Everything You Need to Know About Nelly Korda, SI Swimsuit’s Newest Athlete

The 26-year-old is currently the No. 1-ranked female golfer in the world.

At the young age of 26, Nelly Korda is the No. 1 female golfer in the world with 14 LPGA wins to her name. The Bradenton, Fla., native is also an Olympic athlete, having won gold at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo and was also a member of the U.S. women’s national golf team at the 2024 summer games in Paris.

We’re so happy to welcome Korda to the fold in the 2025 SI Swimsuit Issue as an athlete. Today, Korda is in Boca Raton, Fla., posing for next May’s magazine in front of photographer Ben Horton’s lens. Horton is best known for capturing powerful narratives in wild places, most notably for his work with National Geographic.

“We are thrilled to launch our shoot season for the 2025 issue with an extraordinary lineup of powerful female athletes,” MJ Day, SI Swimsuit editor in chief, shared.

“This remarkable group, featuring Olympic medalists, world champions, and record holders, embodies the next generation of all-stars poised to transform the world of sports.

They defy stereotypes and champion equality, inspiring young girls to envision themselves as both athletes and leaders.

At SI Swimsuit, we’ve always celebrated the future of women, and there’s no better way to honor these remarkable achievements than by featuring them on the pages of our issue.”

While you’ll have to wait to see her stunning images from the official magazine feature, keep an eye on the official SI Swimsuit feed for behind the scenes content. And in the meantime, learn a little bit more about the athlete below.

Korda’s athletic accomplishments

The daughter of former professional tennis players Petr Korda and Regina Rajchrtova, Korda first started playing golf at the age of 6 and qualified for the U.S.

Women’s Open as an amateur in 2013. Having turned pro in 2016 at the age of 18, Korda joined the LPGA Tour the following year. She won her first LPGA Tour title in 2018 at the LPGA Taiwan Championship.

Of her 14 career wins, six of them have taken place in 2024 alone, including the Mizuho Americas Open, Chevron Championship and LPGA Drive on Championship. This year, Korda became the third woman in LPGA Tour history to claim five consecutive victories—starting with the aforementioned LPGA Drive on Championship in January, and concluding with the Chevron Championship in March.

Presently, Korda has $12.6 million in career earnings and $3.7 million in official earnings, the latter of which includes revenue from brand partnerships with the likes of Nike, Goldman Sachs, TaylorMade Golf and others.

More highlights on Korda

Outside of her prowess as an athlete, Korda is making a name for herself in the content creation space. She has 1 million followers on Instagram alone, where the professional golfer regularly shares content from the green, as well as the occasional bikini pic or red carpet snapshot.

Her debut at the 2024 Met Gala this spring made major waves, when Korda donned an intricate floral Oscar de la Renta gown.