JTBC CLASSIC PRESENTED BY BARBASOL

March 23, 2022

Nanna Koerstz Madsen

Aviara Golf Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome inside the media center here at the JTBC Classic. Here with Nanna Koerstz Madsen, one of our newest Rolex first-time winners. Before we get to your win in Thailand, here at Aviara Golf Club for this week's JTBC, how are you feeling?

NANNA KOERSTZ MADSEN: I'm feeling good, yeah. Coming into this week with a win in your backpack it feels good. Feels good to be back playing. Yeah, so I'm excited for the week.

THE MODERATOR: What was the reaction like after Thailand, and what did you in the interim week? Obviously got back home and probably took some time off, but...

NANNA KOERSTZ MADSEN: Yeah, actually had two friends who came over from Denmark, so we just enjoyed some time off. I did practice because I knew I had a major coming up, I had this week coming up. I wouldn't just lay still and be playing not very good golf here.

So, yeah, I was still practicing.

THE MODERATOR: What are with you thoughts of Aviara? I've heard from a number of players that the poa greens tend to be trickier out here, but what are your thoughts?

NANNA KOERSTZ MADSEN: Yeah, the greens are definitely the key -- I mean, it's not a key because it can be a little -- you don't really know if it's going to drop or not. You you can hit a good putt and you might be unlucky, get a bad bounce or bad break.

As long as you can stay patient with the greens, I think that's a good thing. I had issue with the greens here before. I've actually played some pretty solid golf from tee-to-green here, so I'm hopeful I can go in with another mindset on the greens that I have done before.

THE MODERATOR: Before playing at this golf course have you had a lot of experience like putting on poa or what that something that was kind of a totally new deal?

NANNA KOERSTZ MADSEN: It's a new deal. I'm from Denmark where we only play on bent grass and I moved to Florida where it's bermudagrass, so I don't practice too much on poana.

THE MODERATOR: Poana, yeah, easy one to get mixed up for sure. What are you kind of looking for yourself -- from yourself this week? I know first-time winners often once you get that first win like the expectations kind of go crazy, and obviously being the first Danish winner on the LPGA Tour, I'm sure there was a lot press coverage that came. How are like you feeling mentally, ready to attack not only this week but next week as well?

NANNA KOERSTZ MADSEN: I'm feeling good. I'm pretty back down to earth. It's been a good week. It's been really wonderful with all the messages and the media back home in Denmark as well.

But now I'm ready to just continue. Obviously it is nice getting that first win off your back. It's been a while where I've had a struggle closing it, so I'm definitely excited that now I have that win to see how I'm going to react next time I'm in that situation.

Yeah.

THE MODERATOR: And you didn't just win. You made an eagle putt in a playoff to seal that title. Take us through the last putt. What was your thought process? What were your nerves?

NANNA KOERSTZ MADSEN: Actually the 72 hole I was probably the most nervous. I wasn't in a very good place there, even though I was leading two shots. I probably should have been less nervous, but I don't know, it was -- I had the win right in my hand and I blew it off.

Then I didn't win, had to go to the playoff, and then suddenly I was just less nervous in the playoff. I don't know. I liked being in the playoff with Janet. It was cool. I was just thinking I still have the chance of winning. I haven't tried this before. It's been the closest still that I've had to win.

So, yeah, I think I was just trying to stay calm, and my caddie was really doing a good job getting me back on track after that 72 hole.

Yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Take us just through that win, what that's meant to you personally, what that's meant to Denmark.

NANNA KOERSTZ MADSEN: It's meant a lot. It's been something I been dreaming about for a very long time, especially the last years being out here on the LPGA. That's what you play for every week, what you practice for every day.

And definitely it's very big for Denmark as well. It's the first time either, even a boy or girl, wins in the U.S. on PGA or LPGA.

So, yeah, it's been very exciting for Denmark, too.

THE MODERATOR: And it's kind of funny if you look at it. Leona became the first one in Ireland; not even a month and a half later you did it for Denmark. You think there was something in the Solheim Cup water that's going to have us a whole lot of winners from from that squad this year?

NANNA KOERSTZ MADSEN: Well, it's definitely trending in the right direction for the Europe Solheim. Now there is one and a half year for the Solheim, so we still have to continue this.

But we cannot take the wins from me or Leona or the other girls who have been doing very good from Europe.

So, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Looking ahead to this week, we talked about the poa. How is your game feeling after I guess let's say a couple days off? But how is your game feeling?

NANNA KOERSTZ MADSEN: Still feeling okay. Driving is pretty good. Irons, pretty good. I do think putting is where I need to stay patient out here.

Yeah.

THE MODERATOR: What kind of confidence -- obviously we have a week of golf ahead of us and I know that's where our focus is at, but what kind of confidence is that win giving you heading into the year's first major?

NANNA KOERSTZ MADSEN: A lot. I really like that course, Mission Hills. I think it suit my game very well, so I'm very excited to come into the first major with some solid game.

Yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Just happy to be back at Mission Hills for one more year or what are your...

NANNA KOERSTZ MADSEN: Yeah. It is a little sad that we're not going to play there anymore, but obviously with Chevron doing what they're doing for the major championship, we just got to follow wherever they want to go.

Yeah, they put a lot of, what do you say --

THE MODERATOR: Energy.

NANNA KOERSTZ MADSEN: -- energy into women's golf and we really appreciate that. Yeah, it'll be exciting to play somewhere else, and I'm sure they'll find a nice course in Houston as well.

THE MODERATOR: Actually pretty decent sized Danish legion in the LPGA Tour. What were some of the reactions from your fellow Danes out here? What did EKP say to you, you know?

NANNA KOERSTZ MADSEN: Who said?

THE MODERATOR: Emily.

NANNA KOERSTZ MADSEN: Oh, well she congrats me, and Nicole as well who's on tour. Yeah, they've been very good to me.

THE MODERATOR: What are you looking forward to here this week at JTBC?

NANNA KOERSTZ MADSEN: I just love playing in California. I enjoy it here. I'm excited to see where my game is. It was very good a week ago. I'm hoping it's still there and it's not going to be totally rusty.

But we'll see how the greens are treating me this week.