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World No. 2 Nelly Korda pulls out of Korean LPGA match-play event

Published: 06 Oct. 2025, 10:35

Nelly Korda of the United States drives from the 18th tee during the final round of the LOTTE Championship presented by Hoakalei 2025 at Hoakalei Country Club on Oct. 4, in Ewa Beach, Hawaii. [AFP/YONHAP]

World No. 2 golfer Nelly Korda has withdrawn from the U.S. team for an LPGA match-play competition taking place in Korea later this month.

The LPGA announced Monday that Korda has pulled out of the International Crown event with an injury. She will be replaced by Korean American golfer Yealimi Noh.

The fifth edition of the International Crown will be played at New Korea Country Club in Goyang, just northwest of Seoul in Gyeonggi, from Oct. 23 to 26. Seven countries ― Korea, the United States, Japan, Thailand, Sweden, Australia and China ― and the brand-new Team World will be in action, represented by four players each. Team World will be made up of one player each from the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa and Oceania.

Korda finished tied for fourth at the Lotte Championship in Hawaii on Saturday.

In addition to Korda, the former world No. 1 with 15 LPGA titles, including two majors, Patty Tavatanakit withdrew from Thailand's team. She was replaced by Pajaree Anannarukarn.

The countries' seedings were determined based on their players' world ranking positions as of Aug. 4 and will not change regardless of any additional lineup changes. The U.S. will be the top seed, followed by Japan and Korea.

Korea will feature Kim Hyo-joo, Ryu Hae-ran, Ko Jin-young and Choi Hye-jin. Kim, Ko and Choi were teammates on the 2023 team that finished tied for fifth, while Ryu has never played at an International Crown event.

The first four editions of the International Crown produced four different champions ― Spain in 2014, the U.S. in 2016, Korea as the host nation in 2018 and Thailand in 2023. The 2020 event was wiped out due to Covid-19.

Teams seeded 1, 4, 5 and 8 will be in Pool A, and seeds 2, 3, 6 and 7 will compete in Pool B. After fourball matches from Oct. 23 to 25, the top two teams from each pool will move on to the semifinals scheduled for the morning of Oct. 26, with the two pool winners each playing the runners-up from the opposing pool in two singles matches and one foursome match. The final is set for the afternoon of the same day, taking the same format as the semifinals.

Yonhap