2025 might have been the year for some, but not for Nelly Korda. The golfer who saw an unprecedented high in 2024, with seven wins and a top of the world rank, has finished the season without a win. There were several near-misses, but the trophy remained elusive. Now, Korda has one last event to complete. And this time, the burden of winning falls entirely on her partner.

The event in question is the PNC Championship. Speaking at the Grant Thornton Invitational presser, Nelly Korda expressed her excitement. “Yeah, it’s fun…I’m playing with my dad next week, so that’s always so much fun,” she smiled. But on the same note, a little funny skepticism surrounded her face. When asked if Petr Korda, her dad, has been brushing up on his golf skills, Korda’s reply danced around vagueness.

“I don’t know, I haven’t seen it. Hopefully good. I mean, he’s carrying the team.”

If you think Korda’s remark gave a tone of self-deprecation, you are not entirely wrong. Finishing T2 (agonizingly close, yet again!) with her partner, Denny McCarthy, in the Invitational is another near-miss added to her long list. Just a week ago, she had secured a solo third on the same course for the CME Group Tour Championship. And before that was the most painful of all: T15 at THE ANNIKA, where Korda was the defending champion.

Now, as America’s best female golfer heads to rest for the New Year’s, the PNC Championship seems like another checkbox on the list waiting to be ticked.

The PNC Championship is a unique celebration of family, legacy, and competitive spirit that is scheduled to take place from December 18 onwards.

Last year, Nelly and Petr finished T8 on the standings with a combined 20-under par score of 124. The Kordas’ opening round was rather solid with 63 9-under. But as the game proceeded, the pair found themselves reeling behind the ultimate winners, Bernhard and Jason Langer. In the final round, Nelly’s birdie on the 18th looked promising, but not sufficient to elevate them to a higher rank.

But that’s really not the point of the game. The PNC Championship is just another way to help golfers, from both the PGA and LPGA, have some precious family time. As one would be aware, golf’s schedule on either of the Tours has been quite condensed. Taking Nelly Korda as an example, she competed in 19 official tournaments and made the cut in each of them. In total, she played 74 competitive rounds!

This inevitably had a drastic effect on her body. With fatigue and neck injuries plaguing her since last year, Korda reached a breaking point. She withdrew last minute from the International Crown, a team event. In her words, she was “worn down.”

So, while the respective Tour heads might work to ease out the rather faulty schedules, events like the PNC Championship can act as a brief respite.

“It’s a great tournament to… go into the holidays with,” Korda said in the post-match presser. “The memories that you create there playing alongside…your dad are…core memories that you share forever.

Petr Korda’s presence — the 1998 Australian Open winner and Czech tennis’ renowned name — will indeed bring prestige to the entire course. But surely he will not be the only one present.

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Star-studded field of the 2025 PNC Championship

A most-exclusive and sentimental team of 20 will tee up at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando this week. Among the 40 players on the ground, the event will see eight former world No. 1s and six past champs. A combined share of more than 40 major championships will adorn the course!

The teams are largely made up of father-son pairings, with, of course, Nelly Korda and Petr being an exception. Other exceptions include Annika Sorenstam, who will tee off with her 14-year-old son Will McGee, and Steve Stricker, who will be joined by his daughter Izzi. In short, the competition will be high.

Another factor contributing to that is the presence of defending champs Bernhard Langer and son Jason. Langer will be chasing a record seventh PNC Championship title this time, so of course, he’ll be all locked in. But, it would not be quite easy for him, as 86-year-old Lee Trevino would also join with his son Daniel. Lee is the only player on the field to have competed in every single edition of the event.

These are just a few of the many notable names who will grace the course. Yet, a big absence would be felt as Tiger Woods and his son, Charlie Woods, are set to miss the event. This will be the first time the father-son duo would not be present since 2019, all thanks to Woods’ seventh back surgery in October. This was the same reason the Big Cat kept his name away from his Hero World Challenge.

Played over two rounds in a scramble format, the 36-hole, no-cut event remains unofficial on the PGA Tour Champions schedule but continues to carry significant prestige.