By this point last year, Nelly Korda was waiting to win the Rolex Player of the Year award. This season, she’s just hoping she can grab one LPGA Tour win. She has already lost her world #1 rank. But the 15-time LPGA Tour champion is going strong at Tiburon Golf Club. She has the clubhouse lead after completing the second round. And Korda is hoping she can convert it into a win. While she does that, she gives everyone a glimpse at what she did to prepare for it.

After completing 36 holes, she sat down for her press conference when she was asked about her routine at home. Korda told the reporters, “When I’m home, I would say I do a lot more rehab now. My treatment is a lot longer. That’s how you know you’re getting old. Implementing more stuff to strengthen my neck, my back, making sure everything is protected.”

She has been focusing on building muscle strength lately. In fact, Jessica also gave the fans a glimpse at her sister working out with resistance bands a few days before The Annika. She has also discussed training her back in the past. Fans saw her working out her lower back in the gym back in February 2024.

But that’s not all that she does to prepare for events. Korda also revealed her routine during tournament weeks. “I would say it’s the same Monday through Wednesday, but what I kind of start now is I do a little bit more speed drills before my rounds. Something also that I’ve seen playing, actually, alongside the men, the Grant Thornton.”

Keeping up with the PGA Tour pros must not be easy. But playing alongside them in the Grant Thornton Invitational gives her a great opportunity to push herself. She was paired with Tony Finau in 2023 & Daniel Berger in 2024. She can utilize those skills in her game on the LPGA Tour. That helped her find success in 2024. However, it hasn’t helped her this season at all. But she still hasn’t given up.

“Just always trying to improve. The competition is just getting better and better out here every year. Makes you want to improve as well because there is nothing better than being in contention going down Sunday on the back nine.”

The CME Group Tour Championship is the last tournament of the season. But Korda has still not given up hope of turning things around. She is determined to give it one last go before taking a break to set things right. And if Korda does end up winning in Florida, then she will become the first woman since Lexi Thompson in 2018 to win the title.

After hearing about her wanting to improve herself, a reporter clarified if she has gained on her swing. Korda told them, “No, no, no. I’m not trying to gain distance. I like the distance where I’m at. Obviously, I’m always trying to be more consistent.” Looks like it’s paying off as she shot an 8-under 64 in the second round of the event.

But will she be able to beat the field in the remaining 36 holes? Well, Nelly Korda’s round of 18 was only one half of the story at the Tiburon Golf Club on Friday.

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Who is the biggest obstacle for Nelly Korda in Florida?

Yes, Nelly Korda did finish at the top of the table after completing her round. But she played in the first half of the day. Many of her peers hadn’t even teed off by the time she completed her 18 holes. And one of them was Jeeno Thitikul, who has been her biggest rival this year.

Thitikul took Korda’s world #1 spot after she maintained it for 71 weeks straight. The Thai pro also managed to win two titles this year. She’s also in contention to win the 2025 Rolex Player of the Year award. What’s more? She might take the title at the Tiburon Golf Club on Sunday.

After playing only 10 holes, Thitikul is already two strokes ahead of Korda. She was one of the last few players on the tee zone today. So by the time the round ends, Jeeno Thitikul might slip too far away from Nelly Korda to chase.