Things might get interesting for Nelly Korda at the AIG Women’s Open. She started this season with a bang and claimed five consecutive titles for herself, from the LPGA Drive-On Championship to the Chevron Championship. She then finished T7 at the Cognizant Founders Cup, things still looked good for the #1.

However, after the victory at the Mizuho Americas Open, things went downhill. Despite the setbacks like missing cuts at the Women’s US Open and the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, the AIG Women’s Open could help her gain her wins back, but how? Well, the answer lies in St. Andrews’ weather forecast.

Is Scotland’s weather key for Nelly Korda to start winning again?

With around 24 hours left for the first round to begin at the AIG Women’s Open, the pros, including defending champion Lilia Vu, are getting ready for the final major of women’s golf. And certainly, eyes are on Nelly Korda as well, who’s coming back from the break and looking to bounce back at the tournament. Meanwhile, some weather reports have emerged to make things interesting this week.

Recently, Korda was at a press conference, and the interviewer pointed out that tomorrow’s weather is expected to be cold, wet, and windy and asked her thoughts. As a response, she said, “For me, it’s actually staying warm and being able to feel my hands because that’s usually why I have gloves; even when it’s not really necessarily too cold, I stick my hands in the gloves, and I have hand warmers in there. It’s staying warm and loose and not tightening up and being able to commit to your shots.”

Yes, cold weather indeed affects her, and she takes precautions for it. However, unexpected climates made her win as well. During the Chevron Championship this year, the third-round play was suspended on Saturday afternoon because of thunderstorms. Korda had to complete her 25 holes after that. Korda talked about the storm and said, “Yeah, I think actually on my last hole, I hit an 8-iron that I thought was going to be perfect, and it ended up coming up short because I think there was a change in the wind. I think from the storm that was kind of rolling in,” in the press conference. Despite the challenges, the pro ended up winning her fifth consecutive title, and second major.

Now that there are chances of similar conditions, it could help her win this week. It will not be easy by any means, as the field has pros like Hall of Famer Lydia Ko and the Women’s Scottish Open champion Lauren Coughlin. However, if the weather turns out like it did during the Chevron Championship, Korda might just fulfill her vow.

What’s Nelly Korda’s vow for the AIG Women’s Open?
It happened after the 26-year-old missed the cut at the Women’s Open after carding 80 and 70 in the first two rounds at Lancaster. Despite the setback, Nelly Korda was already eyeing the last major and said, “For a golfer, there’s no greater honor than winning a major championship.” “There’s no greater feeling. To do it at St. Andrews, to do it at the home of golf—with all that history—would be so, so special.”

Korda was excited to play on a course that has witnessed legends like Jack Nicklaus, an 18-time major winner, and Tiger Woods, who claimed the Open Championship at St. Andrews in 2000 and 2005. With this history in mind, she made a firm vow to win this week and further added, “So I’m super excited how the week will turn out. We’re playing at the home of golf so I’m expecting it to be an amazing week. There’s so much history at St. Andrews, and I’m excited to be a part of that—to walk out on the Old Course and to compete out there.”

With favorable weather and a determined vow to win, do you think Korda has what it takes to claim victory this week? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!

LPGA Superstar Nelly Korda is Having “The Trip of a Lifetime” with Her Besties in Croatia

Nelly Korda, the celebrated LPGA star known for her impressive swing and undeniable talent on the golf course, is currently enjoying a much-deserved break in Croatia. The professional golfer has taken some time off from her rigorous schedule to soak up the sun and create unforgettable memories with her closest friends.

Korda, who has dazzled fans worldwide with her athleticism and charisma, is now showing a different side of her life. Her Croatian adventure, which she describes as “the trip of a lifetime,” is filled with picturesque landscapes, vibrant culture, and cherished moments with her inner circle.

The group has been exploring the stunning Dalmatian coast, taking in the breathtaking views of the Adriatic Sea and the historic charm of towns like Dubrovnik and Split. From lounging on sun-kissed beaches to savoring local delicacies, Korda and her friends are embracing every aspect of Croatian life.

In her social media posts, Korda shares glimpses of their journey, highlighting the fun and joy of their experiences. Whether it’s cruising on a yacht, indulging in Croatian cuisine, or simply enjoying each other’s company, the LPGA star’s enthusiasm is palpable.

