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KPMG WOMEN'S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

June 19, 2019

Nelly Korda

Chaska, Minnesota

THE MODERATOR: We're here with Nelly Korda, two-time LPGA champion, including this year's ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open. As Nelly just reminded me, she is playing in her third KPMG Women's PGA Championship, tied for 40th in 2018 and tied for 20th in 2017. Nelly, you played well last week coming in off a tie for seventh at the Meijer LPGA Classic. What's the state of your game as you head into this major week?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, it feels good to get a couple of good rounds in before the major. It's going to be a tough week this week. The greens are really firming up. It's a completely different condition to last week, so just take it day by day, see how the golf course plays and go from there.

THE MODERATOR: What are your thoughts on the golf course? You said you played the back nine today. You've seen the golf course now twice. What are your thoughts on Hazeltine.

NELLY KORDA: Really nice. It's a really pure track. It's going to play difficult and long. I have a bunch of 7-irons and 6-irons into greens, and the greens are definitely firming up. It's going to be hard to hold them, and yeah, I think it's just going to be a challenge this week.

THE MODERATOR: Any particular hole that stands out to you where you might be at some sort of advantage or anyplace you just like?

NELLY KORDA: I think 16 is cool. I think they were in talks of maybe making it a drivable par-4. I think it's actually harder as a drivable par-4 because you're putting the water into play a bit more on the right side. So I think that's going to be a really cool hole and see how people play that down the stretch on Sunday.

THE MODERATOR: That's our Aon risk-reward challenge hole this week, so it sounds like it's a good pick.

Q. Does your mindset change when you're at a major, or do you treat it like any other tournament?
NELLY KORDA: I think your mindset obviously changes. Everyone puts a bit more pressure on themselves, and you just, I think, concentrate a bit more, you practice a bit more. It's such an important week. The golf courses usually play really hard, as well. Obviously you're putting more time into everything.

Q. Nelly, after Hank Haney's comments about how he basically dismissed women's professional golf, did you hear from anybody outside the LPGA, any men on the Tour, any men that you practice with, any coaches? Did you get any reaction from people outside of this Tour?
NELLY KORDA: No, not really, because to be honest, I didn't even know about it until after like maybe a week after. I don't really go and look on social media. But not really.

Q. He's someone who has a huge influence in the game. He's a known name. What was just your reaction that he would feel that way and have so little regard for really wonderful, deep product in his own sport?
NELLY KORDA: I mean, it's hard to comment on, to be honest. I mean, everyone has their own opinion. I mean, it was unfortunate that he said that. We all -- we have such great players out here from different countries. I just think that it was unfortunate that he said that.

Q. I was wondering if you change your social media habits during a tournament week.
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I kind of try to stay off of it during tournament weeks. I remember I used to delete the apps off of my phone and just have them on my iPad so when I was relaxing in the hotel room, that's when I was on social media. But I think everyone is different. I like to stay off of it during tournament week, so not really read anything and just focus on my game.

Q. Could you explain a little bit kind of why you like to stay off of it? Like what you think the benefit is for you?
NELLY KORDA: Just get more in the zone and kind of concentrate more on the week.

Q. What does it feel like driving in here, big golf course, big buildup at 9 and 18? Does it feel as a major something approaching like a U.S. Open?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, as I said, it's an amazing golf course and you see all the Ryder Cup posters everywhere kind of. My caddie and I were talking, like I remember one part, I think we were playing it as our 17th hole. I don't know what hole it was during the Ryder Cup. But it was during the match that Rory played Patrick Reed, and I thought it was just kind of cool just being on the green and kind of reminiscing on how that match went.

Q. When you stand on the 16th tee, what goes through your mind as far as how you want to hit that tee shot?
NELLY KORDA: Hit it on the fairway. Pray to God you hit it on the fairway. There's trouble left, trouble right. It's probably going to be the hardest tee shot on the golf course this week. All you're going to be focusing on is hitting a solid tee shot and trying to hit the middle of the fairway because it will be hard.

Q. As a follow-up, is that a usual accurate shot, left-handed, that you hit out there today?
NELLY KORDA: That was just for fun. My sister and I always play for dinner whenever we play practice rounds. We concentrate a bit more. I did win. But yeah, it was just for fun. I thought it was kind of cool.

Q. Where are you making her take you to dinner?
NELLY KORDA: Well, on Monday I paid for breakfast, and then I lost on Monday, so I paid for dinner, and she was like, well, it was like an $11 dinner, so probably somewhere really cheap.

