Top 5 golf stars who skipped college to go pro ft. Nelly Korda and Rory McIlroy

Modified Dec 19, 2024 15:54 GMT

Nelly Korda and Rory McIlroy (Image via Imagn/Getty).

A few days ago it was reported that rising star Blades Brown decided to forgo college golf and go straight to the pros. In doing so, he followed in the footsteps of some of the sport's greatest stars, both current and past.

Most players, especially in the United States, opt for a college scholarship to play golf. However, skipping this stage does not necessarily affect the player's subsequent development.

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There are numerous cases of players who became stars without playing college golf. Let's take a look at some of them.

Top 5 Golf Stars Who Skipped College to Turn Pro

#1 Nelly Korda

In many ways, Nelly Korda followed in her sister Jessica's footsteps when it came to her golf career. The current world number one decided to skip college and turn pro at the age of 17, just like her older sister did.

The decision worked wonders for Nelly, who played her first professional season on the Symetra Tour (now the Epson Tour, the developmental circuit), where she quickly earned her LPGA Tour membership.

Nelly Korda is currently the world's leading star in women's golf. She has won 15 tournaments on the LPGA Tour (two majors) and three on the Ladies European Tour, in addition to the Olympic gold medal at Tokyo in 2021.

#2 Rory McIlroy

The Northern Irishman came close to playing collegiate golf in the United States when he signed a letter of intent to play at East Tennessee State University in 2004. A year later, however, he decided not to pursue that option and continued to play on the European amateur circuits.

Rory McIlroy began his professional career in 2007 at the age of 18. His first professional victory would come just over a year later (2009 Dubai Desert Classic), but he would continue his rise to become one of the best players in the world.

McIlroy has won 41 professional tournaments, including 26 on the PGA Tour (four majors) and 18 on the DP World Tour. He is currently ranked 3rd in the world.

#3 Lydia Ko

Lydia Ko is part of a generation of teenage stars who broke into women's professional golf. In Ko's case, she won four professional-level tournaments as an amateur, including two on the LPGA Tour.

The Kiwi turned pro in 2013 at the age of 16. In 11 seasons, she has 30 wins, 22 of them on the LPGA Tour (three majors). She has won three Olympic medals, including a gold at Paris in 2024. She also earned her induction into the super-exclusive LPGA Hall of Fame, just the 26th player to do so.

#4 Lee Trevino

Lee Trevino practically coached himself while caddying as a teenager, developing his own style of golf. At 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, and neither college nor professional golf were in his plans.

Trevino was discharged in 1960 and began working at a golf club. He turned pro that year, but his breakthrough only came six years later when he made the cut at the U.S. Open.

A year later, he joined the PGA Tour and began his legendary career. Trevino has won 92 tournaments, including 29 on the world's top tour (six majors).

#5 Lexi Thompson

Lexi Thompson is another teenage star who broke through on the LPGA Tour in the early 2010s. In her case, she began her career in 2010 at the age of 15, well before she was college age.

Thompson had a very early golf development. In 2011, she became the youngest player (to that point) to win on the LPGA Tour, and in 2014, she became the second-youngest player to win a major championship.

During her career, she won 15 tournaments, 11 on the LPGA Tour (one major championship). She was ranked 4th in the world.

Edited by Prathik BR