This trip isn’t just a break from golf for Korda; it’s a celebration of friendship and a chance to recharge. As she returns to the greens, the memories from this idyllic getaway are sure to add a spring to her step and a smile to her game.

For now, fans can enjoy following Korda’s Croatian escapades through her updates, which capture the essence of a vacation well-spent and the beauty of cherishing time with loved ones.

The model was looking to promote her new “OnlyPaige” website and could hardly have done more to catch the attention of her followers.
She posted sizzling images to her Instagram and Twitter pages as she encouraged fans to “connect” with her beyond social media by signing up to her new subscription-based site.

But Paige gave everyone a sneak preview about what’s in store with a striking photo showing the star in pink lingerie.

She is knelt down on a bed of petals and teases fans with the message that “All Valentine’s Day pictures are on OnlyPaige!”.

 Paige Spiranac

But the golfer posted an equally stunning photo on to her Twitter page that left fans purring.

She faces up to the camera in a purple corset with an alluring glare to the camera.

Paige once again encourages fans to visit her new site.

OnlyPaige is available for $9.99 – or roughly £8 – a month and promises “100+ pieces of content” revolving around both her sporting career and modelling.

The website adds: “This subscription is an exciting, fun way to connect with me like never before that includes everything from golf instruction and peeks into my everyday life, to behind the scenes of special events and photoshoots!

The venue for the 2028 Solheim Cup is sorted! It is the infamous Valhalla Golf Club! Why infamous? Well, this is where Scottie Scheffler was notoriously arrested before the second round of the 2024 PGA Championship. NUCLR GOLF shared this news on X, and it had fans riling up about one thing, and it was that Nelly Korda should not face the same circumstances as Scheffler, by any means.

The world’s number one golfer, Scottie Scheffler was arrested early morning on May 17. It created a mayhem in the golf world but the golfer refused for anything to bring his morale down, and labeled the entire incident as a “huge misunderstanding.” Although the charges were later cleared, fans are still worried.

Fans are worried about Nelly Korda
“I hope Nelly Korda doesn’t get arrested,” said one fan sarcastically. Sarcasm was the maxed-out emotion in the comment section, as everyone had a flashback of Scheffler’s arrest after hearing the news.

“Make sure Nelly has a chauffeur,” commented one fan hysterically. Reckless driving was one of the four charges that were slapped on Scottie Scheffler, and keeping this in mind, this fan suggested that Korda should have a chauffeur.

Paige Spiranac is known to many as the top of all the hot golf influencers. She’s made a massive name for herself sharing her intimate knowledge of the sport all the while looking so ethereal and picturesque every single time. It’s no wonder why people are so head-over-heels for the golf beauty.

That said, though, every queen has those that are gunning for the crown, and Paige Spiranac is by no means an exception to the rule. So, let’s take a look at some of the heavy hitters that could give everyone’s favorite golf gal a run for her money.

Paige Spiranac

Grace Charis
Grace Charis is no stranger to the worlds of glamor and golf. She boasts a very impressive total of 30,000 followers on Instagram, making her one of the most popular personalities on social media.

Aside from that she also has an OnlyFans account which in and of itself contains a sum total of 100,000 likes by sharing some racy and bold content with her exclusive fans. What’s even more impressive for Grace Charis is the fact that she’s accomplished so much– and will undoubtedly only go up from here on out– at just the age of 23, and she’s already gunning for Paige Spiranac’s throne with her not being afraid to lay it all out there on the line. Grace Charis is as good a candidate as any to be on this list.

Grace Charis

Lauren Pacheco
First up on the list is Lauren Pacheco. Pacheco is a model and media host, making her double trouble in terms of her accomplishments, and is based in L.A. which is said to have some of the most beautiful athletes. No surprise that she ranks up the list considering she is absolutely drop-dead gorgeous and has no problems being in front of a camera.

Of course, she’s quite knowledgeable in all things golf and runs a blog all about living that healthy lifestyle, in addition to promoting her own wellness brand of course. Lauren Pacheco is an influencer as well, amassing over 140,000 Instagram followers. For a while, she was engaged to Hollywood actor Jeremy Sumpter. Their engagement lasted for 10 months before an unfortunate split.

