LPGA: Nelly Korda overcomes dog bite, ready for another major

Nelly Korda has had a whirlwind of a season that has included six wins, with five coming consecutively. That also includes a victory at the Chevron Championship—the season’s first major. But she has two missed cuts to her name, too: at the U.S. Women’s Open and the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

Add a dog bite to all of that, as well.

A canine jumped up and bit Korda in the thigh while in a coffee shop in Seattle, where Sahalee Golf Club welcomed the best female players in the world for this year’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Because of the incident, she had to withdraw from the Ladies European Tour’s Aramco Team Series event in London.

But now she is ready for the Amundi Evian Championship in France after spending a couple of weeks with her family.

“It was nice for all of us to be together,” Korda said.

“The last time we were together was November last year, so it’s really wholesome getting to spend time with family and recharge my batteries by doing that.”

Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images

Korda arrives at the Evian Resort feeling refreshed—a course where she has had plenty of success but has yet to snag a victory. She tied for 9th at the Amundi Evian Championship in 2023 and finished in a tie for 8th the year before. Korda also finished T-19 in 2021.

“I think the really big word this week is patience. You can hit a really good shot and get a really bad bounce, and you can hit a bad shot and get a really good bounce. So it’s really important to be patient out here this week,” Korda explained.

“It definitely took me a couple of years to figure it out. The most important thing is not to get too ahead of yourself and not get too frustrated with the bad bounces.”

When Korda first played in the Evian in 2017, she missed the cut. The following year, she tied for 61st and then tied for 25th in 2019. But that was before she ascended to the top of the sport, where she currently resides.

And yet, even the best players struggle with this game, as Korda did at Lancaster Country Club and Sahalee over the past two months. It’s not often that you see the best player in the world make a 10 on a par-3, either.

Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images

“I think I’ve gone through every emotion possible on the golf course this season, and it’s only July. You know, I love this game. I love the bad. I love the good,” Korda said.

“The bad makes you appreciate the good, and that’s just how it is. It’s sports. If you care so deeply about it, you’ll just go through the wave of the roller coaster. I have a great team and amazing family that keep me grounded and keep my perspective positive. They all lift me up even when I’m down, and they make sure that we all stay very, very grounded and very, very humble because sometimes you can get a little too ahead of yourself.

“But the game humbles you enough itself, which I learned a great deal recently. That’s what I love about it. Even if I’m not playing well, I will go out and give it 100%, work harder, and do the same thing. I’m really lucky to have the support system I have, and it’s the reason I’m still here.”

One could argue that Korda has the most beautiful golf swing on the planet. But her sharp mental acumen and incredibly positive outlook are further reasons why she is currently the best player in the world.

That, coupled with the fact that she arrives at the Evian well-rested, has to lead you to believe that she will be a part of the story in France once more.

Either way, this event will serve as an appetizer for what’s to come at the Olympics next month. Korda already has a gold medal shining proudly in her office. Perhaps she can win another one, too. But her focus is squarely on the Evian, as it should be.

“I tend just to try to focus on what’s right in front of me. I’ve never been to Paris. I’ve flown through Paris, so I’m also excited to see Paris and maybe be a bit of a tourist if I have time,” Korda said.

“But when the week comes, I know I’m going to be so excited. I’m definitely going to watch the guys on the final day, root for the U.S., and get to watch the guys that I grew up idolizing and watching every day on TV.”

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.