Nelly Korda recently received a special gift from LeBron James: a custom pair of golf shoes. These shoes were intended for Korda’s appearance at the U.S. Women’s Open held at Riviera Country Club. However, the shoes did not meet her expectations.

Early Tournament Challenges

In her opening round, Korda faced mixed results. Starting on the back nine, she made par on the demanding par-4 10th hole. She then achieved a birdie on the 11th. Unfortunately, she followed these with consecutive bogeys. After six holes, with a score of 1-over par, Korda decided to switch footwear.

According to Golf Channel’s Amy Rodgers, the LeBron shoes were “a little bit too loose,” which might have affected Korda’s swing. As a result, she changed them for her usual Nike golf shoes. Her trainer retrieved the familiar shoes from the locker room, facilitating the switch on the 16th hole.

Footwear and Performance

Korda shared an image of the custom shoes on Instagram, expressing gratitude to James. In response, James wished her success in the championship. After changing shoes, Korda made par on the 16th hole and completed the turn at 1-over par.

LeBron James himself has developed a strong interest in golf over the past year. He has appeared in golf-related YouTube videos, discussed the sport during NBA press conferences, and shared numerous golf videos during the NBA offseason.

Korda’s Strong Season

Heading into the week at Riviera, Korda was seen as a top contender to secure her first U.S. Women’s Open win. With three major championships under her belt, she has also achieved three victories and three second-place finishes in her seven starts this season.