Lauren Pacheco

@laurentpacheco
Elise Lobb Dzingel
To be the top Insta Golf Girl, you have to know your stuff, and Elise Lobb Dzignel is all about that golf life. An absolute fanatic for the sport, the 27-year-old has been playing since the adorable age of 3. Elise hails from California and is a triple threat of a personality considering she is a model, TV reporter, and golf aficionado.

She won the Miss Daytona Beach pageant back in 2014 all while pursuing her studies to earn herself a degree in Sports Journalism showcasing her intense dedication to the field.

Elise Lobb Dzingel has 302,000 followers in total on Instagram, showcasing the fact that the blonde beauty has quite a large fanbase already. She’s well on her way at least on the Instagram side of things as far as the case of her presence online, though a cause for concern is her YouTube channel which at the moment holds only 14,000 subscribers. She’ll need to get those numbers up in order to stand a chance at the title.

Elise Lobb Dzingel

@eliselobb

Bri Teresi
Speaking of heavy hitters, brace yourselves for impact, because here comes Bri Teresi, the blonde bodacious beauty with a golf club, confidence, and the know-how of the sport to back it up.

What’s most impressive is her stellar list of followers, 1.4 million people tuning in to see her content and she’s a globally recognized GUESS model. Now, that being said she has at least so far come up short compared to Paige Spiranac’s 3.6 million followers, but those are impressive numbers up there for the 28-year-old stunner.

What should come as absolutely no surprise, is her OnlyFans being insanely popular with her account’s likes being up to about 150,000 now. Bri Teresi puts in the work, too engaging with her fans via live chats and of course, celebrating her stunning beauty with tastefully sexy photoshoots and loads of incredible content. Talk about a blonde bombshell.

Bri Teresi

@briteresi
McKenzie Graham
Featured on the YouTube series known as Bombers and Bombshells, McKenzie Graham, 23 years old, is without a doubt captures a sense of gravitas and magnetic energy required to be compared to or possibly dethrone Paige Spiranac.

Of course, aside from Golf, which she is huge on, the gorgeous brunette is in the midst of studying pre-law and communications with her hopes being to graduate by next year. Another interesting fact to add to her accomplishments is the Miss Florida USA pageant, in which she was a runner-up….which just about clears up why 115,000 of her fanbase on Instagram are absolutely obsessed with her captivating beauty.

McKenzie Graham

@mckenzie_g
Hannah B. Leiner
Killer curves is a total baddie, and even looks good holding a golf club (and you bet she has a mean swing, too!) Hannah B. Leiner is a total knockout of a woman whose golfing prowess garnered much attention in 2017-18. This was during her starring for her Florida International University Team. At 23 years old, the IG model has now branched out into the realm of social media, becoming an influencer with 319,000 followers on the ‘gram.

Aside from her radical golfing skills and abilities, you can find this absolute beaut show off her top-notch bikini body in a variety of swimwear. Having been introduced to golf at the age of 5, it’s in many ways been her first love, which is why she worked hard at the sport, as well as dancing.

Hannah B. Leiner

@hannahbleiner
Waiyi Chan
Cuban/Chinese model, Waiyi Chan is 28 years old and hails from Miami, Florida, which is home to tons of golf courses for practice.

She’s got a pleasant personality and amazing looks to be a serious contender for Paige Spiranac. A really cool piece of trivia about her is that she managed to score an appearance as an extra in Iron Man 3.

Aside from her career accomplishment, Waiyi Chan is also a mother to 2 identical twins, Eva, and Jazz.

Waiyi Chan

@waiyi_chan
Holly Sonders
Coming up at number 8 is everyone’s favorite sportscaster, golfing expert, and model extraordinaire, the beauty, the badass, and the bombshell herself, Holly Sonders.

Holly Sonders is a massive personality in media, golfing, and the glamorous world of modeling. She’s been a massive advocate for the sentiment that girls can be smart and hot (we wholeheartedly agree), not to mention the fact that she has years of experience and skill. Holly Sonders has a total of 674,000 followers on Instagram and her very own private page full of NSFW goodness that she shares with her fans exclusively.

Claire Hogle
Claire Hogle is almost a direct result of the inspiration that Paige Spiranac would give people to rise up and follow suit when it comes to thriving in their respective fields.