Q. Mia Hamm is being honored later today at the women's Summit. I'm just wondering if you happened to watch women's World Cup soccer and if you draw inspiration from it.
NELLY KORDA: I have not watched one match. I do not watch soccer at all, sorry.

Q. How do you approach the majors? Do you have a formula? Are you still kind of figuring it out?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I mean, I'm still trying to kind of figure it out. We have our coach out here this week. He usually comes out to all the majors. We really try to dial in everything as much as we can, as everyone is doing out here, and really focusing on our something around the green, because I mean, the greens are going to be really firm. Usually what we try to focus on is making a good plan for the whole week and go from there.

Q. I know Jessica has gone through trying to get to play her best in the majors and she had struggled with it and it had frustrated her. Have you learned from what she's gone through, or do you guys talk about that, too?
NELLY KORDA: I mean, we talk about it, but everyone is different. Like what she struggles with, I may not struggle with, and what I struggle with, she may not struggle with. So we talk about it, but kind of we don't talk about it at all because like we both struggle with something completely different. But I think what everyone struggles with is that they put more pressure on themselves. Just what you need to do is just go out and play your game.

Q. Michelle Wie made clear yesterday that she's not done; she still has things she wants to accomplish. What do you think just to this point her legacy has been?
NELLY KORDA: I mean, Michelle is such a great person. She's such a great golfer. It's unfortunate the injuries that she's gone through, and I wish her the best. But yeah, she draws in so many big crowds, and I think she's great for women's golf.

Q. Are you and Jessica in the Dow? Is that confirmed?
NELLY KORDA: Team Jelly!

Q. Can you just speak to what that's going to be like and what we should expect?
NELLY KORDA: I think it'll be a lot of fun. We've never played a team event together. Hopefully we both keep it in the fairway and we don't pressure each other too much. But no, I think it's going to be fun. It's going to be a new experience, and we're both really looking forward to it.

Q. What's the rough been like this week for length and thickness, and how does it compare to a regular Tour event or an Open, and how much of a factor do you think it'll be this week?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, it's pretty thick. It's pretty uneven, too, so you can get a lie where there's not a lot of rough and then you can get a lie where there's a lot of rough, too. Around the greens especially. It's going to be really important to hit greens because you never know what kind of lie you're going to get. If it was a bit more even, then I would say like yeah, it's really thick. But I mean, it's thick in areas and then it's really thin in other areas. So it's really uneven.

Q. Your mom and dad both played in a sport where the major events were held together, men's and women's. Logistical challenges notwithstanding, would you like to see more of that in golf?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I think it would be cool. We already have one event out in Australia, and I heard it did really well. I didn't play it, unfortunately, this year. But I think it draws in a lot more people, bigger crowds, and I think it's just good for women's golf, too.

Q. Do you think you will see in your day a consistent -- at least a U.S. Open situation like Pinehurst where the men and women play back-to-back, where there is some connection however tenuous?
NELLY KORDA: I'm not sure. I mean, it's up to the USGA on that call, for the U.S. Open and Women's Open. I don't have an answer. I don't know, to be honest.

Q. Your sister was commenting at the Open that you guys are often on different waves and it's rough on your parents. I'm just noticing when you -- are your parents here this week? Will they be watching?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, my mom is coming out.

Q. She's got another rough opposite again.
NELLY KORDA: We're always on opposites. Like legitimately always on opposite ends.

Q. Do you wish you could play with her in a major on a Thursday and a Friday?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I would love to play with her. I don't know how she feels, but I would.

Q. Is there a lot of anticipation when you look at the tee times to see if maybe --
NELLY KORDA: We already know -- like we already know we're going to be on opposite ends. Last week we were on opposite ends. We're always on opposite ends. It's like we know. My coach is like, well, I'm walking 36 holes, I know that I'm walking 36 holes Thursday and Friday.

THE MODERATOR: Before we close, this week's theme is all about inspiring greatness with the KPMG Women's Leadership Summit. Who are some women that inspire greatness in you, mentors or someone you've looked up to in and out of golf during your career?

NELLY KORDA: For sure my sister and my mom. Keeping it inside the family, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: What is it that your mom instilled in you and Jessica growing up that really has seemed to work for the both of you as professional athletes?

NELLY KORDA: Well, growing up, my parents obviously -- I always got a bunch of -- they always told us a bunch of stories about how they grew up and how difficult they had it, and it really humbled us, and it really made us realize like how lucky we are to be playing this sport and everything that they've gone through. So it's just something like that.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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