Parity is the name of the game on the LPGA Tour this season. Twenty-six different winners in 25 different events (two winners at the Dow Championship)? You bet. But what’s baffling is that Nelly Korda is not one of them. At the 2025 LOTTE Championship, she looked to change that. But the event’s over, and she still isn’t on the list. And the reason behind this consistent failure to grab a win? It’s not preparation or performance, but something else entirely.
Following her Sunday round, Nelly Korda said that her goal is “always to give everything 100% and concentrate in and dial in it.” But her injuries ensured that none of it would be enough. So when after the final round of the Lotte Championship, she was asked about how she manages rest and recovery, or whether she’s able to strike a balance with everything, Korda replied, “Yeah, it’s tough. I would say by this time of the year my body is definitely worn down.
“I do have some injuries I’ve had in the past that kind of linger that are never really fully resolved, that you still do PT on every single day, you do therapy,” Korda explained. At the 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, she revealed that she’d hurt her neck while hitting a shot out of the rough during a practice round; the swing caused her neck to go into a “full spasm.” She later admitted it “was not very good yesterday,” though she assured reporters that it was getting better. The rough at PGA Frisco’s Field East Ranch course had proved punishing, and even Korda wasn’t spared.
The flare-up forced her to skip the champions’ dinner on Monday night, a tough call for someone who joked she’d missed out on “unbelievable” Korean food. Importantly, Korda clarified that this injury was separate from the neck issue that sidelined her during the LPGA’s 2024 fall Asian swing.
‘Still, it’s left her wary. As she said, “Every single time something kind of flares up in my neck now, I think I feel it a little bit more than what I used to.” She even wore kinesiology tape around her neck that week to stabilize it and prevent further strain. Despite the setback, Korda remained determined: “I have a great physio who takes care of me… trying to work through it, but I’ll be ready by Thursday.” But such injuries are building up a lack of wins this season. And that’s disappointing, especially considering how close she has come each time.
When talking about the 16th, Korda admitted she is “a little disappointed.” Yet, “It’s definitely an interesting year for me result-wise, but at the end of the day I’m giving it 100%, controlling what I can control and I’m happy with that.” And that does deserve acknowledgement. Korda has grabbed 7 top 10s in 16 starts, and looks good stats-wise.
She’s second in scoring average at 69.70, just behind Jenno Thitikul. Compared to last year, her average of 69.56 was slightly better. Korda also ranks 3rd in Strokes Gained: Total with 2.30. With her LOTTE Championship finish, she’s now racked up 6 top-five finishes this season. So, the stats are not the problem. It’s the body – and thankfully, Korda is grinding herself to get even that in check.
Nelly Korda and her fresh new priorities in the 2025 season
Nelly Korda is hitting pause on her relentless pace, prioritizing rest and recovery as she heads into the season’s final stretch. “I would say since kind of the summer it’s been go, go, go, go, go,” she admitted ahead of the LOTTE Championship. That’s the easiest way to explain her hectic schedule this season. And, keeping in mind her jam-packed schedule, which took her from Florida to Asia, it was no wonder she came to the conclusion that she needs to take care of her body.
“The more I play, the more my body gets beaten up, especially with how condensed our schedule has been from kind of the beginning of the summer to right now with all the travel,” she confessed. She has played 16 events from April to September and has not missed a single cut. However, she’s well aware that this level of commitment comes with added risks.
In fact, grueling burnout forced her to withdraw from the JM Eagle LA Championship last year. No one wants a repeat of that. “I feel I need to listen to my body and get some rest, so I can be ready for the remainder of the season.”
Her next stop after the LOTTE Championship is likely to be the Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown, followed by the ANNIKA and the CME Group Tour Championship in November. But before she heads out for the next big thing, she admitted, “But at the end of the day, I think for me, always prioritizing my body is the most important thing. So I’ll be doing that when I’m home.” Fans would hope that’d bring another great finish from her.
