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SIME DARBY LPGA MALAYSIA

October 11, 2015

Jessica Korda

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

THE MODERATOR: We'd like to welcome Jessica Korda to the media center, the 2015 Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia champion here. Two best rounds of the year, 65, 65 on the weekend. How strong is that? What kind of got into you this weekend?

JESSICA KORDA: I have no idea. I think it was just a long time coming. I knew that I was getting really close and just needed to stay patient. That's all my caddie was telling me. He was on me all week about staying patient, that the putts will fall.

So just -- it's just an incredible feeling.

THE MODERATOR: You got emotional before the final putt dropped. What spurred that?

JESSICA KORDA: The struggle. I think just struggling and being at your lowest and then feeling this and just going through these emotions, just incredible gratitude and just being so humbled by everything. All the support that I've had, the people that have stuck with me this year, didn't stop believing in me even when I did a little bit.

So I think just all that hit me a little bit.

THE MODERATOR: I know you made sure to call your folks back home as soon as you finish the awards ceremony. Run us through that conversation.

JESSICA KORDA: Well, because we're on tape delay at home my mom didn't get to watch any of it. She said that she was in front of the computer.

I didn't actually get to talk to my dad. It went straight to voicemail. But I did get a series of text messages, so it's really great. My sister is going to be teeing off in the States in a couple of hours, so I think they have -- round to two for them starts today.

THE MODERATOR: Perfect. I know you said there was a big attitude change with you this week. Run us through what kind of change with you.

JESSICA KORDA: You know, a number of friends at home sat me down and it was kind of very honest and blunt. I think a lot of people have been with me, especially as of late.

I just had so much fun when I went home. These last three weeks at home have just been so great being home with my family, going over to West Palm Beach to visit my boyfriend's family and play golf over there.

Just so relaxing and fun. I just took that attitude here. Definitely that sit-down talk definitely opened my eyes a little bit.

THE MODERATOR: Two wins last year. I know you would've thought it would be inconceivable not to make the Solheim Cup team this year. Did that spur you on at all? Did that push you this week?

JESSICA KORDA: I was so proud of them. I was up every morning watching them play. You know, they're such an amazing team, all the girls on that team. They deserved it. Gerina making that putt I started crying.

I don't think that me being on that team would've helped at all. You know, stepping back and looking at it, yeah, I was disappointed I wasn't on the team, but I know I played my way off the team and there was no chance that I could have helped.

So I was really glad with the way that I everything happened. I got to go to the Czech Republic for a couple days after Evian and sit down with my grandparents and my cousin. Honestly, the last three weeks have been such a great time in my life. Lots of sit-down talks with my family, and it's been great.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Could you give us your impressions of the tournament in general?
JESSICA KORDA: I love it here. I love being here. I think it's so much fun. We stay at amazing hotels and play an incredible golf course. Everybody around s here takes such great care of us.

It's such an easy week. All we have to do is show up, and the rest is kind of written out for us. And play golf. So I think just for it being such a well organized tournament, and they really, really do take amazing care of us.

Q. How different is it from other tournaments?
JESSICA KORDA: I think it just has a little bit of a home feel. You know, we come to Asia and we come alone a lot of the time. It's too long of a trip for families to make it.

It's just more a homey feel. That's kind of just what we thrive on. It's the same as all of Asia. We all travel together. Some of us room together. It's nice to see that camaraderie come out a little bit.

Q. In this final round, did you have any doubts that you were going to be able to do it?
JESSICA KORDA: Not really. I know I was weirdly calm today. I knew what I needed to do. I needed to take care of myself. If somebody was going to make a hot start, that's just the way it was going to be. I was going to continue playing my game.

THE MODERATOR: I know you said you used to watch scoreboards more than you did in this week. Did you see Lydia charging?

JESSICA KORDA: Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I knew that was going to happen. She told me last night.

THE MODERATOR: What did she say?

