Nelly Korda and her fiancé, Casey Gunderson, were acquainted from their academy. The Olympic gold medalist is set to appear with her father, Petr, at the PNC Championship 2025. While she is at it, she has finally opened up about their relationship since announcing her engagement. What she revealed will remind you why some love stories are worth the wait.

Korda talked about what makes her relationship work. When she leaves the course and goes inside her house, she leaves professional golf behind. Gunderson offers her something rare: normalcy.

“What’s nice about the relationship is that when I’m home, I’m just Nelly. I’m not Nelly the golfer. I’m not talking about golf when I’m home. I’m just, like, listening to real world problems when I’m home. He’s honestly the best supporter, too, so I’m extremely lucky,” she said of Gunderson.

Korda and Gunderson went to IMG Academy together in Bradenton, Florida. But their romantic relationship is relatively new. They got back in touch approximately a year ago and started dating. Gunderson attended Bryant University in Rhode Island and now works for an engineering company on the business side. He asked her to marry him on the beach.

When he finally decided to get down on one knee for Korda, he visited her parents, Petr and Regina, bearing dumplings packed with fruit to ask for their blessings. Cute, right?

The 27-year-old announced her engagement to Gunderson the day after Thanksgiving.

She shared the news on Instagram with engagement photographs, captioned “In this life… & the next,” followed by a ring emoji. It came just weeks after her brother Sebastian, an ATP pro, revealed his own engagement to longtime girlfriend Ivana Nedved. Korda and Nedved are childhood best friends.

“I honestly knew since like 14 that they were going to get married,” she said about her brother and future sister-in-law.

“He knows what he’s doing,” said Korda, reflecting on Gunderson’s approach. “He’s very thoughtful.” For a family that values its traditions, the gesture says a lot.

When the Kordas get together for Christmas next week, which doesn’t happen very often for this family that travels a lot, there will be twice as much to celebrate. The 15-time LPGA tour winner said, “The preparations that everyone has for American Thanksgiving, we have double that for Christmas.”

Beyond the personal celebrations, Korda is preparing for a special professional moment at the PNC Championship.

Korda’s personal reflections with father at PNC

Nelly Korda is set to play with her father, Petr, at the 2025 PNC Championship. She feels competitive and at home with family. Korda expressed her excitement about their connection at the Grant Thornton Invitational news conference before the Orlando tournament. She said, “Yeah, it’s fun…I’m playing with my dad next week, so that’s always so much fun.”

When asked about her father’s form, Korda gave an honest and light-hearted answer that showed both confidence and a hint of doubt: “I don’t know, I haven’t seen it. Hopefully good. I mean, he’s carrying the team.”

Korda also discussed the broader significance of the PNC event. In a news conference after the game, she said, “The memories that you create there playing alongside…your dad are…core memories that you share forever.” This shows how much she cares about the event on a personal level, beyond points and standings.

Even though Korda had a great 2025 season, she didn’t win any tournaments. But as she and her dad head to the PNC Championship, she’s carrying something much more significant than trophies: the possibility of new beginnings and a love that tells her she’s more than her scorecard.