Nelly Korda has withdrawn from an upcoming Ladies European Tour golf tournament in England after being bitten by a dog in Seattle.
The world No 1 golfer announced Friday that she will be unable to compete in next week’s Aramco Team Series tournament at the Centurion Club, near Hemel Hempstead on London’s outskirts, where she was set to defend her title.
“I regret to announce I must withdraw from next week’s Ladies European Tour tournament in London,” Korda said in a statement posted to Instagram. “On Saturday in Seattle, I was bitten by a dog and need time to receive treatment and recover fully.”
“I apologise to the LET, the sponsors and my fans for my absence,” she added. “Thank you for your understanding, and I look forward to returning to the course soon.”
Korda, who did not say where on her body she was bitten, missed her third consecutive cut last weekend at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Sammamish, Washington. The 25-year-old’s recent rough patch comes after a very successful start to the year.
The Florida native won five consecutive tournaments between January and April – the first LPGA athlete to do so in almost 20 years – then added her sixth title of the 2024 season at the Mizuho Americas Open in May.
Korda’s next scheduled tournament is the season’s fourth major, the Amundi Evian Championship in France from July 11-14. The defending Olympic gold medalist is also scheduled to represent the United States in Paris from 7-10 August.
Next week’s event is the third of five this year in the Aramco Team Series, which is sponsored by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).