Nelly Korda: Nelly Korda shares a sad update on her furry friend

Nelly Korda's beloved cat, Rafi, passed away recently. The cause of death is not clear.

However, the golfer took to her social media to pay tribute to her furry friend. Korda shared some beautiful pictures from their 15 years together on her Instagram story on Tuesday (April 29). She wrote:

"15 years of amazing memories, you left the world with a big piece of my heart, RIP Rafi,"

Korda also shared some adorable snaps from the past years in memory of Rafi. She posted a picture of her holding the feline on top of her head. Her holiday season-themed sweatshirt depicted how much of a proud cat mom she was. Her white sweatshirt read: "Meowy Christmas" and "Mother Fluffer" along with the picture of a cat wearing a Santa Claus cap. The ace golfer wrote:

"You made me a crazy cat lady....Now I am just a crazy lady"

Rafi's heartbreaking demise came after a particularly tough week for Nelly Korda. The ace golfer had struggled to put up a good score at the Chevron Championship last week. She had entered the field as the defending champion, however she finished T14 with a total score of 2-under.

Mao Saigo won the event after a five-way playoff off between her, Ariya Jutanugarn, Kim Hyo-joo, Ruoning Yin and Lindy Duncan.

"I just lean on the people around me" - Nelly Korda on how she deals with bad days on the course

Nelly Korda had a disastrous opening round at the Chevron Championship last week. She finished at 5-over 77 on Thursday. The World No. 1 was placed outside of the top 100 after the end of Round 1.

However, she staged an incredible comeback in the coming rounds as she clawed her way back through the cut line. She closed her second round at 68 with six birdies and two bogeys. In Round 3 on Saturday, the golfer scored 71 with six birdies, one bogey and two double bogeys.

In the final round, Korda hit five birdies and three bogeys to score 70. She wrapped up her Chevron Championship campaign at T14 with a total score of 2-under.

After her round, she was asked in the press conference what she did when she knew she was not at her best. Korda answered (via ASAP Sports):

"How do I get through it? I just lean on the people around me. My dad will probably go to every one of my practice sessions next week, which I really enjoy. He did it with me before I left it LA. It's nice because sometimes he just tells me to take a break when I don't want to."

It is unclear when Korda will play next but she will be giving the Black Desert Championship a miss this week.

About the author

Ira Deokule is a dedicated sports journalist at Sportskeeda, specializing in Golf and other sports such as swimming, bodybuilding, gymnastics, and track and field. With a post-graduate degree in Media and Communication Studies from DMCS, SPPU, Pune, and a specialization in Video Production, she combines her academic background with practical experience as a national-level track and field athlete.

Ira's journalistic journey includes freelancing for FirstSportz during the Tokyo Olympics, where her articles gained significant recognition. She prioritizes accuracy and ethics, relying on verified sources and personal expertise to provide insightful, engaging content. Her unique perspective as an athlete enriches her understanding of sports dynamics, allowing her to write with neutrality and respect for her subjects.

Outside of journalism, Ira enjoys writing creative pieces, reading, dancing, and exploring filmmaking. She draws inspiration from trailblazing female golfers like Nelly Korda and Lydia Ko, whose achievements have elevated the visibility of women's golf. Ira aspires to cover iconic events like The Masters and is interested in the evolving landscape of golf, including the impact of LIV Golf.

Know More

Edited by Luke Koshi