KPMG WOMEN'S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

June 24, 2021

Nelly Korda

Atlanta Athletic Club

Quick Quotes

THE MODERATOR: Nelly Korda, 2-under 70. We're here in the media center. We're right by 18. Heard one of the first roars we've heard in a long time with fans, you with a bomb of a putt to close out your round. How long was that putt, and how good does that feel?

NELLY KORDA: It was a long putt. I'm not sure how long exactly, but it felt good to close on that one. Didn't really make a lot of putts today. The only -- I had four birdies total, two of them came on par-5s that I reached in two. So it was nice to see one go in.

THE MODERATOR: In front of the fans as well?

NELLY KORDA: Yes.

THE MODERATOR: Do the fans help you out there?

NELLY KORDA: For sure, yeah, it's nice to see them back and to hear a roar. Back a couple months ago, you'd hear absolutely nothing. It's like, yay, clapping myself. It's really nice to have them out again.

Q. There's been a hot debate lately in golf in terms of arm-lock putting, more so on the men's side than the women's side. Have you seen more and more women start experimenting with it, and do you think that might come to the LPGA?

NELLY KORDA: I honestly haven't seen any. I just switched to left hand low, you know, each to their own. I don't think I've seen any girls do the arm-lock.

Q. Why do you think it's not as popular out here as it is out on the Men's Tour?

NELLY KORDA: I don't have an answer for you. Honestly, I don't know. I think a majority of the girls out here are really great putters. It's hard, switching from conventional to left hand low, it's a hard change, especially in tournaments under pressure. You've really got to commit to it. So it's a big change.

Q. I actually wanted to ask about one of your other birdies. What club did you hit out of that bunker on 14? That was a good one, wasn't it?

NELLY KORDA: Yes, 7-iron.

Q. You're proud of yourself, right?

NELLY KORDA: Yes, that was a good one.

Q. What did you have there? Yardage?

NELLY KORDA: Do you remember what hole it was?

Q. Sorry, hard questions.

NELLY KORDA: 14? I had 164. I wasn't sure if the lip was too high, so I was between an 8-iron and a 7-iron, and I just went with a soft 7, try to put a bit more on my stance to get the height on it, worked out quite well.

Q. I know you had putted left hand low in the past, but you went back to it just last week, was it? What does that do for you as a player? Does it give you a little spark when you have a bit of a change?

NELLY KORDA: It's new. I mean, kind of fresh. You're a little more nervous because you haven't done it in a while, and it's a new sensation. Under pressure, you don't know if you can trust it so much. It's worked out well, and it worked out well in the past. I was a little bit more comfortable.

Last year I was very hesitant. Actually, I switched to it the week of British, and I knew I was fine after that. If I can play in that weather with left hand low, I was good.

Q. This is probably a bad question, but it felt like, as you got toward the end of your round, 13, 14, the course just shut down. Why was that? Is it about the course? What happened, do you think?

NELLY KORDA: I think the pace of play, honestly. It played a big part. We waited on a lot of holes today. There was like -- at one point, there was four groups on one hole.

The pace of play really -- it feels like, once we hit the back nine, we just really slowed down. So when you're waiting a lot, I feel like you're not executing your shots as well.

Q. Is that something you struggled with given your own pace, or have you had to make adjustments?

NELLY KORDA: I like when it keeps going.

Q. When it shuts down, does it make it hard on you?

NELLY KORDA: For sure, yeah. That's when experience and having a good caddie comes into play.

Q. It's just for the conversation, killing time?

NELLY KORDA: Exactly. And I had a great group today. Lydia and Georgia are great, and they're good friends. So it was fun.

Q. One more putting question for you. What are the benefits of left hand low for you as opposed to a traditional putting stroke?

NELLY KORDA: I just feel like left hand low, my shoulders are way more square. I feel like, when I was conventional, I really lifted my left shoulder higher, and when I was under pressure, I feel like I stopped using my shoulders as much. So for me, it's more of just like posture.