Though she’s still a rising star, it seems that aside from the passion for golf and her gorgeous looks, she most importantly has the right attitude for the job. Recently she appeared on a podcast where she talked all about the hate she was getting online. She cited that this was indeed all part of the job when it come to fame and that she accepts it wholeheartedly.

Her mindset alone will take her far. Inspired by Spiranac to pursue a career in golf, she is right now focusing her efforts on being a social media influencer. Her account right now has 838,000 followers which is an incredible achievement in its own right.

Claire Hogle

@clairehogle
Lucy Robson
Residing in Florida, Lucy Robson is a beautiful British golf personality with smoldering looks and a steady hand out on the golf course.

She’s got a good head on her shoulder and runs a pretty impressive Instagram account with a total of 997,000 followers. She lived in London until the age of 10 before her family got a green card that landed her in Florida, where she’s been in love with and has practiced the craft of golf ever since. Her charms and looks are an undeniable factor that will make people gravitate towards her content online, and she could seriously work as an Insta golf girl as she’s got the know-how and the allure to make it big for sure.

Lucy Robson

@lucyrobson
And there you have it. That was our power-packed list of heavy hitters and smoke shows hot golf influencers that have got the gravitas and the qualifications to rival Paige Spiranac.

Here comes a healthy Nelly Korda. Her dominant bogey-free 65 Sunday to win the Ford Championship at 20 under par earned the World No. 1 her third consecutive LPGA victory. The run includes a seven-week gap between wins at the LPGA Drive On Championship in January and last week’s Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship.

Korda’s 11th career title adds her name to a list of some of the LPGA’s all-time greats. The 25-year-old is the first American to win three consecutive events since Nancy Lopez in 1978. She is the first American to win three tournaments before April since Joanne Carner in 1980. And Korda has only made four starts this year, her first fully healthy campaign since 2021.

.@NellyKorda is No. 1 for a reason 🙌

Nelly birdies for the solo lead with just two holes left to go 😤 pic.twitter.com/WimuZPK0Pf

— LPGA (@LPGA) March 31, 2024

“To get three in a row, that’s just a dream come true,” Korda said.

Korda battled injuries in three of her previous four seasons, nearly half of her LPGA career. She withdrew from the 2020 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship after injuring her back and did not play for two months. She had surgery on a blood clot in 2022, taking six months to fully recover. Last May, Korda missed a month with a lower back injury.

In 2021, however, when Korda was healthy, she was dominant. The Bradenton, Fla., native won four times that year, including the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the Olympic gold medal.

Korda explained that while she was healthy in both 2021 and 2024, there are two differences between now and three years ago—she has a stronger body and a refined mental approach. During her seven-week break, Korda explained she prioritized her fitness and strengthened her body more this year than in the past. Korda also feels she brings a more mature approach to the game.

“Some of the decisions that maybe Jay (McDede, her caddie) and I would make on the golf course being a little riskier we don’t try to do in contention,” Korda said.

The putt that made it three straight wins for @NellyKorda 🏆🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/Jt3PCzTM23

— LPGA (@LPGA) March 31, 2024

That wisdom showed down the stretch at Seville Golf and Country Club in Gilbert, Ariz.. Korda started Sunday two off the lead amidst a crowded leaderboard, teeing off three groups ahead of the leaders. At the start of the final round, 15 players were within two strokes of first place. Korda took the outright lead at 18 under on the 13th with her fourth birdie of the day. On No. 15, she was tied with Lexi Thompson and rookie Hira Naveed after they both made birdie to catch Korda.

The three-way tie set up for Korda to do what she calls ‘Nelly things’ at the end, where she’d be helter-skelter at the finish but come away with the victory. Instead, her opponents faltered while Korda closed steadily. She decided to lay up with a 7-wood on the par-4 300-yard 16th hole. Earlier in the week, she hit driver and found the water.

After reaching the center of the fairway, Korda had 108 yards in and nearly holed out with a controlled pitching wedge into the wind. She birdied the hole to reclaim the outright lead, which she would never relinquish.

Thompson, searching for her first LPGA victory since the 2019 Shoprite LPGA Classic, drove it into the water on the 16th and ended with bogey. She missed a three-footer for par on the 17th to fall two behind. The 11-time LPGA champion ended up in a five-way tie for third, her best finish since a runner-up at the 2022 Pelican Women’s Championship when she lost to Korda.

