HILTON GRAND VACATIONS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

January 20, 2022

Jessica Korda

Lake Nona Golf & Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Jess Korda. Just opened her season with a 3-under 69, two strokes off the lead. You made it through the first round. Welcome to the season. What are your big takeaways? A whole a lot birdies, just the one bogey to end.

JESSICA KORDA: Yeah, I mean, finishing on a bogey always kind of stings a bit more, but there is so much golf to be played. We had really great weather today. The crowds were awesome.

Obviously playing with the home favorite, with Annika, was really fun. Yeah, I mean, it was a great day.

Q. You said you were there when Annika had her retirement in '08. Was there this first time you really played alongside her and been able to see the game in action?

JESSICA KORDA: Yeah, totally. She still hits it really far. She bombs it. I was pretty surprised because I think I read an article saying she's hitting it so much shorter, so I was really expecting a lot shorter than what she was hitting.

She was hitting some great shots. I mean, her putting, like she made some bombs today. Started birdie-birdie and I was like, Here we go. I'm like parring my first seven or eight holes.

So it was fun to have kind of a front row to something that I didn't get to see personally.

Q. And she is currently winning the celeb division. That's pretty cool.

JESSICA KORDA: Yeah, that's awesome.

Q. We'll go to your game. Like I said, a whole bunch if birdies out there; one bogey. What were your big takeaways from your round first time this year putting the ball into action?

JESSICA KORDA: I was just trying to put one foot in front of the other. This is a tough golf course. I feel like you just can't take your eye off it. Everything has to be kind of thought through because the greens just are tricked up a bit, and the wind did start to pick up a little bit as well.

So really just thinking my way around it and trying to execute the best that I can. There is definitely some rusty shots, especially that shot on 18. I'm so peeved about it, but it's okay.

Q. It's also got to be good to be back in front of fans.

JESSICA KORDA: Yeah, it was so great to have fans out. You're signing autographs on the golf course and seeing all the kids out, too. It's great.

Like I said, I mean, it was just so much fun to be able to play alongside Annika and John. I mean, John almost holed out on the last hole. Is was pretty cool.

Q. John is no slouch either. He's a dang good player?

JESSICA KORDA: Yeah, he was getting a bit unlucky out there, some tricky bounces and whatnot. It was cool to just be alongside them.