Jessica Korda was on the verge of a nervous breakdown last Sunday. Her sister, Nelly Korda, was at the cusp of history, but nerves almost got the better of her. Korda’s lead was slippery, and there was no dearth of late challengers. Maja Stark and Lauren Coughlin were on hot pursuit. At home, the elder sister was ‘nauseous’ throughout the last nine holes. 

The 13-time LPGA Tour winner almost pushed her sister into labor in January during her sudden-death playoff against Lydia Ko. And from what Jessica Korda, herself a six-time winner on Tour, revealed, she was almost in a similar situation last Sunday as well. 

Jessica was the ‘Nervous Nelly’ at home

Jessica Korda said only a few people knew how her sister felt. Certainly true, if not an understatement. Only a few players get to taste a Major victory in their career. Fewer still make it five in a row. The list is really short. Nancy Lopez. Annika Sorenstam. Nelly Korda. There is a 27-year gap between the first two. Between the Norwegian phenom and Korda, it’s 18 years. 

Naturally, Nelly Korda felt the last nine holes at Woodlands were the longest back nine of her career. Let’s not forget that the two-time major champion had to finish the last seven holes of the third round before kick starting the historic Sunday. At home, Jessica Korda was sweating. “I didn’t even eat dinner that night. I was just nauseous the entire back nine.”

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Her sister got that tingling on her nerves, too. Nelly Korda made a bogey on the 11th, her first since Friday. Then again, on the 15th, she gave another shot away. That’s when Jason McDede, her caddie since 2018, came forward. Jessica added, “You saw Jason stepped up and gave her a little pep talk. She has got a really solid team around her. It’s been happening a lot, so it’s just a really good team that they make.” 

If anything, the six-time LPGA Tour winner knows how crucial it is to be in the right headspace. The two Korda sisters have spent time together in the last few weeks. And, the 31-year-old consciously avoided any conversation around golf.

Nelly Korda was in a great mental space heading to Woodlands

It was Sunday and Jessica Korda was all smiles when she came to the ESPN+ broadcast. She revealed, “We try and talk about just about everything other than golf. She is just in a really good spot. Last week I got to spend a couple of days with her. Quality time.” She gave a glimpse of the challenges her sister faced in the last few weeks. Knowing a new golf course. Being physically healthy. 

And of course, keeping your head from spinning, which Nelly Korda has done spectacularly well. “I think her mind. She is in a good space mentally. She is comfortable, and you can see that.” Also add in the mix, fine-tuning her clubs, working on putting, and improving the swing. Plus, the stellar team that she and Jason McDede made. A lot goes behind winning five tournaments in a row.