Korda Battling Neck Injury, Eyes PGA Championship Tee Time

Korda’s Health in Focus

World No. 1 golfer Nelly Korda is dealing with a neck spasm ahead of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. The American athlete, who experienced the injury during practice at PGA Frisco, is still slated to play, but her fitness is now a key concern.

During a press conference on June 17, Korda discussed the injury. She stated that she experienced a spasm after taking a shot from the rough. Despite the pain, she is optimistic about teeing off on June 19.

“I hit a shot out of the rough yesterday (Monday), and my neck went into a full spasm,”

—Nelly Korda

Korda, who hasn’t secured a victory this season, tied for second at the US Women’s Open in June. She is the betting favorite this week.

Tough Timing for Korda

The timing of the injury is unfortunate for the 26-year-old. Her last LPGA Tour win was in November. Korda has previously dealt with injuries, including a neck issue that caused her to miss tournaments during the 2024 Asia swing. In 2022, she had to take time off due to a blood clot.

“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,”

—Nelly Korda

Korda also mentioned the challenges of competing in the Texas heat. She hopes to “be smart” and prioritize her body. In 2021, she won the Women’s PGA, but she missed the champions’ dinner on June 16 while receiving treatment.

“I didn’t go because of my neck. I was so sad to miss it, though,”

—Nelly Korda

Scheffler’s Preparation

In men’s golf, Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion at the Travelers Championship. This follows his T7 finish at the US Open. Scheffler has won three of his last five events.

Scheffler’s caddie, Ted Scott, previously worked with Bubba Watson when he won the Travelers Championship three times. Scott has helped Scheffler understand the course’s layout.

“There’s certain holes where you have to play really conservative and play to the middle of the green and just get as many looks for birdie as possible,”

—Scottie Scheffler

Scheffler shot 65-64-64-65 to finish 22 under par in 2024. A recent study by the National Golf Foundation revealed that the average score for a male professional golfer is 71.1, highlighting the precision required at this level of competition (National Golf Foundation, 2024).

The closing stretch enhances the excitement, as exemplified by the great finishes there year after year.