NAPLES, Fla. — Nelly Korda’s final full swing of the 2025 LPGA season at Tiburon Golf Club summed up her year perfectly. Standing in the middle of the 18th fairway, she flushed her approach, gave a casual club twirl, and watched the ball settle 25 feet from the hole. The birdie putt looked destined for the center of the cup, only to lose pace at the last moment, leaving her with a closing par — a fitting end to a season filled with near-misses rather than victories.
After a dominant seven-win campaign in 2024, Korda finished 2025 without a win. While the outcome surprised many, the World No. 2 insists the season was far more complex than the final tally suggests.
“It’s been an interesting year, Korda said ahead of the CME Group Tour Championship. “There were moments of really good golf, and then moments where I wondered what just happened. But that’s golf. After a season like last year, it’s never easy to repeat.”
On paper, the drop from seven wins to none — along with slipping from World No. 1 to No. 2 — might suggest regression. In reality, the margins in professional golf are razor-thin, and Korda believes her game hasn’t fundamentally changed.
“Sometimes it comes down to one shot or one putt,” she explained. “A ball lips out and suddenly you lose momentum. I don’t think I’m better or worse than last year — maybe just fewer things went my way. That’s sports.”
Statistically, Korda’s season was quietly impressive. She posted improvements in scoring average, driving performance, birdie percentage, bogey avoidance, and putting compared to 2024. Her approach play remained steady, while her only notable dip came in her short game around the greens. Even then, she continued to lead the LPGA in Par-5 scoring.
Lydia Ko summed it up best: “She has better stats than last year but didn’t win. Stats don’t tell the whole story. There are so many variables, and you’re competing against more than 140 other players every week.”
Despite repeated runner-up finishes — including a close call at the U.S. Women’s Open — and constant talk of a “winless year,” Korda said the season gave her something more meaningful than trophies.
Golf can be an isolating sport, especially when results don’t match effort. Instead of withdrawing inward, Korda leaned more heavily on the people around her, discovering the importance of a strong support system.
“When you’re at the top, you get more criticism,” she said. “Having a close circle matters so much. My circle might be small, but it’s incredible. That stability is everything.”
She admitted that the frustrations of the year sometimes spilled over in conversations with her team, but their long-term perspective helped her see beyond the scoreboard.
“They see things differently than I do,” Korda said. “They’ve been with me my whole career, and that gives you a clearer picture of what really matters.”
Korda finished third at the season finale in Naples, six shots behind world No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul. After starting Sunday one over par, she mounted a strong back-nine charge with three birdies and a hole-out eagle — another reminder of her immense talent, even if it came too late to change the outcome.
Her 2025 season followed a familiar pattern: flashes of brilliance that appeared just long enough to remind everyone how good she is, before slipping away again.
History suggests this kind of season is far from unusual. Rory McIlroy endured similar stretches without wins before rebounding to reclaim world No. 1 status and add multiple titles. Korda’s talent, work ethic, and mindset point toward a similar resurgence.
The victories will return. And when they do, this winless year may be remembered not as a setback, but as the spark that reignited her fire — and reminded her she doesn’t have to carry the journey alone.
