Korda, who teed it up in Wednesday’s pro-am with WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark, said she might have “rushed” her rehab to get back in time for this week’s event. A two-time winner of The Annika driven by Gainbridge, it was important for her to get back inside the ropes at Pelican Golf Club and play in front of somewhat of a home crowd.

Newly minted Player of the Year Nelly Korda has not played competitively in nearly two months, but based on her opening round at The Pelican on Thursday, you could never have guessed that was the case.

It was a neck injury that Korda said happened during one of her last practice sessions in September before heading to Asia that kept her from playing any of the four events on the swing. She thinks it was something that had been bothering her for a while and it finally reached its breaking point.