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LeBron James left his mark on the hardwood. Nelly Korda would want to leave her’s on the fairways this season. She has won three LPGA Tours and claimed World No. 1, but despite 13 attempts at a US Women’s Open title, a win there eludes her. So, as she walks into Riviera to finally change that, the NBA’s all-time scorer decides this moment was worth a one-of-a-kind gift.

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Korda posted to her IG story a custom, one-of-one Nike Victory Pro 4 gifted by LeBron James, confirmed by Nike as a player-exclusive made specifically for her. She tagged James and wrote: “OKKKKKK!!!! Thank you for these! Will be wearing these tomorrow.”

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The shoes that James gifted are white in color, with metallic gold Swooshes, powder blue lining, red-and-navy piping, and a miniature flag pin on the laces.

“The colorway draws inspiration from the iconic “Old Glory” Nike LeBron 23, translating the basketball silhouette’s patriotic palette into one of Nike Golf’s newest performance models,” wrote Skratch.

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While this was a great gesture from King James, it wasn’t the first time he showed his appreciation for Korda. When she won the Chevron Championship, he posted on X: “3 holes left to play. Bring it on home, Nelly!” He also reacted during The ANNIKA in 2025 with “Helluva putt, Nelly!” and Korda called it “cool” to have someone of his profile following her game.

Notably, both of them are Nike athletes. Last year, James publicly praised Korda’s signature Nike golf shoes while unboxing a pair on social media. “Got mine!” he said while admiring the design and personalized details before adding, “Shoutout Nelly.”

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James’ appreciation for Korda stems from his love for the game of golf. While he has one of the busiest schedules, James finds time to watch golf on YouTube and also follows when the Tours are on.

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He often showcases his love for the sport with tweets and also posts videos when he is on the course. With Korda heading to an important tournament in her career, James will certainly be watching, especially since his season was cut short in the second round of the NBA Playoffs.

Korda’s U.S. Women’s Open record is a mixed bag. She first walked into the tournament as a 14-year-old, but since then has gone a long way. While she has had a lot of success in other competitions, in 13 starts, she only has three top-10 finishes and a T2 at Erin Hills last summer to show. She has also missed cuts in 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2024.

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However, she is coming into the tournament this year with a lot of momentum. Nelly Korda enters this week having made every cut in seven 2026 starts, posted seven top-10s, and won three times, including the Chevron Championship at -18 and Riviera Maya at -17. She leads the CME points race with 2,600 points. A U.S. Women’s Open title is the one thing still missing from an otherwise dominant year.

Interestingly, the 27-year-old arrived at Riviera in full patriotic mode, and it wasn’t just the shoes.

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Nelly Korda custom-fit for the U.S. Women’s Open

Nelly Korda walked into Riviera Country Club in style when she headed to the interview tent. She was wearing a custom USMNT World Cup jersey, number 13, with a red jacket and matching skirt. The clip of her custom-made outfit went viral.

Nike commented, “Star of the show,” USMNT’s official account tagged her, and Michelle Wie West called the jacket “sickkkkkk.” The post pulled 24.6K likes in a day.

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What caught viewers’ eyes was the tee she was wearing, which had 13 written on it. Well, it wasn’t just a random pick; Nelly Korda had her reasons behind that. She explained her parents are 13 days apart in birthdays, her second major was her 13th win, and 13 has simply always been her number.

“I know the World Cup is starting in a week, so there’s no better place to be patriotic than the U.S. Women’s Open,” she said.

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The World Cup is a spectacle that will have a lot of attention, but just before that, Korda has the chance to do something she has never done before. With backing from King James and now with the looks of it, even the USMNT, June 7 could be when she wins the elusive trophy.

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Vishnupriya Agrawal

1,472 Articles

Vishnupriya Agrawal is a beat reporter at EssentiallySports on the Golf Desk, specializing in breaking news around tour developments, player movement, ranking shifts, and evolving competitive narratives across the PGA and LPGA circuits. She excels at analyzing the ripple effects of major moments, such as headline-grabbing wins or schedule changes, highlighting their impact on player momentum, course strategy, and long-term career trajectories. With a foundation in research-driven writing and a passion for storytelling, Vishnupriya has built a track record of delivering timely and insightful golf coverage. She has also contributed as a freelance sports writer, creating audience-focused content that connects fans to the finer details of the game. Her sharp research abilities and disciplined publishing workflow enable her to craft stories that go beyond the leaderboard, bringing context and clarity to the fast-moving world of professional golf.

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Godwin Issac Mathew

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