MEIJER LPGA CLASSIC

June 16, 2022

Jessica Korda

Blythefield Country Club

Press Conference

Q. I'm sort of writing a story that doesn't have anything to do with results. It's about Pride Month. I know your book has the Pride flag on it and they just came out with a new one that Mel designed recently. Are you using that in this tournament?

JESSICA KORDA: Yeah.

Q. Okay, awesome. So if I can just ask a few questions about that. Obviously you're an ally with that all year long, and visibility is very important, but during Pride Month, how important is it to have that out and just about?

JESSICA KORDA: Yeah, visibility obviously is important. You know, I love Mel and I love all my friends, and so whatever kind of we can do to support and make them feel included, whatever it is, it's great.

Q. I know this year's design is a tad more subtle than last year.

JESSICA KORDA: Last year's was very loud.

Q. Yeah, but it has words on it. I don't remember what the words say.

JESSICA KORDA: Be you, be proud or be proud, be you. Be proud, be you.

Q. So what do those words -- obviously you're not a member of that community.

JESSICA KORDA: No.

Q. What do those words mean to you, and sort of how inspiring to people who are struggling to find themselves?

JESSICA KORDA: I mean, at the end of the day we're all just trying to be ourselves, be accepted.

I've never looked at anyone any different than just for who they are, and that's kind of one of the cool things about being out here. There are so many different personalities every week, different communities represented. That's kind of how it should be. A human is a human. That's how it is.

Q. So did Mel ask you to do it or did you just see it and were like, I want to do this?

JESSICA KORDA: No, this is a part of Grant Thornton's brand, and so this is kind of what Grant Thornton asked us if we would be comfortable doing it.

Q. You and Mel and Mallory, are you the only ones on the tour?

JESSICA KORDA: I think Danielle might as well.

Q. (Indiscernible.)

JESSICA KORDA: Collin and Rickie. I don't know. You have to look at their roster.

Q. Okay. Okay.

JESSICA KORDA: Do some research.

Q. Yeah. I found out about this yesterday.

JESSICA KORDA: Yeah, I kind of just try to keep it very simple.

Q. Yeah.

JESSICA KORDA: Like I said, I just view people as people.

Q. For sure.

JESSICA KORDA: That's kind of one of the cool things about this, about being out here, is you'll find just about anyone if you're looking for inspiration.

A lot of similar stories, but, yeah, very different paths. I think that's what's really cool about our tour.

Q. I want to ask about the round, just some of the highlights. What was going well for you out there today?

JESSICA KORDA: Yeah, I mean, it was pretty consistent. Obviously a bogey-free round is always good. Definitely left some putts out there, which is fine. It's day one.

So keeping myself in position, which is important.

Q. Yeah, what were some of the challenges you think of this course?

JESSICA KORDA: I mean, this golf course, honestly the greens are tough, and the important thing is keeping it in play. The rough is really long and they definitely made some greens a bit smaller, so kind of trying to trick it up a little bit from years past.

The greens are definitely a bit softer so they're going to get bumpy.

Q. You play in this tournament a lot.

JESSICA KORDA: A lot.

Q. Yeah. What makes you really like this, enjoy this environment?

JESSICA KORDA: I think the community really gets behind this event. I love all the turtle stuff that they do, that Meijer does.

I think that's really awesome. Obviously we love the golf course. So it fits well in the schedule, and as long as I can keep coming back I definitely will be.

Q. Just curious, with the redesign that they did I think two years ago, this is the second time around with the redesign. What are some of the biggest differences?

JESSICA KORDA: One is the routing for us. Never know what hole I'm on. I'm like, is this the front nine? Is this the back nine? What's going on?

So when you've been out here for so many years you're so used to one thing and they switch it up on you and you're like, hold on.

So that obviously is one. You can tell on the greens I think they're trying to just pump the water out. The biggest issue here is flooding, especially on the lower holes, which is now back nine, so that's like 14...

Q. Yeah, like 12, 13, 14.

JESSICA KORDA: Yeah, those used to flood a lot, and they are holding a lot the water from the overnight stuff we had.

So you can see the greens definitely recovered a lot better from what they used to be in the past. Yeah, I mean, it's great. I'm glad that we always get to come back.

Q. Bit of a philosophical question. Kind of what Will was talking about. A lot of pros say I just go out there and try to be myself. For you to go out there and be yourself, kind of trying to be creative or trying to...

JESSICA KORDA: Just be me. Everyone is different. Like just try to be me and be authentic, and if I'm pissed, I'm pissed. If I'm happy, I'm happy.

This is how it is. I have nothing to hide. This is something that we get to do and it's such a privilege to be out here and playing in front of fans and people that you've seen and made friendships and memories.

So that's kind of the whole point of this, is we're inspiring but also obviously competing, and we should be able to be ourselves. On this tour I feel like everyone is able to be themselves.