Nelly Korda‘s post-round autograph sessions are legendary among her youngest fans, but after the Founders Cup, the tradition was broken for a very specific reason. As a result, she couldn’t help but apologize. 

“The most incredible crowd I have played in front of in a while. Thank you to everyone who came out. I’m so sorry I couldn’t stay Sunday after my round to sign as I did on Saturday! I had a flight to catch and wasn’t sure what SFO TSA was going to look like!” Korda wrote on her Instagram stories.

On Saturday, following her match against Hyo Joo Kim at Sharon Heights, where she shot a 12-under 66, Korda spent time taking photographs with the children and signing autographs for them. The LPGA Tour captured a few moments and shared them, hyping up Korda’s part in inspiring the young generation. Her missing the “autograph alley with Nelly” on Sunday was shocking because of the previous instances.

At the 2021 PNC Championship, she made sure to sign every single autograph and photograph request that came her way at the final round. Toward the end of the rope line, a young man who had been watching all day asked if she would sign a glove. Another patron of the event said, “Nelly, you’re the sweetest number-one ever.”

At the 2023 Chevron Championship, while walking by, she highfived two young girls, and the pleasant disbelief on their faces was enough to show how happy they were. She even joined Lydia Ko to sign for two young enthusiasts in the middle of their opening round at the 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

Another instance, dating back to the last Chevron Championship, claims that Korda was out signing autographs and thanking the fans for their support for at least an hour. It was also the time when a fan asked to give away her signed socks. She denied, obviously!

This time, despite a close competition against Kim, Korda failed to claim the victory. And the margin of the win was just one shot. Kim shot a 16-under 272, while Korda had to settle for a 15-under 273. What disappointed the fans even more was the fact that Korda shared the lead, even if it was for a short while. One “stupid mistake” on the 17th, and things came tumbling down. 

However, the 16-time LPGA Tour winner seemed to shrug it off and look ahead at the Ford Championship. After all, she had already impressed the next generation through her competitive gameplay. And that’s the motivation she needs to move on ahead. 

It’s the fans who motivate Nelly Korda to aim for excellence

During a presser at the 2025 KMPG Women’s PGA Championship, a media person asked Korda about her ability to enjoy achieving her dreams while climbing onto the next big thing. And the world number two credited the young fans for her increasing love of golf. 

“I think it’s just by loving the game, by inspiring the next generation, seeing all the little girls,” she confessed. 

Korda went on to recall an incident that day, when a little girl gave her a LEGO set. Even though she tends to get gifts from the fans, she found it cute. And that’s something that pushed her to do better on the course. 

“Moments like that, interactions like that, that fuel my love for the game,” she claimed. “And then compete against the best players in the world. It all comes down to like, if you internally want it. And that’s the question you always have to ask yourself.” 

After leaving Sharon Heights without interacting with the fans who likely kept waiting for her after the final round, Nelly Korda had to send a message. And that apology came with a heads-up for the next year’s event.