Just a month ago, Nelly Korda admitted that “by this time of the year, my body is definitely worn down.” She had just come off a tied 4th finish at the LOTTE Championship, and she withdrew from the Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown, which was taking place later in the month. Now, with the LPGA’s announcement of its ambitious and chaotic 2026 schedule, you can only imagine what Korda’s frustration would be like, and she didn’t sugarcoat it.

Nelly Korda was asked the inevitable question of her opinion on the new schedule as she arrived at the press conference this week ahead of the 2025 CME Group Tour Championship. “I love the beginning of the season. I think having a West Coast swing at the beginning of the season is great. Where I would love to see improvements, obviously, is the majors. I feel like they’re really bunched up,” Korda stated at the press conference post the pro-am on Wednesday.

The first event of the season, the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, will be in Florida, and then the LPGA moves to Asia for the next three events. Then, the next few events will be held on the West Coast in the U.S., which is great, like Korda said. But the problem arises from the U.S. Women’s Open.

From the time it commences in the first week of June, there will be three majors played in a very short time. We’re talking three majors — the U.S. Women’s Open, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, and the Evian Championship being played in just a span of six weeks. And there are regular events to be played in between these, too! So, it does not give most players any time to rest between the majors.

Nelly Korda had already complained of her body wearing out after months of relentless travel and competition this year. With the 2026 calendar compressing so many events together, the margin for recovery is razor-thin. For players like Korda, who have already felt the physical toll, the new schedule could make fatigue and injuries an even bigger concern.

“But I would say it’s a marathon. It’s not a sprint. I think if we continuously make small improvements, it’s going to get there. You can’t snap your fingers and for it all done. I’ve seen major improvements in our scheduling as well,” Korda continued to add. While she doubled down on her optimism about the schedule, it still didn’t overshadow the simmering frustration shared by her and many in the golf community.

And honestly, who can blame them? The newly released 2026 LPGA schedule may look great on paper — 31 events, the Solheim Cup, the Grant Thornton Invitational, and a record prize fund of $132 million. But the travel demands? They tell a completely different story about how hectic the year can be for the players.

In fact, a few months ago, even Nelly Korda’s sister, Jessica Korda, had raised concerns about the LPGA’s hectic schedule, causing player burnout and fatigue.

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Nelly Korda’s sister had demanded a better schedule

Back in July, her sister Jessica Korda was candid when asked if fatigue and travel contribute to player injuries. “Yeah, I mean, fatigue plays a huge role, right? If you’re tired… your whole body feels it. And we do play a decent amount,” she said. While she’s currently on an indefinite break since 2023, Jessica Korda highlighted the whirlwind of travel players endure.

This year, there were nearly 35 tournaments across 14 U.S. states and 12 countries, including multiple swings in Asia and Europe. And the newly appointed commissioner, Craig Kessler, took notice and pledged to address the scheduling challenge and prioritize player welfare. “If we can continue to optimize the schedule… what a home run that would be,” Kessler had said, signaling a more player-focused approach.

But the 2026 schedule has close to 33 events across 13 U.S. states and 13 international regions, with two multi-event swings in Asia and a European swing midyear. And with the way the majors are cramped up, it hardly seems like a player-focused approach.

But despite the grueling travel, there are bright spots for the 2026 season. For fans, every LPGA event and round will be broadcast live across the country for the first time since 1995, thanks to new partnerships with U-NEXT, FM, Golf Channel, and Trackman, enhancing coverage and accessibility. This atleast addresses some of the broadcasting concerns players & fans have been raising frequently in recent times.