It’s not every day that a world-class athlete trades her golf gear for a swimsuit and makes waves—literally. But that’s exactly what Nelly Korda, the LPGA World No. 1, pulled off this summer. While fans were expecting birdies, fairways, and championship grinds, Korda had another surprise in store: her jaw-dropping debut in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
Yes, you read that right. The same Nelly Korda who usually walks the fairways with icy focus and laser precision was suddenly lighting up magazine stands in beachwear—and looking like she belonged on the catwalk just as much as she does on the leaderboard. Her appearance in SI Swim turned heads and quickly became one of the most talked-about moments of the offseason. Some fans cheered the crossover moment as empowering and iconic; others were left wondering if this was a detour or a full-on career pivot.
But before the buzz could settle, Nelly found herself back in the headlines for a very different reason. With the Amundi Evian Championship around the corner, Korda’s return to competitive golf took a chaotic turn—thanks to a travel disaster involving five lost bags, including her golf clubs and a luxury $1,295 carry-on. Delta Airlines, now unofficially on Korda’s watchlist, somehow managed to misplace her entire luggage setup just as she was prepping for a major.
Between a lingering neck injury and a wardrobe that may or may not still be in transit, Korda’s summer has been equal parts glam and glitch. Yet despite the setbacks, she’s handled it all with poise. Whether she’s striking a pose on a Caribbean beach or firing iron shots in Evian-les-Bains (hopefully with her own clubs), Korda’s cool confidence hasn’t wavered.
So what is this summer really about for Nelly Korda? A reinvention? A rally? A little bit of both? Whether she’s gracing magazine covers or fighting travel chaos to stay on top of her game, one thing’s clear—Korda is rewriting the rulebook for what a modern sports icon can be.
And while the golf world watches her every move, it seems the fashion world—and maybe even Hollywood—are watching too. Stay tuned, because this summer, Nelly Korda isn’t just chasing majors—she’s chasing milestones.
