HILTON GRAND VACATIONS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

January 21, 2022

Jessica Korda

Lake Nona Golf & Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Jess Korda. Shot a 5-under 67; bogey-free. Pretty good way to spend your Friday. Tell us about your round. Seemed pretty steady.

JESSICA KORDA: Couple close calls. Saved some good putts for par. Yeah, like I said, just shaking off the rust. I think that's going to be the theme of the week.

I'm happy in the position I'm in. Obviously left a couple putts out there. Yeah, I mean, second day out, pretty happy.

Q. Is sometimes a par save a better highlight of a round than a good birdie?

JESSICA KORDA: Sometimes. I mean, more stressful. Definitely brings like that panic inside of you a little bit.

But it's part of it, and I like grinding over it. That's kind of why I practice. Yeah, I was pretty pleased that they did go in because there were a couple.

Q. Tell us about some of those, if you don't mind.

JESSICA KORDA: The rough around the green is so brutal, really thick, and feels like almost two different types of grasses that are growing against each other in the rough.

So just sometimes it's just really sitting down and you're trying to hack it out to a green that's pretty difficult, so leaving myself some 6- to 15-footers for par is definitely the theme on a couple holes.

Q. When you were a kid do you ever think you would know the difference between types of grass?

JESSICA KORDA: No. I mean, I learned that as I got older and was starting to walk into the pro shops asking where does the wind come from and what kind of grass do you guys have. Definitely learned that as I got older.

Q. How long was the putt at 17, and how big was that coming off back-to-back birdies?

JESSICA KORDA: That was 12 feet. Yeah, no, it was huge. I hit an absolutely horrendous tee shot. It was a really tough lie, so I was glad to be able to get it up top and gave myself a chance.

The putt was pretty flat. I mean, there wasn't a ton of break in it. All I had to do is make a good stroke, so I was pretty pleased with it.

Q. You talk about shaking off rust. One bogey over two rounds at a pretty demanding championship course. Doesn't look very rusty.

JESSICA KORDA: Trust me, I'm grinding. I'm tired after every day. It's a grind and a lot of plotting on this golf course, and we're just trying to make the best of it.

Q. With the chaos of getting married and Christmas and all the holiday stuff, is it a little bit of a relief to be back inside the ropes where you can do what you do?

JESSICA KORDA: It's nice to not be in off-season. I think I put a lot of, not stress in the off-season, but the last couple weeks are pretty tough with workouts, putting in the hours, and stuff like that.

I think coming out here it's more relaxing because I don't have to put in so many hours. I feel good. You know, it's just nice to be able to come out and do something that I've done for I don't even want to know how many years.

I like it. I always say I can't wait until off-season is over, especially the end. Beginning I always love it, not doing a whole lot, you're at home, enjoying being a normal person.

And then like the end of off-season I'm like, Can we go now? I think it's time to leave.

Q. Any part of your game been pleasantly surprising out of the gates?

JESSICA KORDA: My coach, Jamie, and I been working really hard on keeping myself as soft as I can through the ball.

That's honestly been my only thought so far. I'm pleasantly surprised with how much better it is out on the golf course than my warmups on the range.

Q. What's the difference? What do you feel being softer through the ball?

JESSICA KORDA: It's just a key word. There is no -- means to you the same it means to me. Everyone translates is differently.