JESSICA KORDA: We were just joking around saying that we were just going to come out here and just birdie barrage it out and have a lot of fun with it.

I told her if she played slow I'd hit it to her, so we just had a lot of the friendly banter.

THE MODERATOR: As soon as she exited the scores tent she took off straight to the 18th green to see you. What did that mean to you?

JESSICA KORDA: That's just a testament of the amazing person she is. She is definitely one my closest friends out here. It's always a good laugh with her.

Q. You have a new driver in your bag, the TaylorMade M1. Can you tell us about it?
JESSICA KORDA: Oh, I love that thing. I love my TaylorMade M1 driver. Just so much more confident over it. I know I can swing it.

If I didn't have it in the bag I don't think I would've won today.

Q. You would've noticed that the Malaysian contingent at this tournament aren't the best. What advice would you give to them in terms of not giving up?
JESSICA KORDA: You know, the struggle, it's hard. It's not easy to go low and missing cuts and struggling to shoot even 1-under par.

I think the message that you should always kind of convey is you started doing it for a reason, and you got to fall back in love with it. Whatever it takes, there is a reason why you are where you are. Step back, reevaluate, and start putting in the hard work.

Hard work does pay off. You know, there is a reason why you were struggling. You might have not been putting in as much time and effort and haven't been thinking about it enough.

So there is always something missing. So just step back and reevaluate and apply yourself to the system.

Q. You mentioned family. How important is the caddie?
JESSICA KORDA: Very. (Laughter.) Yeah, look at him over there smiling. No, I mean, it's hard. I feel bad sometimes. Sometimes they just have to stand there and take it from you.

Your biggest critic and your biggest support. I always can look at Kyle and know that it's going to be okay. He stuck by me this year. I'm just so glad that we won and he can start paying off this house now.

Q. How does this win turn around your season? I'm sure it's a big confidence booster. But the next few weeks coming to the CME...
JESSICA KORDA: It's the right step. My motto has been: One foot in front of the other. I'm going to keep doing that, just one foot in front of the other, and see what it has to bring. You can't force it. I tried forcing it a lot of this year, and that's just not something that works.

You just need to let to come to you and keep applying yourself.

Q. Do you feel that golf is your purpose in life?
JESSICA KORDA: I feel like inspiring the younger generation is my purpose. Winning, that last for a couple of days, couple of hours, that feeling of euphoria you've won.

I think what you do with it is what matters the most. There are so many amazing kids out here this week. You know, my little -- I call her my little friend. My friend Natasha was out every day and introduced me to some Malaysian food on Friday.

Just seeing the impact that just our little chit chats might have for her love of golf, for her drive, for her passion, I definitely think that's more important.

Q. Was the food a bit greasy?
JESSICA KORDA: No. It was actually very delicious.

Q. Who is the new coach that you changed to, when did that happen, and what were the changes you made?
JESSICA KORDA: I went to David Whelan. He coaches Paula, my sister, and he actually coaches my boyfriend as well. I think between the three of us, Paula always has her times, but between the three of us we always argue on who is going to get the best time.

But he's so laid back. He has such a different outlook on things. That's so refreshing. He would send me off -- ask me why am I on the driving range. I was like, I don't know. He goes, You're putting on a clinic. You need to go and play. That's all he kept telling me every time I showed up on the range for a lesson. He said, You don't need anything. Go play. You don't need me right now.

To hear that from a coach is refreshing. Not having to always grind on something or always change something. Just whatever you have and it looks good, go play.

THE MODERATOR: When did that relationship start? Really didn't change anything in your swing then?

JESSICA KORDA: The week before the British. You know, a lot of the missed cuts came after that as well, but just kept applying the same stuff. Kept working on the same things.

I switched back to steel shafts in my irons, and that definitely helped. I'm a lot healthier because my physical trainer has been really on me about being physically fit.

You know, just everything has come together very nicely this week.

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