Nelly Korda is undoubtedly a giant name in the world of professional golf and is the number one player in the women's Rolex Rankings - helped by five victories in a row during 2024.
Still only midway through her 20s, Korda has 11 regular LPGA Tour titles, three Ladies European Tour wins, and two Major championship successes to her name.
Korda turned pro in 2016 and went on to join sister Jessica on the LPGA Tour just 12 months later. Since then, she has rocketed towards the top of the women's game and is able to boast top-10 finishes in all five women's Majors - including a victory at the 2021 Women's PGA Championship and success at the 2024 Chevron Championship.
And, since 2018, Korda has largely been able to count on one figure at her side as she competed in multiple tournaments and three Solheim Cups. But who is Nelly Korda's long-time caddie?...
Who Is Nelly Korda's Caddie?
Jason McDede has been on the bag for Korda since the start of the 2018 LPGA Tour season - a year after she made her way up from the Symetra Tour by finishing ninth on the season-long money list. McDede was once the caddie of fellow Solheim Cup star Lizette Salas and is married to fellow LPGA Tour pro, Caroline Masson.
In 2019, at the Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan tournament, McDede's situation became a slightly awkward one when his then fiancée and his professional boss were paired together in the final round.
As the final round concluded, it seemed that Korda would cruise to the title, but bogeys on the 14th, 15th and 17th dropped her to 17-under, opening the door for playing partners Masson and Minjee Lee.
Masson would lead by one going up the 18th hole, but a par for the German and birdies for Korda and Lee meant the trio would require at least one extra hole. However, the playoff didn't last long as Korda made a quick birdie to win the tournament on the first additional hole and score a third LPGA Tour victory since hiring McDede.
After the playoff, Korda spoke to Golf Digest. She joked: “Yeah, Jason is engaged to Caroline, but at the end of the day, he is on my team and I am the one signing his paycheck. Caroline is a great person, and she played amazing golf today. You know, it was kind of difficult for him... But I wouldn’t be where I am without Jason, and he made sure that he kept me in the game.”
McDede and Masson first met at the 2013 Women’s Open at St Andrews, with the couple getting engaged on 31st January 2019.
Speaking after the playoff, McDede said: “There were some congratulations and some big-time respect from everyone in the group towards each other. Caroline was very happy for Nelly and myself and I think she was also proud of how hard she fought.
"You can always say ‘what if’ in golf but I think, for a long career, you have to take the good weeks and remember them more than the bad weeks.”
The first of two extremely successful years for the pair undoubtedly arrived in 2021, however, as Korda lifted three LPGA Tour trophies, claimed the Women's PGA Championship, and won the women's golf gold medal at the 2021 Olympics. Her sparkling form also took Korda to the top of the women's world rankings.
After two further Ladies European Tour victories - both in Aramco Team Series events - and her most recent LPGA Tour success, McDede needed to take a break from being a caddie to concentrate on being a dad midway through 2023.
He and wife Caroline welcomed baby Benton into the world on the 29th April, leaving Korda to search for a temporary looper in the meantime. And she found a pretty decent one, if only for a few days.
Formerly Tiger Woods' assistant, Joe LaCava was brought on board on a week-long deal after Korda's team and Woods' team made contact. With his current employer, Patrick Cantlay enjoying a week off, LaCava joined Korda for the Founders Cup. Unfortunately, it was not a pairing which led to success, with Korda missing the cut by a shot.
After a handful of events apart, McDede returned to Korda's side later in the year and has since played a key role in Korda re-writing history. Coming into 2024 with seven regular LPGA Tour titles and one Major, Korda rocketed into the World No.1 spot and had flown off into the distance by late April following five consecutive victories - including her second Major.
In the aftermath of her win at the Chevron, Korda paid tribute to her looper. She said: "I honestly don't have any words, just because there are too many. He has been by my side for every single one of my wins out here, and in a sense he's my punching bag out there, he's my best friend, and he's my teammate.
"I wouldn't be able to do it without him because his encouragement on and off the golf course has been amazing, and I'm just so, so, so thankful for him. I hope he knows it."
