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ANA INSPIRATION

April 3, 2019

Nelly Korda

Rancho Mirage, California

THE MODERATOR: Good morning, everyone. My name is Brianne Wigley. Thanks for joining us in the ANA Inspiration media center. Thank you to Nelly Korda joining us now; world No. 8 here, making her first major start of the season.

Nelly, how are you doing today?

NELLY KORDA: I'm good.

THE MODERATOR: Nelly, five starts, five top 10 finishes, including a win at the ISPS HANDA Women's Australian Open this season. What's been the key to your early success?

NELLY KORDA: Just staying calm and consistent. I've said it quite a bit this year, but really my goal is just to stay consistent, not to overreact when I hit bad shots. That was a goal of mine this year, is take it shot by shot and really to stay calm.

THE MODERATOR: How does that preparation change or become more difficult during a major week?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I mean, there is definitely more prep going into a major. I have my coach out here this week, so obviously there was a freak-out this week. He's always behind me just keeping me calm.

THE MODERATOR: You took last week off after runner-up finish at the Bank of Hope Founders Cup. How did you spend your week? What were you working on?

NELLY KORDA: Relaxing. I got to practice out at the Vintage for a couple of days. That was really nice. Just kind of practicing my putting, my swing, just to stay consistent throughout the week.

THE MODERATOR: This is your fifth start here at the ANA Inspiration. What makes this event so special?

NELLY KORDA: I think it's just the history, jumping into Poppy's Pond when you win. It's really cool. I don't know, I've always -- as a little girl watched this tournament, and I've always been so inspired by all the past winners; the history is so rich here.

Just an exciting week, too. The atmosphere and the views as well are really nice. It's just a really nice energy coming here.

THE MODERATOR: Have you let yourself think at all about you, yourself, jumping into Poppy's Pond?

NELLY KORDA: I would like to, yeah, but I'm not going to think about it too much.

THE MODERATOR: Let's go ahead and open it up for questions.

Q. Gambling in golf seems to be a big deal right now. What are the odds on a Korda winning a major?
NELLY KORDA: (Laughter.) Hopefully high. I don't know. I mean, we would like to, yeah, but we're not really going to think about it too much. The first round is tomorrow, so just focus on that one.

Q. I know you get asked this question a lot, but you and Jess are incredibly close, but how are you pushing each other and do you talk about how you push each other?
NELLY KORDA: We don't talk about how we push each other, but obviously we want to beat each other as well at the end of the day and that pushes us.

It's very healthy. When I'm struggling she's right there and vice versa. Yep.

Q. You and Jessica were so close to getting into a playoff in Phoenix. I think a lot of people would've been excited to see that. How did you guys feel about that? Do you want that kind of pressure on each other?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I think it would be really cool. I don't know, I was really happy after that week and so was Jess. It was her first start, so to come back and finish second was a really good week for her.

Yeah, I mean, would've been cool if we were in the playoff, but I was smiling when I missed that putt on 18. I gave myself a chance and there is nothing more I could have done. That's all you can do.

Q. Just following up, what would a Korda final pairing be like, do you think?
NELLY KORDA: I think it would be fun. We know each other so well. She's my best friend. I don't know, I actually -- we've played together in a final group one time. I don't know where it was. It was my rookie year and it was fun. We pushed each other. Unfortunately I hit into the water on 18 to tie her and that completely ruined my day.

Q. At the Founders you talked about your lack of experience on poana greens. Was that part of your focus this past off week?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, but they don't have poa out here. I don't know what type of grass it is, but it's definitely overseeded out here. Yeah, I mean, that's kind of something I'm going to be focusing on since we're on the west coast right now, to get use to the poana greens.

Q. Could you talk about the course conditions and what you've seen out there this week?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, course conditions are really nice. The rough is really thick around the greens and around the fairways. It seems like it's pretty firm. Playing really pure. They made a couple of the holes longer, so I think it's going to be playing tougher this year on a couple of the longer holes.

But, yeah, the greens are firm and it's going to be a fun week, but obviously challenging as well.

Q. I think I saw you post something about the Vintage Club last week, about heaven or something like that.
NELLY KORDA: Yeah.

Q. How did you focus on golf?
NELLY KORDA: It's hard to. You enjoy the views. Makes you so grateful being able to do what I'm doing, because, I mean, these views and golf clubs that let you out and play, just so grateful at the end of the day to just be practicing out there and to enjoy the views, saying to yourself, Oh, my God; this is actually my job, you know.

Q. You made a run at this title last year. I think you finished 13th. You feel like you learned something about this course each time you come back?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I definitely do. This is actually my fifth year playing this event. I played twice as an amateur. Every year I come back I learn more about this golf course and I get a bit more comfortable.

Q. What did you learn about it? Where to hit it?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, pretty much, where to miss. It's also like a comfort thing as well.

THE MODERATOR: How did your experience playing as an amateur here twice prepare you as a professional?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, experience is everything. I was really lucky because Jess was out here and I kind of like knew all the girls. So really fitting in was already a given to me because I knew so many of the girls, so I was never really too intimidated by them.

Yeah, playing as an amateur really helped a lot comfort-wise.

Q. Last year coming here Jessica talked about how she struggled in the majors and was figuring them out, and then last year she had three Top 10s in the majors. I'm wondering how you approach the majors and do you learn from what Jessica is doing?
NELLY KORDA: We don't really talk about that too much. Obviously everyone puts a bit more pressure on themselves when they play a major. They want to play really well. They usually have a lot more family out here, too.

But the more you play, the more you get comfortable. I think it's just time. Some people excel at that pretty quickly and some people just takes a bit more time.

THE MODERATOR: I think you played a practice round the other day with Jess. Is that typical for you guys, and what was that experience like?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, we usually always play all our practice rounds together at majors because our coach is out here, so we make it a little easier on him.

Yeah, it's fun. Yeah, we just talk about the golf course. We bond, too.

THE MODERATOR: Any further questions for Nelly? All right. Best of luck. Thanks for joining us.

NELLY KORDA: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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