WOMEN'S OLYMPIC GOLF COMPETITION

August 5, 2024

Nelly Korda

Le Golf National

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to the Media Centre here at the 2024 Paris Olympics we are pleased to be joined by the defending Gold Medalist, Nelly.

What is it like being back in an Olympic cycle?

NELLY KORDA: It's amazing. Actually got to watch another sport which was really fun the day we flew in on Saturday and then got to watch a little bit of the men yesterday.

So far it's been an exciting week and we only have tomorrow to get ready and starts on Wednesday. Kind of a quick turnaround.

THE MODERATOR: You played 18 holes at Le Golf National. What are your overall impressions?

NELLY KORDA: It's such a beautiful golf course. The back nine, the holes coming in, a lot of water that comes into play. You have to hit the ball really well out here. You know, the rough is thick from what I saw from the men, too, and what I saw today.

Yeah, just have to golf your ball out this year this week and make sure that you're in the fairways.

Q. What other sport did you catch?

NELLY KORDA: Swimming. I caught Katie Ledecky win the 800 which is really cool and a couple of the relays. So that was really exciting. That's something that I watched as a kid was swimming and gymnastics. So getting to do that in person was definitely a bucket list thing.

Q. I imagine the Olympics is a fairly big deal in your family growing up.

NELLY KORDA: We watched it a lot, every two years, even the winter Olympics, that's something we all did as a family. We sat in front of the TV and watched everyone compete and live out their dreams. And to be able to do that myself and be an Olympian and never thought that I would, you know, back in the day, before golf was an open sport.

But being here on this stage has been such an amazing experience. Just there's nothing like representing your country, too, so getting to that do on the Olympic stage is a dream come true.

Q. Your brother had a big day and I saw you obviously Instagramed about it. You've given your family plenty of reasons to celebrate this year. How does the Korda family celebrate?

NELLY KORDA: On the rare occasion, we were all in town for my brother's birthday. Unfortunately he lost first round at Wimbledon but came back for his birthday. Just came over to the West Coast of Florida and we all celebrated, and that was the first time we were all together in, gosh, I don't know, I think almost seven months. I mean, the last time we were together as a family was at Grant Thornton.

Whenever we get to spend time together, we make sure it's good quality time and the next time we'll see each other is Christmastime. It's hectic and with Jess having a newborn baby, Grayson, and us traveling so much, we always make sure that when we are together, we really cherish it.

Q. On the Olympics, does your mom talk much about her appearance in '88?

NELLY KORDA: Sometimes. Not necessarily too much, no. We always make fun of the boys because we say that the girls in the Korda family are the only ones that are the Olympians and the boys are not. My dad and my brother may or may not be. So we have that above them in the family.

Q. You're the only one to win a major and a Gold in the same year. Can you compare the meaning of both?

NELLY KORDA: I think they are two such amazing accomplishments. I think that I've always said with every win you're overcoming something or every win has a story.

That year in 2021, that was my first major. That was the reason I started playing golf and I started dreaming of playing on the LPGA is competing in majors and contending in majors.

Getting to share the Olympic experience, even though it was very unique with not getting to watch other sports and not having fans out here, at least get to go share that with my sister was such an amazing experience.

I didn't really know what emotions I was going to have until I stood on the stage. As a kid, I watched so many athletes and all their raw emotions on that podium when their flag goes up and the National Anthem.

And when I finally got to do it myself, there was a massive rush of emotions that go through me. I had a couple tears roll down my face. It said on my WHOOP that was the highest my heart was all day was actually on the podium.

It was an amazing experience, obviously, and I cherish and I'm grateful for every situation I'm in, every single time I can go down the stretch and I'm in contention. When it comes to majors and an Olympic Medal, that's the reason why we are out there so long and grinding and pushing ourselves in the gym and on the golf course is for those moments.

Q. No idea what your WHOOP was?

NELLY KORDA: I was actually on -- I think it was on live stream that week. So it was on TV. Did a little collaboration with The PGA of America.

Q. You mentioned Ledecky and how much you've grown up watching emotion and competitiveness in the Olympics. Given that you play four or five majors a year, and it's just different in golf, did you feel like an Olympian in Japan, just because you are so isolated?

NELLY KORDA: I think it's a little bit of a different experience. Obviously we don't stay in the Village. I've only been to the Village once and that was in Japan.

I was going to go today but my practise round took a little bit longer and I think rest is a little more important and the Village is a little further.

Of course, I feel like an Olympian. I get to represent my country and I stood on the podium and it was an amazing experience. Obviously we have five majors a year, and they train four years for one shot. And that's what makes track and field, swimming, gymnastics, all those sports so amazing because they train four years to live out their dream and we have five times a year to live out our dream.

Q. Is that inspiring knowing what they have gone through for their one moment?

NELLY KORDA: It's absolutely incredible and it makes me appreciate what they do that much more.

Q. Can we talk a little about the emotions of this type of defence? This is a title defence unlike any other. It's been three-plus years, different course and country. So much has happened on the course, off the course. Can you talk about your emotion of this title defence?

