CME GROUP TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

December 18, 2020

Nelly Korda

Tiburón Golf Club

Flash Interview

THE MODERATOR: Nelly, nice 6-under, 66 to continue at the CME Group Tour Championship to vault up the leaderboard. How did it feel today to do that?

NELLY KORDA: Felt good. It was really nice to roll in some putts. I wasn't putting too well yesterday, but my dad -- behind the fence -- saw me putt on the putting green after my round and helped me out a little bit.

So that really helped today.

Q. Has to be nice in a year where family hasn't been able to travel with pretty much anybody. You have mom and dad here this week. How nice is it to see them outside the ropes?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, it's super nice. I mean, when you don't have fans here you don't have that type of energy, so getting like a clap or two is nice now.

Q. Do you like the re-pairing after each round so maybe you know exactly who you're with and what you need to do that day?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I actually really like it. It's cool, because I think it's different. I think you play with the people that you played really -- or have played really well, so you kind of like push each other as well.

Q. Obviously you grew up in Florida and you know these courses like the back of your hand. Is there any one particular course that Tiburon reminds you of that maybe you played growing up?

NELLY KORDA: A little actually. I'm a member at Concession and it's very similar. No rough and pretty bigger fairways. But it's very similar to concession.

Q. Remember maybe the last time you played Concession?

NELLY KORDA: Concession? Two weeks ago before U.S. Open. That's where I practice every single day, so it's my home course. I'm out there a lot.

Q. Absolutely. I know and you Jess, I think it was ShopRite when we made a little video on Gaby and Christmas gifts, and you mentioned Christmas gifts are all set for you. Just to have CME Group's backing this year in what has been a crazy year, what does it mean to have that winner's check sitting there and the support overall?

NELLY KORDA: It would be nice. Yeah, the check would be amazing. But it would just be another title under my belt, and that's what I want to do every week: I want to win.

You go into an event wanting to win. So I think it would be an amazing event to win. I mean, the Tour Championship, so it would be cool.

Q. What was it like last week at the Open? And coming back from the injury how are you feeling about that?

NELLY KORDA: Rusty.

Q. Yeah.

NELLY KORDA: It was more of like my feel wasn't really there. At the end of the day, no one really pays attention I think to like, Oh, she was injured. They pay attention to the score.

For me to step back and say, Okay, my team knows I was rusty and I didn't play well. It's okay. You're going to have bad tournaments. Just focus on the upcoming one and do as well as you can.

Q. Did you have to -- I assume you feel okay physically back-wise. Was there any mental part where you had to put that out of your mind, that if I swing wrong something is going to happen or...

NELLY KORDA: Not really. My caddie was funny. I would hit like -- I would go after a shot like in the rough and my caddie was like, Are you okay? Yeah, I'm fine. But it was just funny.

No, I'm fine. I'm good.

Q. Was there anything that got you going on the back nine that put you in a good frame of mind to get the birdies?

NELLY KORDA: Just I hit it really good and I gave myself some really good opportunities.

Q. Last one I have for you. How excited are you for some temps in the upper 80s, low 80s this weekend?

NELLY KORDA: Oh, my God, I'm so excited. I'm a Florida girl. I do not like this. I like fall fashion, but I do not like playing golf in this kind of weather.