“Obviously, International Crown and in Florida,” Nelly Korda told reporters when asked about her upcoming plans after the Lotte Championship. She was clearly excited for her second International Crown. But earlier this month, she had to pull out of the Hanwha Lifeplus International Crown. This year’s event had a World Team, with players from different countries teaming up. Health issues made her step away from the $2 million event.

The LPGA Tour said it was due to injury. Yealimi Noh replaced her, fulfilling her father’s dream. Korda hasn’t shared many details about the injury, but it’s clear her body is feeling the strain after a busy season.

Korda hasn’t won yet this year and lost her World No. 1 ranking. But she’s played well, making the cut in all 17 events and finishing in the top 10 eight times. Still, her body wasn’t keeping up with the grind. After the Lotte Championship, she hinted that it was the main reason she had to withdraw.

“I would say by this time of the year my body is definitely worn down,” Korda said after finishing in a tie for fourth place at the Lotte Championship. She pointed to her injuries as the reason. “I do have some injuries I’ve had in the past that kind of linger that are never really fully resolved, that you still do (physiotherapy) on every single day,” Korda said. “So, making sure you’re 100 percent with your body or as 100 percent as you can be is always the end goal going into the first day of the event.”

Korda’s comments suggest that her decision to withdraw was based on a combination of fatigue and lingering issues. These issues date back to 2024. She even had to withdraw from the LPGA events in Korea and Malaysia in October last year because of a neck injury. Korda shared this update with the fans through an X post. “Hey everyone, I wanted to share an update regarding my upcoming schedule. Unfortunately, I’ve had to withdraw from the LPGA events in Korea and Malaysia due to a minor neck injury I sustained while practicing,” the post read. This problem resurfaced at the 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

The spasm occurred during a practice round when she hit a shot out of the rough at the Fields Ranch East course in Frisco, Texas. She described it as a “full spasm” that flared up her neck injury. Although there is no official confirmation, this pretty much sums up why Nelly Korda is not playing at the International Crown this year.

This year would have marked her second appearance in the tournament. She last played the biennial event in 2023, representing the USA Team alongside Danielle Kang, Lexi Thompson, and Lilia Vu. Unfortunately, neck injury and spasms aren’t the only things hindering Korda’s performance. She has also faced migraines in the past.

Nelly Korda’s struggle with migraines

Nelly Korda has struggled with migraines since 2024, which has affected both her play and her well-being. She said after returning to The ANNIKA in November 2024, “I think it was bothering me for a bit. I was really, really struggling with migraines the week of Solheim and the week after. The only way it wasn’t hurting was sleeping in a dark room. I think it just led to my injury.”

These health issues forced her to skip the Asian swing in 2024, and they are keeping her out of the International Crown this year. She will likely miss the Maybank Championship and the TOTO Japan Championship as well. Fans can still look forward to seeing her at The ANNIKA, where she has won three times and will aim to become the first golfer to claim a fourth title. Caitlin Clark will also appear in the Pro-Am again this year, adding to the excitement.

Korda’s decision shows how much of a toll health problems can take, even on elite athletes. Fans will now focus on her return at The ANNIKA, hoping she can regain her form and finally secure her first win of the season.