T-MOBILE MATCH PLAY PRESENTED BY MGM REWARDS

April 1, 2025

Nelly Korda

Shadow Creek

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Very pleased to be joined by 2024 champion of the T-Mobile Match Play presented by MGM rewards, Nelly Korda. Nelly, when you think back about last year and winning here at Shadow, what do you remember most or what were some of the highlights?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I mean, playing in a match play event, it's just something a little different and it's exciting in its own aspect.

The conditions were really tough. Last year the golf course played really tough. Played Leona in the final as well, so kind of like a Solheim Cup re-battle.

But it was fun. Honestly, getting to play in this kind of format, you don't get to do it very often, so it's always fun to kind of switch it up.

Q. How does Shadow Creek maybe emphasize or bring out some of the strengths of how good match play can be here?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, this whole golf course is about strategizing, making sure you place yourself in the correct spots.

Greens are tough. Conditions usually get pretty windy out here and it's so lush and perfect. I mean, the conditions out here are absolutely amazing. It's a fun match play golf course because you can be a little bit more aggressive in that aspect. If you, let's say, play stroke play out here, you'll see more girls go on the safer side of things.

I think girls are going to take more chances and be a little bit more aggressive you may see a little bit of a bad outcome or may see really, really good shots as well.

Q. Second year with T-Mobile as a sponsor; T-Mobile ambassador. How honored or great is it to represent a brand that's giving so much to our sport?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, they're such a great partner. Even their partnership with the PGA of America, what they're doing for the game of golf. They're continuously pushing the game forward, and it's nice to see that they're really wanting to grow the game, and for them to step up and treat us the way they do is amazing to see.

And also I'm very proud to be an ambassador as well.

Q. Welcome back to Vegas.

NELLY KORDA: Thank you.

Q. I know you didn't play here the first few years and we're going back to the original format with no stroke play. How does that change your approach and what do you think of that format change?

NELLY KORDA: I actually didn't know we were going back to the old format until Sunday. I asked Jason. I don't know. Last year was interesting because those first two rounds playing stroke play was really, really tough out here.

But I guess at the end of the day it is a match play tournament, so not many girls got to play in a match play -- play any matches last year. So I think going back to all match play is what makes this tournament what it is.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about last year you came in here, you were on a real heater; you were winning constantly.

NELLY KORDA: Yep.

Q. This year no wins yet, but you're playing well.

NELLY KORDA: Uh-huh.

Q. How does that affect your mindset coming in?

NELLY KORDA: It doesn't. Every year is different. I mean, I've not had one year that's exactly the same and this is my tenth year as a professional golfer.

So you just kind of have to take the expectations, put them aside, and what you did last year, that's great. Like I accomplished so much, but this is a fresh start. It's a new year.

I'm just going to have the same mindset as I did last year, and for me what I can control is how hard I work, the effort that I put in. At the end of the day when I come out here, if I'm doing all of that and everything is in order, I feel like I can play well.

So it's just a matter of time.

Q. Two more from me. Danielle and Alison Lee play out here a lot and say this is a course where course knowledge is vital.

NELLY KORDA: Uh-huh.

Q. Did you feel like that was the case last year here and just being able to win first time here? How important is course knowledge?

NELLY KORDA: You definitely have to plot your way around the golf course. As well as the greens. Some of them have weird breaks. Some where to the eye it looks very different. I think the more rounds you have under your belt on a golf course like this the more beneficial it will to be probably playing well.

Q. And then you mentioned coming in the wind and the weather. Normally this tournament has been played in the heat of Memorial Day weekend.

NELLY KORDA: Yeah.

Q. Now backed up and also experiencing more winter than spring weather here.

NELLY KORDA: Yeah.

Q. How does that affect the course and your approach?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, last year we played in chilly weather as well. I think I wore pants and a sweater every single day and it was windy.

In that sense, I mean, it just depends if it's going to dry out greens and dry out the golf course, because then it's just going to play firmer and faster.

So you just kind of see how the golf course plays every single day with the weather that you have.

Q. This week is a grind.

NELLY KORDA: Yeah.

Q. How do you pace yourself? What do you do differently to make sure you can make it through the week?

NELLY KORDA: Honestly, for me it's like prioritizing rest, too. But when you play on a golf course kind of very much so that's mentally demanding I would say, and also going head-to-head with someone, your mindset is a little different.

So I would say rest and making sure that you're really sticking to your game plan. At the end of the day if you make a big number, it doesn't necessarily matter as much because you can always bounce back the next hole.

So it's definitely a different mindset this week, but I've played -- feel like I've had enough match play under my belt that I can kind of switch on my match play mindset and be a little bit more aggressive.

Q. How would you describe that match play mindset, what it entails?

NELLY KORDA: Just a little bit more aggressive and then sometimes -- you're more of like instead of just focusing on yourself and playing the golf course and competing against the golf course, you're kind of more looking at what your opponent is also doing.

So if they miss a shot or whatnot, maybe you take the safer route so that you could win the hole with just a par. Or if they hit a really good shot you're going to be a little bit more aggressive, too.

So it's more of also looking at what your competitor is doing.

Q. You're becoming more and more familiar with Shadow Creek. As you think about it, what is now the first thing that comes to your mind about the history and the uniqueness of Shadow Creek and Las Vegas?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I mean, I feel like just the drive in is so unique and so beautiful. The property is really, really pretty. When you just stand on what was originally 18 tee and we're playing it as 9 this week, it's really breathtaking.

It's very demanding off the tee into the greens, and even on the greens, so you have to be on 24/7. And it tests every part of your game.

Q. You were on such a high and playing so well last year. What does it feel like? There was a lot of talk these days, former UNLV golfer won a tournament with what he called the flow state. Do you know what that is? Did you feel that last year?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, you definitely get into a flow state where kind of I've thinking is clicking, getting the right bounces, just everything is kind of going your way.

But I've also been on the other side of that where at the beginning of the year everything was flowing and middle of the year nothing was going my way.

So you kind of just have to appreciate when you are in that flow state but can't get too comfortable. If you get comfortable, I mean, it's golf. It's going to humble you really fast.

Yeah, sometimes you just kind of get into the flow state, everything clicks, all the hard work you put in is finally paying off.

Golf is a grind and it's just always up and down and just have to appreciate the ride.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you so much, Nelly.

NELLY KORDA: Thank you.