Lost amid the hubbub of Caitlin Clark’s pro-am appearance Wednesday at The Annika, was the fact that the world’s No. 1 player had recently made a bold appearance outside the golf world.
Nelly Korda was asked in her pre-tournament press conference about playing nine holes with WNBA superstar Clark, and about her return to competition following nearly two months away, but she wasn’t asked about posing for Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit issue.
“This one, yeah,” she responded Thursday when the topic was inevitably broached.
“It was so cool. About probably two months ago we got the call to do it. I knew that I was just going to be coming back from Asia. That was the original plan. And MJ Day, the editor, she was so amazing. The whole crew was so amazing.”
SI revealed two weeks ago that Korda would be among those in the 2025 issue, releasing a couple of images from the shoot in Boca Raton, Florida.
Earlier this year, Korda attended the Met Gala in New York.
“I’m not used to doing anything like that; so outside my comfort zone,” she said of the swimsuit shoot.
“I think that’s what’s great about these opportunities, is that you do get to step outside your comfort zone and do something different. I was just really excited for the opportunity to do this. I mean, it was so cool. The whole crew was amazing. By the end of day I was having so much fun with them.”
While the issue is set for publication in May, Korda has a little on-course work remaining in 2024. With six tour titles and Player of the Year under wraps, Korda had six birdies and two bogeys in a 4-under 66 Thursday at Pelican Golf Club.
Korda knocks off the rust to begin The Annika
Nelly Korda discusses her first-round performance at The Annika as well as playing with Caitlin Clark in Wednesday’s pro-am.
Her opening day concluded with a chip-in birdie at the last.
“Didn’t really know what to expect. Was definitely a little nervous on the first couple holes, just not knowing what to expect of my game because I have not been playing too much,” she said.
“You know, under pressure it is very different from when you just kind of go out on a cart by yourself and you kind of just play a round. But pretty happy with the way I played. Hit a couple loose shots in the middle of the round, but other than that, I mean, that’s something that I can work on.”
Korda is two off the clubhouse lead in the tour’s penultimate event of the season. This is her first start since the Kroger Queen City Championship in mid-September.
