THE CHEVRON CHAMPIONSHIP

April 22, 2023

Nelly Korda

The Club at Carlton Woods

Quick Quotes

THE MODERATOR: Here with Nelly Korda after her third round at The Chevron Championship. Take us through some of the highlights of the round today and how happy you are to be in the chase for tomorrow.

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, it was a little bit of a struggle today. Actually I made three birdies, one bogey, which was a three-putt, and then I made a really good up-and-down on 15, back of the green, which I thought was dead.

Overall it was kind of an up-and-down day, but I'm happy to get under par.

Q. Did playing with two other major champions give you any sort of energy, motivation today to play really well?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I mean, I love playing with Patty. She's actually one of my close friends, and then I've played with Brooke a good bit, too. It was fun. I don't think we played as well as we wanted to play.

But it's always fun to play with those two.

Q. How close is your swing to where you want it to be?

NELLY KORDA: Sometimes close, sometimes very far. I don't know. It's getting there. I mean, it's a process. It looks good, but then there's some shots that flair out, and then I hit them out right and hit them out left. They're really subtle changes. It's more just being comfortable. I feel like when you're in tournament golf you kind of revert back to your old tendencies because last thing you're trying to do is think about it and you're playing in wind and maybe you're swinging a little bit more. Some stuff kind of starts to creep in when playing in windy weather, so overall I think I've just been making pretty good strides forward, so hopefully I can continue doing that and it clicks one week.

Q. Who do you lean on for advice with your swing when you're not working with a swing coach?

NELLY KORDA: My dad, actually, a lot, and then Jason, my caddie. Typically when I hit a bad shot, I can't see myself, I don't know what I'm doing. It's very hard -- it's very different to feel one thing and to actually be another thing seeing it on video. If I mis-hit a shot, I usually ask him if he saw anything there.

Q. Is it hard to implement those changes as your caddie is talking through a round what the swing mistake might be?

NELLY KORDA: I'd rather have that than to continue doing the bad thing over and over again. For me, no, because it's always so simple.

Q. Given the circumstances as to why you weren't here last year, would a win this week be more meaningful to you?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I mean, a win, every single time I'm in contention, it means the world to me. I feel like with every win, I feel like everyone is overcoming something or battling something. It's not always smooth sailing I feel like in golf. I mean, for Rahm it is right now, which is nice. But I feel like especially at a major championship, you're trying to get into contention and you're trying to win, so I'm going to give it my all. But obviously it means a lot, not being able to be not playing last year and then a year from now being in contention.

Q. Would it have been hard to imagine that point, being in contention a year later at this event?

NELLY KORDA: No, I'm so -- like I've gotten to the point where I'm just so in the moment and I try to stay so present that I don't think about that. Even if I'm out on the golf course, my motto is shot by shot. I don't think about where the pin position is on 17 when I'm on 11.

I focus on what's in front of me, and that's the best thing you can do.

Q. Is there a stretch of holes out there that you think is going to be really key for you tomorrow?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I think the first couple holes are pretty tough, especially 3, 4, 5 with the water being in play off the tee shot. Then major championships don't start until the back nine, so I feel like the last stretch of holes, as well.