T-MOBILE MATCH PLAY PRESENTED BY MGM REWARDS

April 5, 2024

Nelly Korda

Shadow Creek

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, here with Nelly Korda after her third round at the T-Mobile Match Play presented by MGM Rewards.

Fantastic start to today in these conditions. Just what was the secret to going bogey-free on your front with four birdies?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I was hitting it really good. I gave myself a lot of opportunities. I actually missed two or three putts inside ten feet as well.

So just was hitting the ball really well, and then obviously the back is a little tougher. The pin positions got a little harder as well.

Made a few mistakes here and there, but overall well happy with today.

Q. Started 2-over on the day. Knew you probably had to play better to finish in the top eight. What was that mindset coming into today and how did that maybe help you do how well you did?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, we thought that maybe 1-over to 2-over would kind of get in, so wasn't focused too much on a score with the tough conditions and just taking it shot by shot and just seeing -- this golf course is already hard enough without any wind, without it dropping in temperature as well.

So just focused on really one shot at a time and it worked today.

Q. How much of today do you think is the fact that you have been around this track now three or four times?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, for sure. It helps. You always say that it's -- you kind of learn where to miss, but I don't know if there is really a good miss out here. It's just brutal in this weather and the conditions we're playing in. The greens are just way, way too firm in this type of condition.

Q. I heard you talking to TV saying that you liked this kind of conditions because it brings out your creativity. Can you expand on that a little bit?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, you have to start your shots a lot more left, a lot more right. You have to play with your chip shots if you miss the green. It's tough putting in this weather, too.

Just in general, you have to think about your shots way more. You can't just see the pin and directly hit your shot at it. You have to play with the wind.

Q. Then how much do you think having a pairing with such good players, Celine and Minjee, did that help not guilty you got strong people with you?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I'm lucky enough that I get to play with great players every week, not just those two. Obviously it's nice to play with them. I played with Minjee all three days actually.

And yeah, I mean, whenever you get to play with great players it motivates you to play better and you learn from them as well.

Q. When you left the course yesterday, knowing the weather that was coming in the afternoon, did you feel like you were in a great spot at that point, that the field was basically going to come back to you?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, actually I was kind of surprised. It was like noon yesterday and I was on hole 14 and I thought it was already going to start blowing a lot more than it did.

I think on the front nine you're a little bit more hidden; a bit more exposed on the back nine. So didn't really feel it until we got to probably the last couple holes.

I know the conditions were really, really tough yesterday, so getting in at the score I got in, obviously made a double on the last hole so that didn't really help with mindset going home.

All I needed to do was reset and get ready for today.

Q. Last one from me. We see it in your hand, the Origami handed to you by a fan.

NELLY KORDA: So cute.

Q. Saw it at Palos Verdes, the mini Nellys. What's the fan support been on this run you've been having?

NELLY KORDA: It's been amazing. I love seeing everyone come out, and especially the little kids, little girls and boys come out and watch us play.

It makes what we do so much better and hopefully we inspire them to love the game as much as we love it.

Q. I lied. I have one last one. With the shift to match play, what's going to be the strategy? How will you attack this golf course a little differently or what are some of the overall strategies heading into match play?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I think I'm going to be a little bit more aggressive, maybe take a little bit more risk on than I normally would in stroke play just because if you make a double that doesn't -- you may just lose one hole, may go 1-down.

So maybe take a little bit more risk than stroke play, but overall still play smart and see how it goes.