HUGEL AIR PREMIA LA OPEN

April 21, 2021

Jessica Korda

Wilshire Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. How difficult is the transition from a course like Hawaii to a course like here at Wilshire?

JESSICA KORDA: I was lucky enough that I was hitting the ball well last week. I just wasn't making any putts, and so I was kind of just taking that mentality into this week, Like if I can maybe drop some putts I can have a good round.

But out here it's tough. This isn't an easy golf course at all. I was lucky to be able to position myself in the right spots off the tee and take advantage of the short putts that I did have for birdie.

Q. How much incentive is it already seeing your sister put a good number up on the board for you to go out and try and beat it?

JESSICA KORDA: I was like, Dang, no stopping her. Just go. Obviously I see her up on the top of the leaderboard, but at the same time I don't know what it's going to play like in the afternoon. I just try to do my best and make some putts, and that's what I was fortunate enough to do today.

Q. Got off to a really hot start this year. Kind of a bit like your M.O. Where do you see the rest of this year going and what are your goals going forward?

JESSICA KORDA: Honestly, I don't know. We'll see. We're not playing in Asia next two weeks. Taking those three weeks off, and the summer is so busy. Just going to pace ourselves. Got some big events coming up that I would like to be prepared for, and that's kind of what my team and I are concentrating on.

Q. First off, you tie the 18-hole scoring record. Do that in round one, I imagine that's a good omen for the rest of the week.

JESSICA KORDA: Yeah, I didn't know there was one. But it was good. I had a good day. Really easygoing group which always obviously helps.

I just kept myself in position and was able to capitalize on the six- to ten-footers that I gave myself for birdie.

Q. Eight birdies. Any of those in particular stand out maybe more than the others?

JESSICA KORDA: You know, not really. They were all pretty close. Only long putt that I had made was on -- I don't even know.

Seriously, 9, 9. I was like, Was it 10? No, it was 9, on 9. It was a long putt that I made. I had some issues with the speed on the back nine, so I was happy to make a couple of five footers or four-footers for par, which doesn't happen too often, especially in the afternoon on these greens.

Q. 18 of your 21 rounds now this year have been at even or under par. You're in the zone to say the least in 2021. What's it been like to kind of have those performances week in and week out in your back pocket?

JESSICA KORDA: It's nice. I'm trying to be consistent. I think that's the goal. I've been on tour for so many years and that's just always been my goal.

But I think as I get older, yes, just learning my body, where I can go and where I can't go. I have great support system that believe in me and that are always there to guide me.

And so it's just -- it's golf. You never know what you're going to get from one day to another. You can feel great one day and not have a great day and feel crappy and have a fantastic day. You just never know. It's like a box of chocolates.

Q. I'm sure you saw Nelly's score before you tee'd off. Just from a sibling standpoint, when you guys were growing up did you have that kind of anything you can do I can do better typical sibling rivalry?

JESSICA KORDA: No, we grew up with such a big age gap that that was never even a possibility. It was more like I can't get rid of her. She's just always there.

And now I'm like why aren't you here? So having my sister be my best friend I think is just something so great, and now every time I feel like I refresh a leaderboard her name is right up there. I'm like, Oh, my God.

Q. Got to catch her.

JESSICA KORDA: But as a golfer, as a professional, you know how impressive that is. It's tough to be in the hunt week in, week out. I'm so impressed by how she's able to do it.

Q. Has that changed at all the dynamic as guys have stepped into the professional realm and the more success you have, have you experienced any different sibling rivalry?

JESSICA KORDA: No, not really. We kind of just try to help each other. Pretty sure she just washed my pants for tomorrow. You know, we just try to help each other as much as we can, whether it's playing practice rounds and talking about a golf course or honestly, just whatever it might be.

So I really appreciate that because it's tough to find out here, or if ever.

Q. Kind of hear when she won overseas and your reaction, kind of is a good I would say example.

JESSICA KORDA: Yeah, I mean, one, it was tough not to be there, be at home, to watch it. But, yeah, like I said, I'm really proud of my -- both my siblings. It's just really fun to watch them grow up and be their own little adults.

I like to call them little but they're not little.

Q. In the context of golf (indiscernible)...

JESSICA KORDA: I mean, obviously I'm going to have limitations. I've been injured a lot of the years I've been out on tour. A lot of it stemmed from hitting a metal pipe in Hawaii at 13.

So it's just knowing my body. Kolby Wayne has done an amazing job in the gym with me, and we're always trying to build muscle but not too much, and working with my coach and putting coach. It takes a village to just get one player out, so I appreciate every part of it.

Q. Is this the healthiest you've felt during your LPGA career?

JESSICA KORDA: If I woke up in the morning and didn't feel pain I would be lying. But I feel like I'm 28; been out here for a long time. So it is what it is.

But like I said, I manage it well and I've gotten to learn how to manage it.

Q. 17 of 18 greens in regulation. What kind of homework did you do before the tournament to be able to take advantage of this course?

JESSICA KORDA: Took a horrible red eye. Was out for about two days honestly. It was awful. I felt like I got hit by a train. Not great. Too old for red eyes. That's another thing I learned.

Yeah, just came out here, played nine holes. I played here before. My sister and I came out with a couple members two weeks ago and played -- or after ANA and before Hawaii.

So we got to kind of see what the golf course was going to be playing like. And yeah, it's in really good shape.