World No. 1 Nelly Korda came into the 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship with high expectations, but that momentum took an unexpected hit during practice at PGA Frisco.
On Monday, a neck spasm forced her to skip the champion’s dinner and wear kinesiology tap–the latest reminder of her ongoing body trouble.
The Rough Shot That Triggered the Spasm
Korda hit a shot from thick rough that caused her neck to “go into a full spasm,” she said at the Tuesday press conference. While she assures it’s easing, the incident impacted her preparation and spine sensitivity.
“It’s getting better, but yeah, it was not very good yesterday,” she admitted.
Korda also addressed how previous neck problems have heightened her awareness.
“Obviously with the injury that I had last year, 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 explained.
Because of the spasm, Korda missed the prestigious champions dinner–an LPGA tradition reserved for major winners. She reached out to defending champion Amy Yang, citing both regret and prioritization of her physical wellbeing. It’s not the first time neck issues have disrupted her schedule. She also withdrew from events during late‑2024 due to similar complaints.
Keeping Major Momentum Alive
Despite the setback, Korda remains optimistic. She’s coming off a runner‑up finish at the U.S. Women’s Open, just two strokes behind champion Maja Stark, and she’s still the betting favorite despite her winless start in 2025.
That combination of elite form and top ranking underlines why she won the 2021 championship and hopes to do it again this week.
With Texas heat setting in, Korda said she and her physiotherapist are taking extra care with her preparation. She emphasized the importance of managing rest, heat exposure, and swing feel to preserve her health for the tournament’s start on Thursday.
“You have to make a plan just how your body feels and be smart about it,” she said.
First Win of 2025 and Major Comeback
Korda is still chasing her first LPGA victory of 2025. Though she has seven wins in 2024, including two majors, this season has yielded none so far. The Women’s PGA represents a major opportunity to end that drought, but she’ll need to stay healthy to make it happen.
At 26, Korda is already among the defining talents of her generation. But recurring injuries could threaten her consistency at the top. Her ability to navigate this week will offer insight not just into her physical resilience, but also her mental toughness–especially as she moves toward potential LPGA dominance and continued world No. 1 reign.
Korda arrives at Frisco with firepower and determination, aiming to turn a health setback into a comeback story. The model of grace under pressure, she now faces a critical test–as much about discipline and self-care as it is about swing mechanics. At the world’s biggest stage for women’s golf, all eyes will be on how she responds: Will this spasm derail her charge, or become the catalyst for her next triumph?
Nelly Korda Managing Injury as She Eyes First 2025 Win at Women’s PGA