Nelly Korda’s Instagram story delivered a quiet but powerful moment that quickly caught the attention of golf fans. The former World No. 1 shifted the focus to her father, who shaped her journey long before the spotlight arrived. The image she shared, paired with a few heartfelt words, hinted at a bond that runs extremely deep. It offered a family-centered tribute that revealed another side of one of golf’s most dominant figures.

“So thankful for you and mom 🥹🥰,” Nelly Korda wrote in the Instagram story she uploaded. “Happy Birthday Daddio 🫶🏼 I’m so grateful for all the amazing memories we have created!! Here’s to many more!”

The story featured an image of herself and her father, Petr Korda, hugging each other. Korda’s comments hint at the role her father has played in shaping her early life and career. Petr Korda himself is a sports personality. He is a former professional tennis player who won the 1998 Australian Open and reached a career-high ranking of World No. 2.

Petr has been a constant presence in Nelly Korda’s golf journey, often traveling with her, offering on‑course advice, and even teaming up with her at the PNC Championship. The duo played at the PNC Championship 2025, an event that Tiger Woods and Charlie Woods missed this year. Team Korda finished T4 courtesy a score of 25-under par 119. They were only one shot behind the runner-ups, Team Daly and Team Love.

Nelly Korda has credited her parents, especially her father, for instilling discipline, competitiveness, and mental toughness on many occasions. She even said that when she was young and used to play with her father, he would try to piss her off. Petr Korda used to tell her that when she is pissed, she steps it up a notch. Therefore, he intentionally did it to improve the game of the ANNIKA 2024 winner.

Jessica Korda’s parallel tribute goes on to show the importance of Petr Korda in his children’s lives.

“Happy birthday to the best Tati/Didi in the world ❤️ can’t express how blessed we are to have you in our lives. Always pushing us to be the best versions of ourselves that we can be, in sports and in life.💫🍀”

Jessica Korda’s text in her story reflects the exact same thing Nelly Korda always credits Petr for. Her wishes reflect how Petr Korda has always pushed his children to improve their game.

Thanks to Petr Korda pushing her to improve her game, Nelly Korda has won 15 events on the LPGA Tour. However, the spark she had in 2023 and 2024 was missing last year. The former World No. 1 faced a winless 2025. And it was frustrating.

Nelly Korda on the frustrating 2025 season

While the birthday tribute highlighted Nelly Korda’s family roots, her competitive side has been grappling with a very different storyline on the course. The 15x LPGA winner featured in a video uploaded by The Lads YouTube channel, in which she opened up about her 2025 LPGA season, one that delivered stability but left her chasing victory.

The Chevron Championship 2024 winner made the cut in every single event. This translated to $2.8 million in earnings. In fact, her Sunday scoring average climbed from 69.58 in 2024 to 71.72 in 2025. Her frustration came through in candid remarks that balanced pride with impatience.

“A year without missing cuts, but I’d rather actually miss a couple [and] win,” she admitted.

Her comments reflect on the tradeoff between steady results and breakthrough moments. Nelly Korda also acknowledged the uneven nature of her play, noting that stretches of sharp golf were sometimes followed by rounds that left her questioning herself. Still, she framed the year as part of a longer journey. She pointed out that no two seasons in her decade as a professional have ever looked the same.

While Nelly Korda is upset with the results of 2025, she is hoping for a better 2026 season. But amid the struggles on the course, she is grateful for her life off it, as she aims to create more memories with her father, Petr Korda.