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BANK OF HOPE FOUNDERS CUP

March 19, 2019

Nelly Korda

Phoenix, Arizona

THE MODERATOR: Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Bank of Hope Founders Cup media center. It is my pleasure to welcome in Rolex Rankings No. 8, Nelly Korda, to the media center. Nelly, how are you doing today?

NELLY KORDA: Good. You?

THE MODERATOR: I'm doing well. Thank you.

This season you've got four starts, four Top 10s, including a win at the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open. What's been the key to your early success this season?

NELLY KORDA: I think I just sat down with my coach this off-season and we built a plan going into the season, and I'm just sticking to a few key points every week and just staying consistent.

THE MODERATOR: What are some of the key points or things you've pointed out to make a point to work on this season? Any kind of advice he's given you?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, like every week it's a different type of grass, different weather, so when I get to the tournament, at the start of the week, I really make sure I do any drills and kind of get my fundamentals down.

Then I kind of make a game plan for the week, and that's how I usually do it every week.

THE MODERATOR: Did you set out any goals for this season before it began?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, but I'm keeping those to myself.

THE MODERATOR: It's a Solheim Cup year. Was that maybe one of your goals? How much is that on your mind given how well you've played so far?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, obviously it's a huge goal of mine. To represent my country would be a huge honor. I'm not going to really think about it too much.

I was in contention my rookie year and was a little disappointing when I didn't get picked. Gave me a bit more motivation to make it this year, so hopefully I get on the team and we do well.

THE MODERATOR: I have to ask. We're coming off a two-week break after Singapore. How did you spend your time? Did you get celebrate your Australia win maybe?

NELLY KORDA: Well, I got sick, so good way to celebrate in bed for a couple days.

No, I just relaxed, and then when I got over my cold I started practicing again with my coach.

THE MODERATOR: Back at 100% this week?

NELLY KORDA: Not 100%, but very close. I'm almost over it. Still have a little cough.

THE MODERATOR: This is your third start at the Founders Cup. Obviously it's a special event with the living Founders here this week. What makes this event special to you and to the LPGA?

NELLY KORDA: I think just coming off 18 and seeing all the Founders kind of sitting alongside the green. It's really special to us to see how far this tour has come, and all the dedication and hard work they've put into this tour really makes it great.

THE MODERATOR: Open it up if there are any questions.

Q. Just curious in what ways you think you've improved the most since you've been a professional on the LPGA?
NELLY KORDA: I think mentally, and consistently. I know that one of the key things that I've worked on is that I can't be perfect. My coach constantly tells me that.

I want to practice perfectly, I want to play perfectly all the time. He thinks I'm such a perfectionist, and that's one thing we always kind of like argue about. I'm starting to kind of get the grasp of like you can't be perfect all the time. Even if you have a bad start, you know, you have to balancing back.

So even thing was really mental.

Q. So that is what your coach in constantly telling you. What does your dad constantly tell you?
NELLY KORDA: Pretty much the same thing. Actually asked him to come out with me on Sunday because I played 18. Got here yesterday, so haven't seen the golf course yet.

But I just wanted him to like look at my game and give my a few pointers, and he was like, You just got to relax. You're not going to hit every shot perfectly.

Q. How often does he go watch you play? Is that an unusual thing for him to come out and watch 18?
NELLY KORDA: Occasionally. He's usually with my brother but my brother wasn't home, so I kind of took advantage of their free time.

THE MODERATOR: What are your goals for this week?

NELLY KORDA: Just to -- I mean, every week I go into a tournament wanting to win, so obviously that's the No. 1 goal.

But I just want to stay consistent and have fun this week.

Q. You're right there with Lexi in the world rankings. I know you don't want to share all your goals, but being a top American on tour, how important is that to you?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I mean, starting as a professional, I mean, my goal was to become the No. 1 player in the world, as everyone.

So, I mean, it's at the back of my head, but I'm not going to really think about it too much. I've been doing quite well, so I'm just going to take it week by week, shot by shot. That's something my coach and I have really worked on. He keeps reminding me of that all the time.

So, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: How hard is it to do that, to keep it just shot by shot, especially as you continue to play well and there are requests that pile up and more eyes on you? How difficult is it to stay in the moment?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, it's really difficult, especially like when your expectations are a bit higher. Maybe you don't start the tournament as well and you're just trying to have short-term memory loss and pretty much just forget about everything.

See it's really hard to stay in the moment. It is something I really focused on this year, not to get too ahead of myself and not to think about the past too much.

Q. Have you learned much about how to focus at majors? And gearing up for the majors, are you at that point in your career now where that's a focal point?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I think it's definitely a huge goal to stay consistent at the majors and to try to contend.

But, you know, I haven't even gotten to the first major of the year. Hopefully when I get there I'll start thinking about it a little bit more. But right now I'm just thinking about this week.

THE MODERATOR: Any further questions for Nelly? All right, best of luck. Thanks for coming in.

NELLY KORDA: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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