PELICAN WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP

November 12, 2021

Nelly Korda

Pelican Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. We are joined by Nelly Korda after a bogey-free 4-under 66 in the second round of the Pelican Women's Championship. Nelly, looking at your fairways hit and greens and driving distance average, only two fairways missed, five greens missed. You're averaging about 310 off the tee. I want to start with the driving. When you stand on the tee box, what are you seeing out there?

NELLY KORDA: Well, the fairways are pretty wide open, and so I just kind of get up to it and try to rip it.

The greens are a little firmer and they're pretty undulated, so I just try to get a higher lofted club into the greens. But when you look at it from the tee they're pretty wide open, so that's pretty much my thought.

Q. From day one to day two, we talked yesterday about yesterday being your first competitive round in an event out at Pelican Golf Club. Any similarities, differences from day one to two in terms of comfortability on the course?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I was pretty comfortable. Had a really good group. I think yesterday was just a little bit windier so you had to think a little bit more about your shots going into the greens.

But I was hitting it really solid. I just didn't really roll it as well as I did yesterday, which is okay. Some parts of your game are not going to be as sharp as they are always. Hopefully leading into the weekend I'll improve on that.

Q. There is an assumption that you're one of those players that when you're challenged, you can elevate it a little bit.

NELLY KORDA: Uh-huh.

Q. You were never No. 1 in the world; go out and win a major and you're No. 1 in the world. Got Player of the Year on the line; you seem to be elevating your game. Is that a fair assessment?

NELLY KORDA: I to keep it light. I try not to think about it too much. Yes, do I love a challenge. I am very competitive. I go into a week wanting to win. Obviously that's the goal. Some weeks are -- some weeks sometimes aren't as great as others, but I take those as learning experiences and I try to learn from every week.

But I'm very competitive and I do have that drive, and hopefully that gets me to the top.

Q. Has that always been part of your nature?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, ever since I was a child. Those Monopoly games with my brother got really heated growing up. (Laughter.)

Q. Are you ever actively chasing distance now with your coach? Did you at any point since you've been a pro, or is it just kind of status quo?

NELLY KORDA: No, I don't chase distance at all. I actually try not to hit it out of my shoes. Usually that leads to injuries for me. I actually think a lot about tempo, trying to swing easy.

If my swing or my game is kind of put side by side you'll see a lot of swings that are half shots. I don't really like it rip at golf shots. That's not my game. I like to control it, and that's just how David taught me. Since a young age that's kind of what we built my game around.

Q. So ripping it this week is a little bit more unusual in terms of stepping up to the tee and feeling like you want to do that?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I guess you just feel more comfortable when the fairway is a little wider. Okay, I can give this a little bit more and know that even if you kind of hook it a little or push it, you'll probably still be in the fairway.

Q. Standard shot's kind of push-draw?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah. I've kind of been dealing with a little bit of a hook on my drives, but yesterday it was kind of towards the end of my round and today I kind of stayed consistent throughout the round.

Yes, a little bit of a push-draw. I'm a draw-bias player. I hate seeing the fade. It gets me so aggravated. I'm like, what is that? (Laughter.)

Q. You're so competitive by nature. When you're playing alongside a long player such as yourself, do you ever have to fight the temptation to want to swing out of your shoes?

NELLY KORDA: Sometimes. I think it's more of like on par-5s where you're like really wanting -- that's kind of where I do try to step it up a notch.

But I don't get peer pressured, so I feel like I control myself a good bit.

Q. 65, 66, to take the lead here. What has been the key to the great start so far this week?

NELLY KORDA: I've just been really consistent off the tee and into the greens. I've hit majority of the greens. I've given myself some good looks. Unfortunately, I gave myself a lot of good looks today but just didn't make enough putts.

I'm very pleased with the way I'm playing heading into the weekend.

Q. When we talked earlier today you said you're trying to have more fun on the golf course, be more childlike out there. How do you feel like that's contributed to your success this week?

NELLY KORDA: When I feel like when I have that approach I play better. Keep it a little lighter. When I get too serious I feel like I get frustrated with myself with little mistakes that just kind of end up piling on.

But I feel like this approach works pretty good for me. Some weeks are easier than others, but it's the approach I try to take every week.

Q. What do you think it will take to maintain this form and in your current position atop the leaderboard over the next two days?

NELLY KORDA: Make some birdies. I think just continuing to hit to the way I've been hitting it and hopefully rolling some putts into the hole.