Jessica Korda. Dylan Buell

Jessica Korda’s season is back on hold. The 30-year-old announced on social media on Sunday that she is stepping away indefinitely from the LPGA Tour due to a back injury.

“The last year has been an extremely challenging time for me as I struggle with an injury in my back,” Korda posted on Instagram and Twitter. “Following the advice of my doctor and the guidance of my physio, we’ve committed countless hours of treatment at home and on the road for me to try and get my body healthy and ready to compete each week. Unfortunately, we’ve reached point where the pain is not improving, forcing me to have to withdraw out of several tournaments. As a competitor, it is upsetting to have to do this time and time again. At the advice of my medical team, I have made the tough decision to stop playing until I can get my back fully healthy. At this point, we don’t have a firm timeline for my return but I’m working with the best of the best and am focused on coming back as soon as possible.”

The Florida native has made six starts in 2023, with her season bookended with withdrawals. Korda started the year by withdrawing from the Honda LPGA Thailand in February before even hitting a shot, instead beginning the following week at the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore on March 2-5, the week after her 30th birthday. Then, in Korda’s last start of the year before announcing her leave, Korda withdrew after the first round of the Cognizant Founder’s Cup at the beginning of May.

Her best finish this year is a T-18 at the DIO Implant LA Open.

It’s another frustrating chapter in a tour career with six LPGA victories and numerous injuries. Concerns with her back led Korda to announce last November that she’d step away, her second break due to an injury in 2022. She also missed a month from February to March due to a rib injury. She withdrew from the 2017 Solheim Cup team due to a forearm injury and had reconstructive jaw surgery in December of that year. However, she’s shown resilience from injury before. She won the 2018 Honda LPGA Thailand just 11 weeks after her jaw operation.

According to the field lists on the LPGA’s website, the next event Korda is currently in is the Amundi Evian Championship from July 27-30 in France. That has her missing the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, June 22-25. The LPGA’s website does not include information for the US Women’s Open because that event is run by the USGA. If Korda can’t automatically qualify, and is healthy, she’ll be an option for one of US captain Stacy Lewis’ three captain’s picks.