Nelly Korda has been hosting The Nelly Invitational in partnership with TaylorMade since last year. The tournament falls under the AJGA league, for junior female golfers.
AJGA recently announced two new perks that will be offered to junior golfers competing at the Nelly Invitational. These new benefits are a result of the event's latest partnership with Chevron, the presenting sponsor.
Starting this year, the Nelly Invitational will provide the "largest travel stipend" in AJGA history. Not only this, the tournament winner will also receive an exemption into the 2026 Chevron Championship. This is a big opportunity for junior golfers as they will participate in an LPGA Major alongside the best golfers in the circuit, including Nelly Korda.
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Korda picked up her second Major title at the Chevron Championship last year. Expressing her excitement with the news, the World No. 1 reshared AJGA's post on her Instagram story, writing:
"Travel stipends & AN EXEMPTION INTO 2026 Chevron Championship!!!!! Wow, I can't thank the people that brought our vision to life enough!!!"
This is a massive step towards securing the sport's future by giving junior golfers opportunities to grow and develop their skills.
"This event is more than just a competition" - Nelly Korda on the Nelly Invitational
Nelly Korda started the Nelly Invitational in association with TaylorMade in 2024. She played in several AJGA tournaments as a junior golfer.
She expressed feelings about founding her own tournament under the league in January last year. Korda added the event had been created to provide a "platform" to inspire the next generation of players. She said (via LPGA):
"It's a full-circle moment for me to be able to contribute to the organization that played a pivotal role in my development as a junior golfer. This event is more than just a competition, it's a platform to inspire the next generation of female golfers."
The inaugural edition of the Nelly Invitational took place in May last year at Korda's hometown, Bradenton, Florida. The Concession Golf Club hosted the event. In its debut, the Nelly Invitational boasted a field of 65 players.
Aphrodite Deng, 14, became the event's first winner after an intense tussle for the title. This marked her second invitational win in six months and her third AJGA victory. About winning the first edition of the Nelly Invitational, Deng said (via AJGA):
"It means a lot to me being the first person to win The Nelly Invitational, it's really cool. I was just trying to play every shot, the best I can and hit as many greens as I can. It's really awesome to be here and even better to win,"
Deng reportedly even got to FaceTime with Nelly Korda after winning the title.
