Every LPGA win of Nelly Korda’s career has had the same man on the bag: Jason McDede. She regards him highly. This week at Mayakoba, when #1 registered her 3rd win of 2026, her caddie was living his best life in Mexico, but his wife at home wasn’t happy about it.

Korda revealed that McDede had fallen completely in love with the Mayakoba experience: “He loved everything. I mean, he loved the vibe of the place. He loved the hotel that we were staying at. We were staying at Rosewood, so he was just loving the whole vibe of it. His wife was not here this week, and he was sending her videos, and she was extremely jealous. So she was really hoping that we were going to play well this week, so we could come back next year. I’m sure her wish has come true,” Korda told the media.

Jason McDede is married to Caroline Masson, who is an LPGA pro herself. She has competed in the same events as Korda. Back in November 2019, at the Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA, Korda and Masson ended up in a playoff together, with McDede on Korda’s bag. Nelly won on the first playoff hole with a birdie and afterward said, “Jason is engaged to Caroline, but at the end of the day, he is on my team.”

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Nobody involved made it awkward. McDede explained it plainly at the time: “Caroline and I have been apart for almost four years on the golf course, so we’re very independent when it comes to both of our jobs.”

Nelly Korda and McDede have worked together since the start of the 2018 season, and he has been on the bag for every LPGA win of her career. She has openly called him her “best friend, teammate, and even my punching bag out there,” and described their closeness as both a blessing and a curse because they know each other too well.

McDede has said his approach stays consistent regardless of the situation: “I try to keep Nelly calm and stay positive with her game every day we tee it up.”

The numbers behind this season make that partnership look even more significant. Nelly Korda has not finished outside the top two in any of her six starts in 2026. She is only the second player since 1980 to open a season with six consecutive top-two finishes, matching Annika Sorenstam’s record from 2001. The Mayakoba win also made her the youngest American to reach 18 career LPGA victories in 46 years, since Nancy Lopez in 1980.

How Nelly Korda manages her energy during back-to-back wins

Taking Monday completely off is the first rule in Nelly Korda’s recovery playbook. After that, she keeps practicing minimally but intentionally: nine holes on Tuesday, nine holes on Wednesday, and the gym both days. The gym piece is non-negotiable for her, and she is clear about why: skip it, and the right muscles stop firing. So, if she stops activating those muscles, injuries become a real risk.

Her honest admission is what stands out most. She does not claim to have cracked some secret energy code. She simply accepts that tiredness is part of the deal when playing consecutive weeks.

Korda’s off weeks get treated just as seriously. She already has a hot sculpt yoga class booked for the day after her Mayakoba win. For someone who spent two weeks barely sweating under tournament pressure, that session is less about fitness and more about resetting mentally and physically before the next stretch begins.