LeBron James gifted the current women's world No. 1 golfer, Nelly Korda, a custom pair of Nike Victory Pro 4 golf shoes, which Korda sported during the U.S. Women's Open. However, she made a surprising decision after a while of playing in them.

Korda started her U.S. Women's Open run at Riviera Country Club in James' gifted shoes. However, she changed them after just five holes. The shoes were brand new, and no reason was given for the change.

Korda finished her front nine at 1-over. She switched back to her regular shoes and continued her round, chasing a first U.S. Women's Open title. Her best result at the event came last year at Erin Hills, where she tied for second.

"It made me hungrier to be in those positions," Korda said of that near-miss. "There's no better place to be in than in the hunt on a back nine on Sunday at a major championship, especially at the Women's Open."

LeBron's involvement in golf has grown steadily. He made his YouTube Golf debut with Bob Does Sports earlier this year and has been active on social media during major events. Gifting Korda a custom pair of shoes ahead of the U.S. Women's Open was a visible step up in that support.

Her game heading into this week is in sharp form. Over her last 30 LPGA Tour starts, Korda has won four times, including the 2026 Chevron Championship, her third career major title. She opened the 2026 season with six consecutive top-2 or higher finishes, including three wins.

Korda is in the field at Riviera and hunting her first U.S. Women's Open title.

Nelly Korda Already Secured Her 2026 Solheim Cup Spot And Arrives at Riviera as the Clear Favorite

Even before the U.S. Women's Open began, Korda had already secured a spot on Team USA for the 2026 Solheim Cup in the Netherlands. She leads the U.S. points standings with 2,603 points, more than 1,000 ahead of Angel Yin in second place. There are still nine qualifying events left to play. 

U.S. captain Angela Stanford welcomed the news directly. "Nelly's hard work, demeanor, and competitiveness make her an asset," Stanford said. "I can't wait to watch her compete for the USA at Bernardus."

This year's Solheim Cup will be Korda's fifth appearance in the event. She has a career record of 10 wins, 5 losses, and 1 tie.

Right now, her focus is on Riviera and the U.S. Women's Open. She has not won that title yet and will be hoping to add it to her achievements.

Do you think Nelly Korda can finally win the U.S. Women's Open at Riviera Country Club in 2026?

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Written by

Sneha Abraham

Edited by

Souvik Roy