Sponsors Left Hanging? Why Nelly Korda's Absence Is Sparking LPGA Debate

The LPGA Tour arrives in Pattaya this week for the Honda LPGA Thailand, marking the beginning of the Asian Swing. But while the world’s best players are gathering, the conversation is centred on a familiar absentee.

Despite coming off a win at Lake Nona just a few weeks ago and finally ending her 2025 title drought, Nelly Korda has decided to sit out the three-tournament stretch across Thailand, Singapore, and China.

This isn’t just a one-off break, it’s becoming a trend. Korda is the tour's biggest needle-mover, yet this absence runs her streak to 19 consecutive LPGA events in Asia that she has skipped. You have to go all the way back to late 2019 to find the last time she teed it up in the region.

The official word is often health, and to be fair, 27-year-old Korda has had a rough run. Her caution likely stems from a series of scares, most notably a blood clot in her arm in 2022, a dog bite that sidelined her in 2024 to the recurring neck spasms and migraines that derailed her momentum throughout 2025. Last October, she was forced to pull out of the International Crown in South Korea because her body felt completely worn down.

Nelly Korda kisses the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions trophy after her win in 2026 — Nelly Korda kisses the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions trophy

Korda's team is clearly playing it safe, prioritising daily therapy and Major prep over gruelling long-haul flights to the Far East. You can’t blame a player for listening to their body, especially when that body has a history of flaring up at the wrong time.

Still, you have to feel for the people putting up the prize money. Sponsors like Honda and HSBC pour millions into these events. The HSBC Women's World Championship in Singapore is famously dubbed 'Asia's Major,' and the 2026 field proves why, featuring nine of the world's top ten players competing for the $3 million purse.

When the top-ranked American and World No.2 is the only notable absentee from such a star-studded lineup, especially after winning at home just weeks prior, it creates a two-tier feel to the tour. It must leave international partners, who are bankrolling the tour's global growth, questioning the value of their investment if one of the game's biggest stars is content to stay on the sofa for almost two months while her rivals travel halfway across the globe.

It's a fascinating divide on social media. While many fans are quick to defend Korda, arguing she is the only one who knows her physical limits, others feel her absence dents the tour's credibility. It also raises broader questions about the LPGA's scheduling and whether the current calendar is asking too much of its biggest stars.

Nelly Korda confirms she won't play again until the Fortinet Founders Cup in Menlo Park, California ... on March 19-22.She will once again skip another Asian swing.She's not played an LPGA tournament in Asia since the 2023 Maybank Championship, meaning she's skipped the last…February 1, 2026

Personally, I think there’s a middle ground here. While protecting her health is the priority, being the face of the sport usually comes with a bit of ambassador duty that goes beyond a world ranking. Even if she just showed up for a single event, this would send a huge message of support to the sponsors and fans.

Posting on X, professional golfer Richie Ramsay wrote: "I know everyone is different but a little sad to see this. Understand she has had health issues but flying x country, travelling by yourself at 27 maybe ur peak. One of the joys of pro golf is to see the world.Sure young girls wd love to see her play more outside US."

By effectively ignoring an entire continent for six years, she risks being seen as a home turf hero rather than a global champion. If the travel is genuinely too much, maybe the LPGA needs to fix the calendar, but at some point, the stars have to decide if they want to be domestic stars or global champions.

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Alison Root has over 25 years experience working in media and events, predominantly dedicated to golf, in particular the women’s game. Until 2020, for over a decade Alison edited Women & Golf magazine and website, and is now the full-time Women's Editor for Golf Monthly. Alison is a respected and leading voice in the women's game, overseeing content that communicates to active golfers from grassroots through to the professional scene, and developing collaborative relationships to widen Golf Monthly's female audience across all platforms to elevate women's golf to a new level. She is a 16-handicap golfer (should be better) and despite having had the fantastic opportunity to play some of the best golf courses around the world, Kingsbarns in Scotland is her favourite.

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