Follow Along With Nelly Korda on Her SI Swimsuit Shoot Day

Get ready with Nelly Korda as she joins the SI Swimsuit family.

Nelly Korda’s SI Swimsuit Photo Shoot in Boca Raton, Fla. / SI Staff

It’s an exciting month for SI Swimsuit as the brand begins its shoot in Boca Raton, Fla. for the 2025 magazine. As the incredible athletes we’ll be featuring start to fly in, we are so excited to be able to announce our first model: Professional golfer Nelly Korda. The 26-year-old Florida native is the No. 1 female golfer in the world, an Olympic gold medalist and a 14-time LPGA Tour winner, among other accolades. Even through adversity, Korda has remained dedicated to her craft and serves as an inspiration for women athletes across the globe.

With her talent, achievements and determined spirit, Korda is a no-brainer to join the SI Swimsuit brand. As she begins her photo shoot this morning with photographer Ben Horton, we’re giving you a behind-the-scenes look at her big day, from picking out her looks to sitting in the makeup chair and becoming camera-ready. You can also join in on the fun through the brand's Instagram page where we'll be sharing live updates from each shoot. We updated this post live as Korda shared snapshots of her day.

Nelly Korda on set for SI Swimsuit / Instagram / @si_swimsuit

This morning, Korda took to the SI Swimsuit Instagram page to introduce herself and let our followers know the exciting news. Her blonde hair has been styled in classic loose curls and she can be seen standing in front of racks of swimsuits. Time to pick out some looks!

Nelly Korda on set for SI Swimsuit / Instagram / @si_swimsuit

Now to get picture-perfect! In the shot above, Korda let us into the hair and makeup process with another Instagram story video, in which her hair is in curlers and makeup is starting to be applied. The athlete, who happens to be the daughter of former professional tennis players Petr Korda and Regina Rajchrtová, looks absolutely stunning in full glam, so we can’t wait to see her finished look.

First up, @nellykorda 😉

Posted by Sports Illustrated Swimsuit on Saturday, November 2, 2024

Speaking of full glam! Korda collaborated with SI Swimsuit editor in chief MJ Day for a fun reel (also shared on TikTok and Instagram) using a popular sound to show off the first athlete of our new issue. “POV: It's officially tee time for the 2025 SI Swimsuit issue,” text over the video reads, referencing Korda's sport. On Instagram, the announcement received tons of excited comments, with fellow SI Swimsuit model Jena Sims writing: "Omgggg hell ya @nellykorda Jupiter girls reppin!! 😍❤️," referencing the town in Florida.

“YESSSS🥳🥳🥳🥳,” SI Swimsuit 2024 Rookie Achieng Agutu commented.

“Iconic,” Two-time SI Swimsuit model Lauren Chan added.

Nelly Korda’s SI Swimsuit Photo Shoot in Boca Raton, Fla. / SI Staff

And now it’s time to take some photos! Photographer Ben Horton has over two decades of experience behind the camera, having shot for National Geographic among other well-known brands. He is honored to join the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue to contribute to our voice of women empowerment. We got a quick tease of Korda’s swimsuit in the Polaroid photo above, a royal blue Yasmine Eslami two-piece.

Ready to see the first behind-the-scenes shots of Korda from the photo shoot? Keep scrolling!

Nelly Korda’s SI Swimsuit Photo Shoot in Boca Raton, Fla. / SI Staff

Nelly Korda’s SI Swimsuit Photo Shoot in Boca Raton, Fla. / SI Staff

Nelly Korda’s SI Swimsuit Photo Shoot in Boca Raton, Fla. / SI Staff

For her second look, Korda changed into a unique black LaQuan Smith one-shoulder one-piece which features long sleeves on one side and sleeveless on the other. See more behind-the-scenes shots:

Nelly Korda’s SI Swimsuit Photo Shoot in Boca Raton, Fla. / SI Staff

Nelly Korda’s SI Swimsuit Photo Shoot in Boca Raton, Fla. / SI Staff

Nelly Korda’s SI Swimsuit Photo Shoot in Boca Raton, Fla / SI Staff

Nelly Korda’s SI Swimsuit Photo Shoot in Boca Raton, Fla. / SI Staff

Nelly Korda’s SI Swimsuit Photo Shoot in Boca Raton, Fla. / SI Staff

After posing on the shore, the team was off to their second location, with Korda being photographed on a boat. Taking to the SI Swimsuit Instagram, the golfer provided a quick update, saying the day was “going great so far” before teasing: “really exciting stuff coming your way.”

Nelly Korda’s SI Swimsuit Photo Shoot in Boca Raton, Fla. / Instagram / @si_swimsuit

Unsurprisingly, the shots came out great as evidenced by Korda’s next Instagram update, seeing her smile at the screen of photos alongside Horton and SI Swimsuit editor in chief MJ Day.

Nelly Korda’s SI Swimsuit Photo Shoot in Boca Raton, Fla. / Instagram / @si_swimsuit

In another fun behind-the-scenes shot, we got to see the lengths Horton and the team took to get the perfect shot.

Nelly Korda’s SI Swimsuit Photo Shoot in Boca Raton, Fla. / Instagram / @si_swimsuit

And that’s a wrap! We leave you with our favorite behind-the-scenes shot of Korda from today’s shoot, proving the athlete is absolutely stunning—in case you didn’t already know.

Nelly Korda’s SI Swimsuit Photo Shoot in Boca Raton, Fla. / Instagram / @si_swimsuit

Stay tuned for updates on Korda’s SI Swimsuit photo shoot.