Why Nelly Korda Won't be Playing in the International Crown Later This Month

Despite an impressive top-5 performance last week in Hawaii, Nelly Korda has withdrawn from the International Crown due to injury. Yealimi Noh will take her place in the team competition.

The complete U.S. team will now be Angel Yin, Lauren Coughlin, Lilia Vu and Noh.

Additionally, Pajaree Anannarukarn has been added to Thailand's roster after Patty Tavatanakit withdrew. The defending Thai team will now have Anannarukarn alongside No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul, Ariya Jutanugarn and Chanettee Wannasaen.

The International Crown will take place Oct. 23-26 at New Korea Country Club in South Korea.

Korda's announcement comes as a bit of a surprise. After her final round at the Lotte Championship just outside of Honolulu, her first time playing in the competition since 2021, the world No. 2 was asked where we'd see her next. She responded, "obviously International Crown and in Florida."

That was just on Saturday. Come Sunday evening, that had changed. The LPGA and International Crown communications had sent an email update noting an injury for Korda.

There was no apparent injury or discomfort in watching her this weekend in Hawaii. She was playing well, and even had a share of the lead coming down the stretch during the final round, but made a costly bogey on the 16th hole.

We've grown accustomed to the 27-year-old listening to her body and unless she's 100%, she won't compete.

In her post-round presser, Korda also said, "I would say by this time of the year my body is definitely worn down. I do have some injuries I've had in the past that kind of linger that are never really fully resolved, that you still do PT on every single day, you do therapy.

So making sure you're 100% with your body or as 100% as you can be is always the end goal going into kind of the first day of the event."

This time last year, Korda withdrew from the LPGA's fall Asian swing with a neck injury. And returned to action a month later at The Annika where she won her seventh title of the season. This year, she's still in search of her first.

The status and severity of her current injury is still unknown, but we're wishing her a safe and speedy recovery.