In sports, wins are usually counted in trophies and titles. But at the 2025 Chevron Championship, world No. 1 Nelly Korda showed us there’s more than one way to win. Sidelined by a minor neck injury and unable to defend her title at The Club at Carlton Woods in Texas, Korda still managed to steal the spotlight—this time with a $300,000 donation to support homeless children.
Korda’s 2024 season was legendary: seven LPGA wins, including the Chevron Championship, solidifying her place among golf’s greats. But 2025 brought unexpected setbacks. After a strong T-5 finish at the Kroger Queen City Championship, her injury forced her to sit out the LPGA’s Asia swing and miss the season’s first major. Fans expected another dominant year—but instead, Korda gave them something even more powerful. “Golf is my platform, but helping others is my purpose,” she shared in a statement, a message that resonated far beyond the sport.
The donation went to organizations like Hearts of Gold, a nonprofit that helps homeless mothers and children with essentials like school supplies, clothing, and job training. It’s not Korda’s first time giving back. In 2021, she donated $25,000 to Kids’ Food Basket in Michigan after winning the Meijer LPGA Classic. She’s also been a regular supporter of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. But this latest act of generosity, done while she was off the course and out of the spotlight, carried a special kind of weight. It reminded everyone that real champions rise even when they’re down.
Even though she wasn’t on the leaderboard at the Chevron, Korda still made headlines. While Mao Saigo took home the title, Korda’s off-course move was the story fans couldn’t stop talking about. Social media lit up with praise, calling her “a class act” and “a role model for the ages.” One fan on X (formerly Twitter) said, “Nelly’s swing is gold, but her heart? Pure platinum.” Her donation even sparked broader conversations about how athletes can use their platforms for good—and how that impact can go far beyond sports.
At just 26, Korda’s resume already reads like a Hall of Fame ballot: 14 LPGA titles, two major wins, and an Olympic gold medal. But her growing legacy off the course—especially her commitment to helping children experiencing homelessness—might just outshine all of that. As she works toward returning at the Mizuho Americas Open, one thing’s clear: she’s focused on more than her swing. “I want to leave the world better than I found it,” she told Golf Digest last year. And with this donation, she’s doing exactly that.
In a game that demands precision, Nelly Korda’s most powerful move in 2025 wasn’t with a club—it was with her heart. And that’s a win no injury can take away.
