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BANK OF HOPE FOUNDERS CUP

March 24, 2019

Jessica Korda

Phoenix, Arizona

Q. Us at Golf Channel think that your superpower is coming back from injury and contend in tournaments. How are you able to do that?
JESSICA KORDA: I honestly don't know. I'm always just so grateful to be out here, and obviously playing pain-free it shows.

I had a lot rust at the beginning of the tournament and I still obviously did not the hit a lot of great shots out there. It's slowly coming back together, and that's what I'm so grateful for.

Q. How much fun is it for knowing that your sister is a winner on tour and you're out here competing together?
JESSICA KORDA: It's awesome. She's one up on me this year so I got to put my butt in gear.

It's been so great watching her. Just not being able to play, to be out here, just seeing how she carries herself and how she represents herself has been fantastic.

Q. How satisfying is it to post that score today on a Sunday?
JESSICA KORDA: It was awesome. I knew I had to post a low one just to kind of make the girls a little nervous. A little disappointed with leaving that last putt short because I knew I needed to make it. I thought it was going to be downhill. Just the difference in the shade with the light I guess just confused me a little bit.

You know what? I'm so grateful and thankful to be back that whatever I did this week I'm just going to be happy with.

Q. What has it been like for you the last few weeks watching your sister and all other girls play and not being out there?
JESSICA KORDA: Well, in one hand it sucked, and on the other hand I was so proud. I can't say it enough. Watching my sister grow up and the way she handles herself and just everything, not just winning, but her day to day, I'm just so proud. It was great for me to watch it, but it sucked not to be out there.

Q. What's this tournament mean to you with the Founders here this week?
JESSICA KORDA: Oh, I love it. I played the first one that we ever had. We played for free, but it just meant more, what we were playing for. This is a spot I always love coming back to.

Seeing the Founders literally on 18 watching all our shots coming in, I don't know how many more years we're going to get to see them out, so I try and soak in every moment I do see them.

Q. I don't know if you saw the DriveOn campaign launch this week, the new commercial about inspiring the next generation. How important is that to you?
JESSICA KORDA: I think the LPGA hit that right on the head. Gave us goosebumps at the player meeting when we saw it. It was absolutely fantastic.

I love what they're doing right now with the way they're moving the tour. Like I said, I'm very grateful to play out here. I was out here in 2011 when we only had like 24 events. I think I played 15 as a rookie.

I so saw where the tour could have gone, and I'm just seeing where Mike Whan and team has been putting it. It's been awesome.

Q. Yeah. Obviously you seem fine health-wise.
JESSICA KORDA: So far so good. It's just a thing of luck. Like Tiger says, some people are lucky; some people less.

I take every opportunity I can get now.

Q. ANA is looming. I think that's your next start.
JESSICA KORDA: It is.

Q. How does your preparation or mentality change going into a major, especially coming off what is going to be a great finish here?
JESSICA KORDA: Yeah, look, every major is important. I prepare the same for every single one. I've been out here for a long time now and played in my fair share.

I'll just take it like any other week. Same preparation. Just it's a golf course. Just got to keep hitting your shots. I love that week. Again, so much history. I feel like this stretch of tournaments we have are just incredible.

Q. What is one thing you were working on this off-season that you really saw work well this week?
JESSICA KORDA: Honestly, I wasn't working on a ton. I was just trying to hit balls pain-free. Once we got to that, my swing was still there, my short game was still there, and that was nice to see after almost a four-month break.

So everything was still there. Kudos to my coach, David Whelan, for hours and hours and hours of practice and trying to make sure I know my swing, memorize my swing. It's all muscle memory and I've watched a lot of videos.

I feel like I know what it's like to come back from injuries now, but every single time that doubt is in your head.

Q. What kind of goals do you set for yourself coming back this week and for this year?
JESSICA KORDA: Just see where I'm at. You don't know until you come out here. I honestly didn't think I would be under pressure that quickly. I was really proud of how I handled it. I loved seeing Amy after 17 on 18 tee. I really wanted to meet her. I really wanted to meet her, so I was really pumped to see her. That took off a little bit of stress.

I just wanted to see how I would feel. I didn't know.

Q. So you were pleasantly surprised then?
JESSICA KORDA: Obviously. (Laughter.)

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