BELLEAIR, FL. – This has not been the best year for professional golf. The LIV Tour is apparently done. The PGA Tour, while hinting at bigger things in 2028, has announced a 36-tournament schedule for 2027 and players on PGA Tour Champions aren’t happy about their pensions being eliminated.
The women’s game is a sharp contrast to the men’s, and Nelly Korda is largely responsible for that.
With only the CME Group Tour Championship next week in Naples, FL., left on the Ladies PGA Tour season Korda has already clinched the Rolex Player of the Year Award and she’ll get into the Hall of Fame if she wins either The Annika event, which concludes at the Pelican Golf Club here on Sunday, or the season-ending CME Group Tour event. She entered The Annika with 27 points, just one away from becoming the 36th member of her circuit’s Hall.
Korda is unusually well-rested for the season climax. She took an eight-week break from tournament play before bidding for her third title in six years in The Annika. That $3.25 million event, honoring Annika Sorenstam, was named the best host facility on the LPGA circuit in 2025.
If Korda wins Sunday she’ll be the first LPGA player to win an LPGA event four times since Sorenstam did it in 2005. And then there’s the Hall of Fame possibility.
Korda shot 63 in the first of The Annika on Thursday but wasn’t thinking very far ahead and that’s a good thing. She cooled off, shooting 69-71 the next two days, to fall into a tie for 10th place and six strokes behind leader leader Lindy Duncan.
“Is the Hall of Fame something I’m really looking at? Not at all,’’ Korda said. “I’m just focusing on being competitive and trying to give it my all.’’
Still, the setting couldn’t be better for Korda to savor the golf spotlight. Her home is in nearby Bradenton.
“It definitely helps that I’ve had so much success out here (at the Pelican), but also being a Florida girl I’m used to the Bermuda grass,’’ said Korda. “My home course (Concession) is a similar vibe to the course here and then, at the end, getting the support from all of my family and friends is always another motivating factor.’’
Her long break from tournament play may or may not have been helpful. She came out strong in the first round of The Annika but faced a long way to come back if she was going to win on Sunday.
“Eight weeks…I don’t remember the last time I took that long off,’’ she said. “It was nice, but by the middle of it I was ready to get going. When you take that time for yourself to reenergize your batteries, you’re very motivated to come back, play against the best players in the world and test yourself.’’
No matter how the last two tournaments turn out, Korda isn’t declaring her best year yet.
“Every year has been so different,’’ she said. “Two years ago I won seven times, so I’ve had some amazing years in my career. The accolades are great. I’m honored to even be in that position, but what drives me is the competitive tournament that I’m in currently.’’
Sorenstam, a legendary player if there ever was one, understands why the Hall of Fame wouldn’t dominate Korda’s focus.
“It’s just a matter of when. It could be this week,’’ said Sorenstam. “She’s done so much for the game – No. 1 in the world, Player of the Year, there’s a lot to her resume. It’s great to have her here. I’m a big fan of Nelly’s.’’
Korda won The Annika in 2021, 2022 and 2024. Sweden’s Linn Grant is the defending champion going into Sunday’s last round. The tourney had a sharp weather change, with temperatures dipping into unseasonably low 40s for the early starters on Saturday and were in low 60s when Korda played in the afternoon. A strong breeze impacted play all day long.
After Friday’s 36-hole cut Korda was the second-low American player, and only 18 of them were among the 78 qualifiers for weekend play.
Duncan, another Floridean, entered Saturday’s play in three-way tie for the lead with Spain’s Carlota Ciganda and Korea’s Hye-Jin Choi. Duncan shot a 69 to hit the 54-hole stop at 13-under par 197. It gave her a tournament lead for the first time in an LPGA tournament. Choi was one stroke back in second.
