COGNIZANT FOUNDERS CUP

October 9, 2021

Jessica Korda

Mountain Ridge Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Jessica Korda. Third straight day of a 2-under round. You seem to like that score. That was a colorful last six holes you had there. Walk us through that ending run there.

JESSICA KORDA: There are some questionable pins out there. You know, this golf course is playing really tough. The rough is as high as we've seen in U.S. Open roughs, it's cold out there, it's long, got a lot of 5-irons in my hand, and this wind is something new that we haven't seen all week.

So just trying to put one foot in front of the other.

Q. Going to ask how the course fared today. Definitely the most wind we've seen. More cloud cover. Really different from the last two days.

JESSICA KORDA: Yeah, it's colder so the ball is not flying as far. I don't know how many times I hit -- actually on 6 or maybe 5, I don't know, one of the shorter holes I hit 7-wood into the par-4. (Wind)

So it's -- pass that up, (indiscernible) it's playing really well.

Q. And that leads me to how tough is this golf course? It's definitely a test we don't generally see outside of the majors. Seems pretty great out there.

JESSICA KORDA: Yeah, it is. I mean, the greens are still really soft, so for me, if I have a wedge in my hand it's tough for me to gauge how much spin I'm going to get, so I've been spinning it off the green a couple times, which is really frustrating, but we actually started to lay back just to give me a little bit of a longer iron.

This golf course is in fantastic shape. Like I said, the rough is really high. It's juicy. You got stay on the right side of the holes here. So there's a lot of thinking going into it. It feels like a major. Honestly, it does feel like a major with how hard it's playing.

Q. Do you feel better when you're on a longer golf course like this, or at least a golf course that's playing longer? You're saying I'm pulling 5-iron but a lot girls were taking head covers off.

JESSICA KORDA: Yeah, I mean, when it's not that windy I don't think it matters that much. Our girls are just an good with hybrids as we are with our shorter irons. I think that's been proven over and over again.

Yeah, definitely playing a longer golf course, it's just playing really tough. I mean, if I have -- or Nelly and I today, we had like 205 yards to the pin on the fairway on a par-4; you barely see that.

So there is a lot of thinking definitely, and the greens are tricked up. You have to be on the right side. If you're above the hole it's super fast. Yeah, honestly, how many majors have we had this year?

Q. You played with Nelly today. How often do you get to play with her, and when you do get the opportunity do you feel like you -- (indiscernible).

JESSICA KORDA: So I have to honestly remind myself that we're at a tournament. Sometimes we just joke around a bit too much. But it's nice. I mean, I love being paired with somebody that I like playing with. It makes it more enjoyable on tough days.

So I think that's -- that would be something that I always look forward to.

Q. Do you think Nelly pushes you to be better?

JESSICA KORDA: Nelly's definitely pushed me to be better. Yeah, for sure. In everything. Not only do I find slight inspiration in her, obviously, but I also don't want to get my butt kicked too much.

So I try to always keep it as competitive as I can. But she's revived my career. We've always said that.

Q. Big sister, too. Big sister needs to win.

JESSICA KORDA: Yeah. Can you leave?

Q. One last question and then you can start heckling her. You talked about how great this course was. We also wanted to ask you about everything inside the club house her at Mountain Ridge. Is this some of the best food you've had all year?

JESSICA KORDA: Yeah, I'm gluten free and they've done an amazing job giving me so many options. Yesterday I actually didn't have too many and I was like, Do you guys have any fries, and they whipped up fries for me. I know I'm difficult and I always say that, but honestly they're going above and beyond and the food is just amazing. Everyone inside. Anything that you need, and answer that you need, they're right there. If they don't know it, they'll go find it. They're incredible.