Denny McCarthy and Nelly Korda are seen as top contenders heading into the Grant Thornton Invitational.
The event, which pairs male and female players together for three rounds at Tiburon Golf Club in Florida, offers a rare format on the golf calendar.
McCarthy and Korda come into the tournament as one of the strongest teams on paper, with many expecting them to be in the mix come Sunday.
Speaking ahead of the event, McCarthy shared what he respects about his teammate’s approach to the game.
Denny McCarthy on what makes Nelly Korda’s game so impressive
Nelly Korda has been a fixture at the top of women’s golf since her breakthrough win in Taiwan back in 2018.
Her 20 professional wins include two majors, and she currently sits second in the world rankings.
Korda’s consistency and skill are well documented, and McCarthy got a closer look at them during the 2022 QBE Shootout, where they played together for the first time.
That familiarity could give them an edge as they look to make a strong run at this year’s Grant Thornton Invitational.
McCarthy said: “Yeah, when I was playing with Nelly back three years ago, I knew she was a great ball-striker, I knew she was going to hit it great.
“I was really impressed with how she handled… she never got too high, never got too low, but some really tricky shots around the green into the grain.
“This place has some nasty into-the-grain shots, and her short game really showed off that week. I feel like I kind of stole a couple of her little techniques that she uses on her short game that I can kind of use to this day. So thank you.”
Nelly Korda hoping to ‘grow the game’ at the Grant Thornton Invitational
There is not another tournament like the Grant Thornton Invitational, which brings together some of the best players from both the PGA and LPGA Tours.
It is not just an exciting chance for players to compete in a new setting, but fans also enjoy watching both tours share the course.
Korda said before this week’s event that she sees it as a great opportunity to help “grow the game.”
“Yeah, I think that’s what grows the game is when we come together and lift each other up and support each other, and that’s what this event does.
“It showcases us, men and women, coming together and having fun and playing something different than what you would see on a day-to-day basis.
“At the end of the day, I think that just brings so much excitement to what normal golf fans usually see week in and week out,” Korda stated.
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