“A lot of positives to take from this week, especially going into a major,” Thompson said. “But I have two weeks and I know what I need to work on.”

Naveed needed birdie on the par-5 18th but did not do so despite getting near the green in two. The Pepperdine alum, after making the cut on the number, settled for a final-round 66 to finish runner-up in her second career LPGA start.

“She’s an amazing player,” Naveed said of Korda. “To share the stage with her is really an honor.”

Korda birdied the 18th to pull away, watching from the clubhouse while having a cup of soup to warm up on the chilly, damp day.

Securing the title is another step toward a career year for a healthy Korda.

“It’s easy to compare for sure, but I think that the golf that I’m playing right now, hopefully it leads me to the year that I had in 2021 or better,” Korda said.

The SportsLine Projection Model revealed its 2024 Wyndham Championship predictions for Jordan Spieth, Sungjae Im and the rest of the field at Sedgefield Country Club

Men’s Olympic golf is in the rearview mirror, and the PGA Tour will turn its attention to the 2024 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club for the final event of the regular season. Shane Lowry is one of 18 Olympians in the 2024 Wyndham Championship field, heading straight from Paris to Greensboro, N.C. Lowry is the second-highest ranked golfer in the FedEx Cup Standings who is in the field this week, with his No. 10 ranking one spot worse than Sungjae Im (No. 9). The top 70 players in points advance to the playoffs, so there are multiple players trying to make a crucial move up the standings this week.

Brendon Todd (No. 70), Victor Perez (No. 71), Davis Riley (No. 72) and Andrew Putnam (No. 73) are all on the bubble heading into Thursday’s opening round (6:50 a.m. ET start). They are all longshots on the PGA odds board, so should you back any of them with your 2024 Wyndham Championship bets? Before locking in your 2024 Wyndham Championship picks or PGA props, be sure to see the golf predictions and projected leaderboard from the proven computer model at SportsLine.

Our proprietary model, built by DFS pro Mike McClure, has been red-hot since the PGA Tour resumed in June 2020. In fact, the model is up more than $9,000 on its best bets since the restart, nailing tournament after tournament.

This same model has also nailed a whopping 13 majors entering the weekend, including the 2024 Masters — its third Masters in a row — and this year’s PGA Championship and U.S. Open. Anyone who has followed it has seen massive returns.

Now with the Wyndham Championship 2024 field set, SportsLine simulated the tournament 10,000 times, and the results were surprising. Head to SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard.

Top 2024 Wyndham Championship golf predictions
One surprise: Jordan Spieth, a three-time major champion, does not finish inside the top 10 this week. He is narrowly inside the top 70 in the FedEx Cup point standings, currently sitting at No. 63. The 31-year-old is making his fourth Wyndham Championship appearance and his first since 2020, with his best finish being a runner-up during his 2013 rookie season.

It has been another disappointing campaign for Spieth, who has just three top-10 finishes in 20 tournaments. He has not finished better than T25 since early April, and he has missed the cut on six occasions. Spieth ranks No. 116 on the PGA Tour in strokes gained approaching the green, which is one reason why the model has him finishing outside the top 10 this week.

The model has also examined where Im finishes. The 26-year-old Korean is a two-time PGA Tour winner but he’s having arguably his most consistent season as a professional, collecting seven top-10 finishes on tour this season in 21 starts. He won in Korea earlier in 2024 and he’s been 12th or better in nine of his last 11 worldwide starts.

Im has also had three top-10 finishes in five career starts at the Wyndham Championship but he’s gone nearly three years now since his last PGA Tour victory. He ranks 92nd on tour this season in strokes gained: approach (0.075) and 81st in strokes gained: putting (0.095), so he’ll need to clean up those two areas of his game to finally end this winless drought. The model just locked in its Sungjae Im Wyndham Championship picks here.

How to make 2024 Wyndham Championship picks
The model has revealed where Sungjae Im and Jordan Spieth finish, along with identifying four golfers with odds of 35-1 or longer to make a strong run at the title. Anyone who backs these longshots could hit it big. You can only see the model’s picks here.

