Jessica Korda returns to LPGA after 2 years away

The two Kordas are back on the LPGA Tour for the first time in years.

Six-time LPGA Tour champion Jessica Korda will join her sister Nelly Korda in a field of 16 PGA Tour players and 16 LPGA members this week at the Grant Thornton Invitational in Naples, Florida. Teams of two will compete in three different formats Friday through Sunday at Tiburon Golf Club for a $4 million purse.

Jessica Korda, 32, five years older than her sister, was making her first start since May 2023, when she withdrew after the first round of the Founders Cup due to injury. She gave birth to son Greyson in February 2024 after spending some time recovering from her back.

Now, she’s back with Bud Cauley. About four months ago, she said, she asked Cawley, a longtime friend, if he would partner with her on the event. Since then, she’s slowly tried to get back into golf shape by building up her strength and playing more rounds to compete in this tournament and more — though she says she won’t return full-time.

“I’m still taking it very slowly because if I’m going to come back on tour, I won’t be back until mid-March, so I have plenty of time,” she said Wednesday in Tiburon. “It’s more about preparation for this event and we’ll see what we need to do next. But I can’t compete at home because we’re never going to get those competitive juices. It definitely makes me a little nervous to compete with these guys, which is fun, and like I said, it’s fun to be out there. I feel like myself and it’s a little break from being a mom and wiping ass.”

Interestingly, Cowley is also familiar with returning to golf after a long layoff. In 2018, he was involved in a serious car accident that sidelined him for several months and experienced ups and downs over the next few years.

“We’ve talked about it a little bit, but really the only thing you can do is get out there and get your feet wet again,” Cowley said. “Obviously I know she’s spent a lot of time at home preparing and preparing. When we talk about it, I don’t think I can help much because there’s really no substitute for just coming back and playing, competing, going out there and trying to score.”

The format will be a scramble on Friday, alternate batting on Saturday and a modified four-ball format in Sunday’s final round.

Cowley and Jessica Korda, as well as Nellie Korda and her partner Danny McCarthy, played a practice round together on Tuesday.

“[Jessica’s] I’ve been out here and there a few times over the years, but I’m excited for her to play this week and get her nerves back,” Nellie Korda said. “It’s going to be a fun week. It’s always nice to have family around. I hope she has fun and keeps it light. “

Last year, Jessica Korda occupied a booth on the Grant Thornton TV show. This, along with other random radio gigs over the years, made her miss playing even more.

“When we talk about things I can test my body for, it’s almost a no-brainer,” she said. “So, yeah, I love this event. When it was first brought to us, I loved the idea of ​​it. And then just being behind the scenes of it and seeing everyone having so much fun, I felt like I had major FOMO that I needed to play.”

Grant Thornton’s first round will air on Golf Channel on Friday from 1 to 4 p.m. ET. Jessica Korda and Cauley team up with Rose Chang and Michael Kim, kickoff at 9:30 a.m.