Nelly Korda once needed help to talk to Tommy Fleetwood. Years later, that hesitation no longer existed. So when the LPGA pro called herself old, Fleetwood responded instantly, showing how far their equation has come over time.

The discussion began during a recent TaylorMade content shoot, where Fleetwood and McIlroy were exploring the evolution of equipment preferences over time. Rors talked about experimenting with proto irons, P730s, TW irons, and CBs, the last being a nod to the forgiveness demands that creep in with age. Mid-convo, Fleetwood casually mentioned he was with Korda and that she had been stretching and complaining about feeling old. His response was a firm, two-word: “Stop it.” McIlroy summed up the absurdity in one word: “27.”

Nelly Korda turned 27 this year, won five consecutive LPGA titles in 2024, and claimed Olympic gold in Paris, and recently finished T2 at the Aramco Championship. At that point in her career, it is clearly an exaggeration to refer to herself as old. But the comfort to complain to Fleetwood was years in the making.

At the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Korda admitted she was too shy to approach Fleetwood directly and needed fellow player Mel Reid to broker the photo. Later, she publicly referred to him as her “golf crush,” and to her credit, she has never tried to walk that back.

By the time a TaylorMade shoot in 2025 rolled in, the shyness was ancient history. Korda signed a cap for Fleetwood, reading, “Tommy, you’re my golf crush forever!” and captioned it, “Wasn’t scared to ask for a photo this time.”

McIlroy had just won his second Masters title at Augusta. His first, in 2025, was the one that completed his career Grand Slam after a 14-year wait, the win Korda openly admitted she did not watch a single shot of, though she was quick to add, “Hats off to him, such an amazing accomplishment.”

While Fleetwood, who finished T33, is set for the RBC Heritage from April 16-19, Korda is taking a different approach, skipping the JM Eagle LA Championship to focus on the upcoming Chevron Championship. This is an impressive schedule for someone who is claiming to be aging, especially considering that she has finished in the top two in her first four 2026 LPGA starts, which included a win at the Tournament of Champions.

And if anyone understands perspective in this sport, it is Fleetwood.

Tommy Fleetwood: The man who plays for moments, not trophies

The 35-year-old has been a pro for 16 years and finished in the top five 30 times before winning his first PGA Tour event. He still doesn’t measure his career by a trophy shelf. He says that his dreams are about moments, words, and feelings.

The Ryder Cup is now his real stage. At the 2025 event, he had the most strokes gained, won four of five possible points, and won the Nicklaus-Jacklin Award, which is given for being the best player and showing good sportsmanship. In his version of the story, his teammates got the credit. The scoreboard said something else.

TGL made him a star player for the same reason. The league, which was based on team golf in prime time, found the perfect spokesperson in a man who really doesn’t need to see his name at the top to feel like he won. That philosophy, which seemed like waiting for years, is starting to look more like timing.

All of which makes what is coming in July even more telling.

In July, there will be Birkdale. The Open will take place at the course where he grew up and snuck onto it with his dad as a child. He says it’s the tournament he dreams about the most. Tommy Fleetwood, who talks about peace with results, can’t completely hide what this one means.