Who will win the 2024 Wyndham Championship, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Check out the Wyndham Championship 2024 odds below and then visit SportsLine to see the projected Wyndham Championship leaderboard, all from the model that’s nailed 13 golf majors, including the last three Masters, the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open.

2024 Wyndham Championship odds, field
Get full 2024 Wyndham Championship picks, best bets, and predictions here.

Sungjae Im +1600
Si Woo Kim +2500
Billy Horschel +2500
Shane Lowry +2500
Cameron Young +3000
Jordan Spieth +3000
Brian Harman +3000
Min Woo Lee +3000
Akshay Bhatia +3500
Davis Thompson +3500
Aaron Rai +4000
Luke Clanton +4000
Cam Davis +4000
Christiaan Bezuidenhout +4500
Robert MacIntyre +4500
Nicolai Hojgaard +4500
Keegan Bradley +4500
Maverick McNealy +5000
Thomas Detry +5000
Jhonattan Vegas +5000
Harris English +5500
Kurt Kitayama +5500
J.T. Poston +5500
Nick Dunlap +5500
Justin Rose +5500
Keith Mitchell +5500
Will Zalatoris +5500
Webb Simpson +5500
Erik Van Rooyen +6000
Max Greyserman +6000
Ryan Fox +6000
Stephan Jaeger +6000
Denny McCarthy +6500
Eric Cole +6500
Taylor Moore +7000
Sam Stevens +7000
Doug Ghim +7000
Victor Perez +7000
Michael Thorbjornsen +7000
Ben Griffin +7500
Andrew Novak +8000
Adam Hadwin +8000
Harry Hall +8000
Mac Meissner +8000
Mackenzie Hughes +8000
Patrick Fishburn +8000
Patrick Rodgers +8000
Mark Hubbard +9000
C.T. Pan +9000
Matt Kuchar +9000
Adam Svensson +9000
Chan Kim +9000
Seamus Power +9000
Brendon Todd +9000
Thorbjorn Olesen +9000
Matt Wallace +9000
Matthias Schmid +9000
Alex Smalley +9000
Beau Hossler +10000
Lucas Glover +10000

From being featured in the 2018 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition to the unveiling here of Paige Spiranac’s 2024 Myrtle Beach Seaside Photo Gallery, the Play Golf Myrtle Beach ambassador has evolved her perspective on appearing publicly in swimwear. We present that perspective here, in her own words, along with the photo gallery that follows.

by Paige Spiranac

As you probably know by now, I love taking golf trips to Myrtle Beach. There is no shortage of amazing courses to play, restaurants to enjoy, or hotels to discover. However, I have another favorite part of my trips that I have yet to really talk about – and that’s the “beach” in Myrtle Beach.

While this has been a big part of my private experience to the area since the beginning, when Play Golf Myrtle Beach wanted me to help show off their beautiful beaches, I initially said no. If you’re a person who has ever felt a little self-conscious putting on a swimsuit, I’m sure you can understand why. With all of the pressure to look and feel a certain way, it can be hard enough to head to the water with just your friends and family. Despite the fact that it’s a swimsuit and you’re going swimming, regardless of how comfortable you feel in your own skin, even just one comment is enough to make a person reconsider sharing their beachside experience.

And I’m no different. For the longest time I was hesitant to post any picture in a swimsuit. My head would swirl with how I would feel about all the potential reactions and comments I would receive. “I’m too fat.” “I’m too thin.” “My bikini is too revealing.” Even the positive comments can feel like an invasion of space.

But then last year I was given the incredible opportunity to participate in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. I figured if there’s ever a time to step out of my shell, that was it. With a loving, supporting team there to make me feel comfortable, I had the time of my life shooting in Aruba.

Through that experience, I realized that it’s not about everyone else; it’s about me. I have the power to change my mindset, and to control how I’m perceiving others’ reactions to me. A negative comment can only negatively affect me if I let it. I have the power to shape my ideal life, and in that ideal life I certainly want to be able to share my favorite experiences – some of which, of course, are going to take place in a swimsuit!

