ORLANDO – It turns out Nelly Korda is all of us – dreaming of a photo with one of her heroes, Tiger Woods.
On Saturday, she jumped at the opportunity to do just that and the joyous moment behind the green at the 18th hole of the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club was captured on video with all the tasty details.
Korda, who is competing in the PNC Championship with her father, former tennis star Petr, for the first time and noted how special it would be to play not only in the same tournament as Tiger but in the group in front of him in the tournament’s first round.
“Playing right in front of Tiger Woods is pretty cool too. I’m not going to lie. I’m being a little selfish here, but that’s pretty cool,” she said.
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After teaming with dear old dad, shooting 9-under 63, Nelly waited for Team Woods to sign their scorecards and then approached Tiger as he was grabbing his personal items from his golf bag.
“Hi Tiger,” she says like a school girl approaching her celebrity crush before asking for a photo.
“Nelly!” he said as if they were old friends. “Yes! You got it! Done deal!”
Nelly met Tiger for the first time. Her reaction says it all.
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With her confidence growing, Nelly went for the ultimate fangirl move: could her brother, top 50 in the world tennis pro Sebastian, join in? No problem. Petr snapped the photo that surely will become a keepsake. You can almost imagine Nelly pinning it on her bedroom wall.
Afterward, Nelly is asked if getting a photo with Tiger was cool.
“Dream come true,” she says.
On Thursday, Nelly discussed her reaction to learning that Tiger would be competing in the PNC Championship, his first competitive tournament since he was involved in a single-car crash in February in Los Angeles.
“When I heard the news, I was in complete shock, especially since it being his first event back. I mean, for him to come back from what he went through – when was his accident, February? Incredible,” she said. “He’s had so many comebacks, and he’s always come back even stronger I feel like, and not many people expect it.
“But he’s done so much for the game of golf. We wouldn’t be where we are nowadays without him. He brings a completely different atmosphere.
I always say I don’t really watch a lot of golf, but when Tiger is in contention, I’m always glued to the TV. So that’s just the impact he makes on the game of golf. And it will be super exciting just to be playing in the same field as him.”
After taking his picture with the World No. 1 and Olympic gold medalist, Tiger was asked about Nelly. “She’s risen so quickly and it’s very much like what Serena and Venus — then once Serena got rolling, and then you can see the same thing with Nelly. She just has that fire, that inner drive. I mean, she’s a lot like her dad. It’s just a lot like her dad, and it’s just fun to see someone at that age succeed as fast as she has and she’s earned it.”
First major, Olympic gold and now photo with Tiger. The year of Nelly marches on.