Nelly Korda’s title defense at the 2025 Chevron Championship was a rollercoaster, ending with a solid finish but also a lesson learned.
Korda kicked off her tournament week with a champions’ dinner highlighting her Czechoslovakian roots and featuring lavish dishes like $4,000 caviar. However, her on-course performance started on a shaky note. After shooting a five-over 77 in the first round, she was in danger of missing the cut. But the World No. 1 bounced back, making six birdies in her final 11 holes on Friday and ultimately tying for 14th place—five strokes behind winner Mao Saigo.
Despite her comeback, Korda admitted to one key regret: insufficient preparation. Having flown in late from Los Angeles after playing in the JM Eagle LA Championship, she only saw the course during Tuesday’s pro-am and was limited to nine holes on Wednesday due to weather delays. Choosing rest over more practice that afternoon, Korda acknowledged that decision may have contributed to her slow start.
“If I could do anything differently, I wish I’d had more time to prepare and get more reps in,” she said. With new pro-am rules restricting practice, she felt underprepared and said skipping the chance to play more on Wednesday “was on me.”
Looking ahead, Korda said she plans to avoid playing the week before the remaining four majors to ensure better preparation. While she’ll still compete in the Scottish Open before the AIG Women’s Open, she won’t play back-to-back leading into the U.S. Women’s Open, KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, or The Evian.
After a historic 2024 season that included seven wins and major accolades, Korda has yet to notch a victory in 2025. She acknowledged the pressure of living up to last year’s success but emphasized the importance of focusing on the present.
“I’m proud of the fight I showed this week,” Korda said. “But last year is over. It’s about moving forward and continuing to put in the work.”
She’ll return to competition in two weeks at the Mizuho Americas Open before shifting her focus to the U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills.
