Nelly Korda, winless in 2025, talks about highs, lows and the chance she would like to have again

The final round of the LPGA season finale summed up Nelly Korda’s year. There was stagnation, moments of brilliance, a sense of challenge, but ultimately no chance of victory.

And so, after a historic seven-win season, Korda went winless in 2025: 0-for-20.

There were seven top 5s, almost $2.8 million in earnings, and she ranked in the top 3 in multiple stroke categories and scored average. But still…

She played on Sunday in Naples, Florida, in the final duo and alongside current world number 1 Jeeno Thitikul, who took the crown from Korda in Augusta. Korda, however, was six shots back. And while Thitikul managed just a 1-under 35 on the front nine, Korda made one bogey and pars eights to lose ground.

She came home in 31, including one hole-out eagle from a fairway bunker on the par-4 11th (which drew applause from her playing rival). However, her 68 only matched Thitikul’s, and Korda finished a distant third.

“The main goal was obviously to finish on top, but after my first day I decided to do it, even though the leaders were super far ahead. In a way, I always felt like I was playing catch-up,” said Korda, who went 71-64-65-68 at Tiburon Golf Club.

“Overall, yes, another year. I’m grateful for it. Grateful for the highs and lows and grateful for my team.”

Asked about those highs and lows, Korda cited the U.S. Women’s Open — the title she most covets — as an example of both. “The adrenaline rush,” she said, “there’s nothing like it.” However, it proved to be just a little too much when Korda smoked her on the 72nd hole, trying to catch leader and eventual winner Maja Stark. second on the par-5 18th at Erin Hills through the greenery and into a valley – a dead zone.

“I actually hit that shot so well. I probably hit that shot the best I’ve done all year, and just because of the adrenaline I probably hit it, I don’t know, 30 feet too long and a little bit too left; I was in the spot where at the beginning of the week on Monday I thought, I can’t be here, and I was there,” she said Sunday.

“So, if I could get one shot back [this season]that would be it.”

Korda’s third shot rolled back to her feet and her fourth went over the green. She made bogey-6 and lost by three.

Korda’s peaks and valleys were less extreme this year. She didn’t miss a single cut and finished in the top 10 in nearly half of her starts. A year ago, she had seven wins, but also some notable missed cuts and bad rounds, combined with multiple injury setbacks.

However, none of this consistency contributed to the win in ’25. Apart from the US Women’s Open, she has never competed in a major. She opened her title defense at the Chevron in 77 before rallying to make the cut. She broke 70 only three times in twenty Grand Tours this year.

“The highlights are probably like the big flashes in my playing where I’m really excited about the work I’ve put in,” she said.

“And some of the low points are like any girl here can say, any professional can say: you put so much time and effort into your craft and you just don’t play well. You just do it over and over again. Sometimes you just go a little crazy.”

There are a few more starts this year for Korda, who will compete with Denny McCarthy in the mixed team Grant Thornton Invitational and alongside her father, Petr, in the PNC Championship.

Her 2026 LPGA campaign likely begins Jan. 29 at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. Whether it’s there or not, the 27-year-old will be making progress until March, when the LPGA returns from its first Asia swing. She also became winless in 2023.

“Success,” she said, “is never linear.” For Hall of Fame players, that’s not a failure either.