You don’t have to post yourself to millions or be in a magazine to start to feel more positive about yourself and your body. It’s not about the number of people who see you. It’s about continually working on freeing your mind from negative self talk and allowing yourself to be who you really are, to look how you look, and to be kind and compassionate to yourself. We are all more than our bodies. Certainly everyone has more to contribute to this world than their physical appearance. However, we all have a body, and of that body we should be proud! Yes, the human body is beautiful – in all shapes, sizes, and colors. And yes, that body does some incredible things for us. So why do we spend so much time trying to hide it?

I now refuse to let others tell me that I can’t share pictures of myself enjoying a gorgeous beach. I won’t be shamed into hating myself for the way I look. I choose to embrace all the wonderful experiences that come with having a body, and that includes laying in the sand and feeling the ocean waves while I’m in Myrtle Beach.

So, this year, let’s all try to spend less time tearing ourselves and others down and more time being encouraging, so we can spend that time with our face to the sun.

According to the Olympics’ official website, the list includes the winners of the World Championships and the 2020 Olympics.

Boxing

Kazakhstan will be represented in boxing by Nazym Kyzaibai (50 kilograms). The 2014 and 2016 World Champion in the weight category up to 48 kilograms, Kyzaibai, fulfilled her dream of competing in the Olympic Games. The tournament in Paris will be her first Olympic competition.

Valentina Khalzova (75 kilograms) will also debut at the Games. Her achievements include the title of World Champion 2016 in the category of up to 69 kilograms, the bronze medal of the World Championship 2022 in the same category and the gold medal of the World Cup 2023 in the category of up to 75 kilograms.

Saken Bibossinov (51 kilograms) is another national team boxer who has participated in the Olympic Games. In 2021, he secured a bronze in Tokyo, winning in the category up to 52 kilograms. He is also the 2021 World Champion, the 2022 World Silver Medalist and the Bronze Medalist of the 2019 and 2021 World Championships.

Judo

In judo, Abiba Abuzhakynova (48 kilograms), the third-ranked in the world, will debut at the Games in Paris. Over the past two years, Abuzhakynova has won bronze at the World Championships in 2022 and 2024.

Experienced Olympic judoka Eldos Smetov (60 kilograms) won silver in the 60-kilogram category in Rio 2016. Five years later, in Tokyo, he won bronze. His collection includes gold at the 2015 World Championships and bronze at the 2019 and 2022 World Championships.

Gymnastics

Milad Karimi is a gymnast specializing in all-around categories. At the 2023 World Cup, he brought the first award to the Kazakhstan national team in 26 years, becoming the bronze medalist in floor exercises. Karimi also competed in the Tokyo Games.

Athletics

Norah Jeruto, a long-distance runner originally from Kenya, obtained the right to perform for the national team of Kazakhstan in January 2022. The same year, Jeruto brought her team gold at the World Championships, setting a championship record.

Fencing

Ruslan Kurbanov, representing Kazakhstan in fencing, became the first athlete from Kazakhstan to win the World Fencing Championship award at the 2023 World Championship. He also won a bronze medal in the skewer tournament. The 2024 Olympics will be the second in his career.

Greco-Roman wrestling

Aidos Sultangali (60 kilograms) has twice climbed the world championships podium in Greco-Roman wrestling. He became the bronze medalist of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in the category of up to 60 kilograms. The Olympic Games in Paris will be his first, which he has been dreaming about for 15 years.

Demeu Zhadraev is another wrestler in the category of up to 71 kilograms. He was the silver medalist of the 2017 World Championship in his category. Zhadraev competed at the Tokyo Games in the category of up to 77 kilograms and obtained the right to compete in Paris.

Freestyle wrestling

Azamat Dauletbekov, a freestyle wrestler (86 kilograms), will compete in his first Olympic games in 2024. He was a Bronze Medalist at the World Championships in 2022 and 2023.

Tennis

Elena Rybakina is the first Kazakh tennis player to be ranked in the world’s top 10. At the 2020 Games, She took fourth place. She won Wimbledon in 2022 and became a finalist at the Australian Open in 2023. At the moment, she is the fourth-ranked racket in the world.

You’ll be relieved to know that Nelly Korda’s gold medal is no longer living in a sock.

That was how the reigning gold medalist traveled with one of the most coveted prizes in all of sports after she first won the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, often begging TSA agents to be as careful as possible not to scratch it when they had to inspect the large metal object in her luggage at airport security.

