Just last year, the TaylorMade gang — Nelly Korda, Rory McIlroy, and Tiger Woods — putted together, showing their skills with their new gear. Watching the back-to-back discussions and compliments would have you believe that Korda and McIlroy are quite close. Then, they have yet another sponsor in Nike that would put them on the same stage together. And with their similar aims to conquer the career grand slam, it would make more sense for the PGA Tour World No. 2 and LPGA Tour World No. 1 to be in touch. However, the reality has hit differently as we finally get some answers from the LPGA star on Rory McIlroy’s magical Masters win.
As Rory made his final hole, he collapsed right at the spot, knowing he had achieved what eluded him for 14 years. A lot of it felt like fate for how a lot of things had to go right, just like when Woods won in 2019. Who would have thought Rory would card a final-round 73 for an 11-under total, matching Justin Rose? Who would have thought the collapse that witnessed Bryson DeChambeau bogeying two holes to give the lead right back to McIlroy, or for instance, Ludvig’s late stumble to Reed’s three-putt on 13?
Tiger Woods was among the firsts to “Welcome [Rory McIlroy] to the club.” Jin Young Ko even purchased in-flight Wi-Fi just to watch the history in the making as she posted, “I cried watching this wonderful player crying with his face on the green after successful putting.” Naturally, you’d expect Nelly to fulfill the unwritten rule of golf of celebrating others’ wins as well, who, in her 2024 run, made 6 wins in 7 starts, including the LPGA major: The Chevron Championship. But the script was different this time.
This is surprising considering how just two years ago, Korda played Augusta National and had words of special appreciation for those who play the course: “You don’t see that on TV at all,” she said. “You have to be there to experience the slope of the golf course… When you actually get to play the course, you see how they pull off their shots and how good they are.” During Wednesday’s pre-tournament press conference at the JM Eagle LA Championship, the World No. 1 dropped a surprising admission. “Yeah, hats off to him. Such an amazing accomplishment. But I did not watch at all. I don’t think I watched one shot of that final round. I didn’t even watch the Masters too much this year. I followed along mainly on social media.
“Yeah, hats off to him. That’s such an amazing accomplishment, especially with all the outside noise, all the pressure leading up to it. For him to kind of set that aside and go out there and play golf, especially with the kind of mistakes that he was making also during his round, is incredible to see. Very impressive.”
The disconnect extended beyond just viewing habits. When asked if she reached out to congratulate McIlroy, Korda replied simply, “No. Yeah, I don’t have his number, so, no.” This revelation seems particularly unusual given their shared sponsor relationship and status as faces of their sponsor partnership’s global marketing efforts.
Nevertheless, despite not watching, Korda still acknowledged McIlroy’s achievement with genuine respect and being aware of his journey—his 14-year pursuit of the Masters title since his heartbreaking collapse in 2011, and the immense pressure he faced as the only missing piece in his Grand Slam puzzle.
Korda’s stance is particularly intriguing given her own pursuit of a career Grand Slam. She currently holds two different major championships. When asked about completing her own slam, Korda acknowledged, “If you ask any professional golfer, that’s a goal at the end of your career, to have all the majors under their belts.”
However, in her defense, Korda also mentioned that she didn’t catch the 2025 WNBA draft slated for April 15th despite having a great relationship with Caitlin Clark with whom she teed up at The Annika in November last year. So possibly, the LPGA superstar is busy drawing up strategies to win the JM Eagle LA Championship and more ahead of her.
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Is it surprising that Nelly Korda didn’t watch Rory McIlroy’s career-defining Masters victory?
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While Korda kept her distance from the Masters excitement, other LPGA stars took a completely different approach to engaging with McIlroy’s historic moment.
LPGA stars show varying levels of Masters engagement
In stark contrast to Korda’s approach, fellow LPGA star Lilia Vu couldn’t contain her excitement about McIlroy’s victory. “I sure did,” Vu exclaimed when asked if she watched the final round. “I thought it was amazing. He didn’t start off very great. Doubled the first hole and ended up doubling another hole on the back nine.”
Vu’s perspective highlighted McIlroy’s mental fortitude throughout the challenging round. “To be resilient and kind of just step up to the plate, I feel like he had a lot of people doubting him because this was the chip on his shoulder, right? Last one and he hasn’t won a major in 11 years. He finally just did it,” she reflected.
The emotional impact on Vu was so significant it registered physically. “It’s quite funny. I posted on my social media, my WHOOP stress monitor went up at that time. Told me I was in 36 minutes of high stress watching the last couple holes,” she revealed with a laugh. Her connection to the moment went beyond casual interest to genuine admiration. “I look up to Rory and I’m so happy for him and it was so fun to watch.”
Social media posts from the wider LPGA community showed similar diversity. Jin Young Ko purchased in-flight Wi-Fi specifically to watch McIlroy’s final round. Alexa Pano shared that she was “so happy I could cry” following his win. Hannah Green described the viewing experience as an emotional rollercoaster.
Professional golfers connect with the sport in uniquely personal ways. Some find inspiration in their peers’ accomplishments, while others maintain strict boundaries between their competitive focus and spectator interest. Korda’s revelation opens an interesting window into these different approaches.
As the golfing world continues celebrating McIlroy’s historic achievement, one question remains: Does one star need to watch another shine to appreciate their brilliance?