Nelly Korda receives a heartfelt consolation gift from a PGA Tour golfer, days after her cat passed away

Nelly Korda experienced a personal loss on April 29, with the passing of her beloved cat, Rafi. While the cause of death wasn’t disclosed, the World No. 1 golfer took to Instagram to share a heartfelt tribute to her longtime companion.

Months after the sad demise, PGA Tour professional golfer Zachary Blair sent Nelly Korda condolences with customised gifts. He sent her a cat glove with her cat’s name written on it. The World No. 1 golfer took to her official Instagram account and shared the gift. She was in disbelief, as she wrote:

“WHATTTTTTT!!! Thank you.”

He also sent her a letter that read:

“We are deeply sorry to hear about the passing away of your beloved Rafi. Pets leave such a lasting impact on our hearts, and we know how much Rafi meant to you.”

Nelly Korda Instagram story

They added that the pair of gloves was a token of tribute to her cat.

In a series of emotional posts on her Instagram story, Korda looked back on 15 years of memories with Rafi, sharing photos that captured the special bond they shared.

Rafi’s passing came at a challenging time for Korda. She competed in the Chevron Championship just days earlier, where she had entered as the defending titleholder. Despite high expectations, she finished tied for 14th at 2-under, falling short of her usual dominant form.

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Nelly Korda takes a break from the LPGA calendar

Nelly Korda has recently taken a short break from LPGA action to recover and reset. Her 2025 season has been packed with strong performances, beginning with a runner-up finish at the Tournament of Champions and a top-10 showing at the Founders Cup. At the Chevron Championship, she closed with a tie for 14th, falling five shots short of the playoff.

One of her standout showings this year came at the U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills. After leading through three rounds, Korda ended tied for second at 5-under-par, narrowly edged out by Maja Stark. Her powerful play off the tee stood out, as she led the field in Strokes Gained: Driving. However, a costly three-putt bogey on the 13th hole proved pivotal down the stretch, despite her strong overall performance, which earned her over $1 million in prize money.

Not long afterwards, Nelly Korda teed it up at the Women’s PGA Championship in Frisco. There, she played through visible discomfort after sustaining a neck spasm in practice. With treatment and strapping, she still managed to complete all four rounds, finishing tied for 19th with scores of 72, 74, 72 and 76. Korda later admitted that both the pain and the intense Texas heat had taken a toll on her throughout the week.