NELLY KORDA: It's been three years, and as you said, it's a different country, different venue. Doesn't really feel like I'm defending, really.

So I'm just going to go out, enjoy the experience. Hopefully enjoy the fans. The men had amazing fans out here. I was wowed by how many people are out here watching and just happy that I'm back in this position. I'm here representing my country. I'm a two-time Olympian and I'm living out my dream.

Q. If you look back at '21, how much have you changed? How much has changed for you on the golf course, off the golf course?

NELLY KORDA: A lot.

Q. How much have you grown since that wild 2021 season?

NELLY KORDA: A lot, I would say. I've gone through a lot of stuff on the golf course, off the golf course.

I would say I'm very grateful for the ups as much as I am for the downs. I think that's helped me mature and made me realise how grateful I am to do this for a living.

Yeah, I think you can either shatter or you can rise and grow from the opportunities and the Ryder Cup roller coaster that life throws at you.

Q. When you were on your run, you had a nice little break and took a couple weeks off ahead of this week. How important is this coming to a week like this to have that extra rest?

NELLY KORDA: My parents have always said, it's very important to put your head down, grind, go to the gym but it's also important to recharge your battery because sometimes with all the obligations that you maybe have off the golf course, and then all the emotions that you feel on the golf course that you go through, all the adrenaline, it tears at you a little bit.

So it's good to kind of step away and to recharge your batteries and to come back a little bit more fresh.

Q. I have to ask about the bubble. How have you managed to keep that around you, even when things may not have been going your way but when you come to a week like this when there's so much pomp and circumstance during the Olympics?

NELLY KORDA: Your bubble is going to burst sometimes and that's why you have people around to you rebuild that bubble and I'm very grateful for them. I'm going to try to stay in my bubble this week, enjoy the experience, enjoy playing for my country and hopefully in front of a great crowd.

Q. Talk about the 18th hole, it was the hardest hole for the men. As a par 5, do you think it's more relaxing to play or difficult because you can play it so many different ways?

NELLY KORDA: I did not know it was a par 5 until I walked up to the green. I was like, I'm going to have a 5-iron and hybrid into a par 4. Now that I know it's a par 5, maybe we can take a little bit more risk on the tee shot. I know there's water on the left and it runs away. For us, we are in between clubs. I'm in between a little bit of a chippy driver and a 3-wood.

So I mean that can make -- if you hit that chippy driver, that's aggressive in itself. If you pull a little, you're putting water into play but then if you flair it out right, you're probably laying up. I would say versus the men, I mean, obviously we don't have their length coming into the green. That is a firm island green with water in the front and the back. It will be a good finishing hole. I like par-5 finishing holes that are gettable.

Q. I'm confused on the "bubble" thing since it has so many meanings. What does that mean?

NELLY KORDA: Stay in my bubble when I'm out there. Doesn't get distracted. Stay in my own lane and focus on myself.

Q. You don't look like someone that gets distracted much. Has that happened before?

NELLY KORDA: Sure. It depends. Every single day you wake up and you're feeling a little different. You're never always going to be a hundred per cent. You're never going to be mentally a hundred per cent. So making sure that I stay in my bubble is always really important.

Q. Secondly, the unbelievable run that you had at the start of the year, not so great over the last month or so. Where are you now?

NELLY KORDA: Hopefully trending in the right direction. I took some time off after Evian and kind of put my clubs to the side for a week, and then grinded for two weeks. I have Jamie out here with me this week, and he's always really nice to be around and keeps it super light.

You know, the game of golf of is a funny game. Sometimes you feel on top of the world and in a matter of a couple seconds, you just feel like you're on the bottom of the sea.

So it definitely makes you appreciate the good golf that you play, but yeah, I mean, you have to have a mix of everything in there and everything can't always go well.

Q. You flipped a switch pretty quick, if I seem to recall in '21. I feel like there was a missed the cut at the Open and it flipped quickly. How much do you lean on the fact that that happens a lot in this game?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I have gone through many, many situations where I played really bad and then all of a sudden, if I just continue working hard, and doing what I need to do, I mean, the results show after. They may not show right now, but if I'm making small little improvements here and there and I'm happy with the way my game is trending, at the end of the day, I know that I have what it takes to compete and to contend.

Q. What do you have coming up after this?

NELLY KORDA: I have British.

Q. No Scottish?

NELLY KORDA: o. I'm going to go see my family in Prague next week. British, Solheim, Cincinnati.

Q. You said chippy driver on 18. I imagine there's a normal driver and chippy driver?

NELLY KORDA: It's a controlled driver. Probably like an '80 percenter.

Q. Anymore drivers that you have in the back besides those?

NELLY KORDA: Well, it's one club but it's a different type of shot.

Q. How many different shot shapes?

NELLY KORDA: I like to stick to either my regular like baby draw or the chippy kind of low bullet. Practising for British.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, everyone.