Nelly Korda claims at the LPGA Founders Cup close to home in Bradenton

On By Littum

Brandenton, Fla. – Nelly Korda is a regular at tidal tables where the fishing sacos are nice fresh. For a cup of coffee, she frequently frequents Fox Mercantile. World # 1 grew up 15 minutes from this week’s founders Cup, although Bradenton Country Club wasn’t her home ground. She found her abilities from an early age at another Donald Ross design, near the Sara Bay Country Club in Sarasota.

“You have beautiful Sarasota, Bradenton, Longboat Key, Anna Maria Island,” said Korda of Florida’s Gulf Coast. “It’s a bit like a hidden gem.”

Although 26-year-old Korda now lives 45 minutes away from the Bradenton Country Club, Korda still lives within the city borders. Blake Hospital, where she was born, is less than 2 miles from the clubhouse.

Technically, Korda is not the defense champion this week, though she raised a trophy at this place a year ago, wire went to thread and defeated Lydia Ko in a flurry of a finish. This event was called The Drive On Championship, a tour stop that lacked a title sponsor and was supported by LPGA.

When Cognizant dropped his sponsorship of the Founders Cup last year, the trip moved this event from New Jersey down to Bradenton and kept a tournament name alive as the trip celebrates its 75 -year anniversary. Rose Zhang won the 2024 Founders Cup, but is not in the field this week as she continues her studies in Stanford.

Korda opened with a 3-under 68 at Bradenton on Thursday and Trails leader Nanna Koerstz Madsen of three strokes.

“I think the biggest key for me is to be good mentally out there, just be happy, don’t let the bad shots get too much against your head,” said Koerstz Madsen, who famously used to hold lemons in her bag to suck On when she struggled with strong emotions.

Korda began 2025 with a runner-up that appears at the LPGA Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in Orlando. One of her played partners from last week, the former MLB jug Derek Lowe, was in the gallery on Thursday in Bradenton with his wife.

“So many of my friends have already asked for tickets,” said Korda, whose best friend Klara told her she had almost a heart attack that saw her win this event last year personally.

“It’s probably the most exciting part of playing in my hometown,” said Korda, “all the local support.”

Korda, a 15-time gang winner on tour, holding her trophies and Olympic gold medal at her home office. Her two major championship trophies are on a floating shelf, but hardware from last year’s drive on and the Ford Championship victories were so heavy that she had to put them in the built-in.

“I think the wall would have gone down,” she said with a laugh.

At this speed, she may need to build more.