The 13-time LPGA Tour winner now has it displayed in her office at home, a perfect reminder of all that she accomplished in 2021, arguably her breakout season on the LPGA Tour.
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Jumping into the history books with a cannon ball 💣@NellyKorda | @Chevron_Golf pic.twitter.com/xcEIQ9FLWD

— LPGA (@LPGA) April 21, 2024

That is until 2024 rolled around.

Three years ago, it felt like Korda was well on her way to superstardom, as she won four times during the 2021 season, one of which was a major championship, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club.

Add a gold medal and her first-time ascension to No. 1 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings into the mix, and Korda’s dominance couldn’t be argued, even with Jin Young Ko winning five times in the latter half of the season. And while it was chock full of some of the greatest accomplishments of her career, it’s a year that is now a little fuzzy in Korda’s mental photo album.

“I think I won like five times, including the Olympics, so it was such a blur of a year,” said Korda earlier this season at the FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship. “There are memories that I created that (will) last a lifetime. One of the best things that year was winning in Florida for the first time and winning in front of my parents, an LPGA event for the first time, too.

“There are so many great things that went on in 2021. Hopefully, I can get some of that good juju in 2024.”

And that wish has definitely been granted this year for Korda, who has now more than established her dominance in professional golf. After a T16 finish at the season-opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, she won the LPGA Drive On Championship in her hometown of Bradenton, Florida, the next week, outlasting Lydia Ko in a two-hole playoff at Bradenton Country Club.

She took seven weeks off, electing to skip the LPGA Tour’s three early-spring events in Asia, and returned to competition at the FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship, winning that tournament in a playoff over Ryann O’Toole and re-ascending to the top spot in the Rolex Rankings.

Korda then made a quick jaunt over to the Ford Championship presented by KCC in Gilbert, Arizona, collecting her third straight LPGA Tour title after firing a 7-under 65 in the waterlogged final round to win by two shots over Hira Naveed at Seville Golf and Country Club.

At that point, three in a row would’ve been more than enough wins for any other LPGA Tour player, an early-year performance on which one could have easily hung their hat for the rest of the season. But the always-hungry Korda kept on playing.

She teed it up in Las Vegas at the T-Mobile Match Play presented by MGM Rewards, adding another tally to her win column when she handily defeated Leona Maguire 4 and 3 in the championship match at Shadow Creek. It was then that Korda really leaned into the history she was making, cutting up and laughing with reporters in her winning press conference as she joked about the celebratory In-N-Out Burger she’d have later with her team.

It felt like Korda could finally let herself think just a little bit about what this kind of performance meant for women’s golf and who her name was now written alongside in the LPGA Tour record books.

“Kathy (Whitworth)’s really good friend actually texted me last week a photo of me being compared to Kathy on social media,” said Korda in her winning press conference in Las Vegas. “I wrote her back that it’s an honor to be alongside her. I used to play in her event growing up, The Kathy Whitworth Invitational in Texas, and meeting her, and getting to talk to her was always the highlight of my year. She was always so nice, so getting compared to Kathy Whitworth is a huge honor.”

This past Sunday, Korda followed up with her fifth straight win, capturing The Chevron Championship title for her second career major. She joins Nancy Lopez and Annika Sorenstam as the only other LPGA player since 1978 to win five consecutive titles.

Her recent tear of victories has all but guaranteed Korda a spot on the United States Olympic team, and it shouldn’t matter too much what she does in the next few events before the end of the qualification period in June. She should be competing in France.

But even though she’s playing the best golf of her career right now and is arguably the hottest player in the world, Korda is unwilling to think of winning another medal in August at the Olympics as the bright lights of Paris beckon in the distance.

Just like she has with every single one of her victories this season, Korda is instead focusing on what’s right in front of her and has decided to worry about medals and podiums when that time comes later this year.

“I’ll start thinking about that when I’m on the team. Still haven’t secured my spot,” said Korda. “Any time I get to represent the Red, White and Blue it’s a huge honor. That would be another thing I would be extremely grateful for.”

It’s a here-and-now mentality that’s served her well in recent months. And considering that her 2024 performance is eerily reminiscent of the strength she showed in 2021, it’s not a stretch to think that it could be an Old-Glory-draped Korda who once again has gold around her neck at Le Golf National.