in May and wanted to be a winner again. She further added, “Going to go out, and obviously the No. 1 goal in the back of my head is lifting the trophy on Sunday.” With her neck injury not being painful at all, hopefully, Nelly Korda will return to the winner’s podium at the Pelican Golf Club.