For the second time in their career as pros, Nelly Korda and Jessica Korda are paired together. They’ve played 96 rounds in the same event, but now that they are about to play the 97th, Jessica’s first after almost 3 years, Nelly is grateful to have her sister back on the course with her.

“It’s more like life outside of the golf course where you’re just a lot more comfortable,” the 27-year-old said ahead of the Ford Championship. “I think when we’re both on the golf course, we’ll check the leaderboards here and there. But I think what really helps and what was a huge actual adjustment for me was kind of like life off the golf course, not having her there. Having that dinner buddy occasionally, playing a practice round together, and the majority of the weeks playing a practice round together.”

Nelly Korda has often confessed that she doesn’t make friends as easily as others because of her “shy” personality. This is where her sister’s support becomes crucial. Calling her “Mom Jess,” Korda emphasized how her sister would act as the buffer for her loneliness on and off the course. 

Unfortunately, in the 2023 season, Jessica Korda suffered from a lingering back injury. In May 2023, she withdrew from the Founders Cup because of it and later announced an indefinite break from the sport. It wasn’t any minor strain. It was a chronic, performance-limiting condition that materialized because of golf’s rotational stress on the spine. 

And as she rehabilitated her back through small baby steps, she got blessed with a son, Greyson, in February 2024. But the six-time LPGA Tour champion continued on her quest to return to the golf course. She did so at the 2025 Grant Thornton Invitational, finishing at T13 after shooting 17-under 199. 

Later in January 2026, Jessica shared some hints regarding her return to active competition through a few Instagram posts. Therein, she assessed her swing and seemingly worked on the corrections. Now, Jessica Korda returns to the field to play alongside her sister at the upcoming Ford Championship for the first time since 2023, they are happy. They are staying together in a rental house, and Nelly has taken over cooking. Their mom is there to babysit little Greyson.

But is there any other reason for Nelly to be waiting on her sister for almost three years?

Nelly Korda reflects on her sister’s impact on her golf career

Reflecting on her sister’s role in her golf career, Nelly Korda said, “Jess taught me what life on tour was kind of like. Not many people really talk about it, but sometimes it is like a super isolating, lonely life out here…”

But Jessica came to her aid with insights after turning professional in 2011. And those insights helped the world number two through her rookie year in 2016. After all, she already had a “built-in best buddy” on the field. Yes, she wanted to be the “annoying little sister” of anything that Jessica did. 

Additionally, Nelly admires her older sister for her different energy with the crowd. Of course, Nelly seldom fails to interact with the fans and tries to inspire little girls through these interactions. But Jessica tends to “throw out really big fist pumps” to raise the energy in the crowd. And that’s something that Nelly “always admired.”

Now that the duo can tee it off together once again, who do you think can get closer to victory? And can Jessica Korda push through the rust she collected during her break?