GAINBRIDGE LPGA

February 28, 2021

Nelly Korda

Lake Nona Golf & Country Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome inside the interview press conference with the Gainbridge LPGA winner Nelly Korda. Nelly I know we've taken some minutes and done some interviews and everything like that, but what are your initial reactions after what you were able to do this week?

NELLY KORDA: I'm just so happy. I can't wait to put my feet up and relax for like 24 hours before go time again next week. I've had an amazing week and I made some clutch putts when I needed to and pulled it off, so that was nice.

THE MODERATOR: You came into this round as the 54-hole leader. What were some of the feelings you had this morning and what was some of the advice your caddie was giving you before you tee'd it off?

NELLY KORDA: Honestly, I was pretty uneasy all day. I was not hitting it good. I was not hitting enough greens. I was not hitting it great off the tee. I just kept it together. I really grinded today, and my caddie was definitely a big part of why I'm here right now holding the trophy up - without the trophy.

He kept me calm and is someone I can vent to. He even said, If you need to snap on someone, snap on me. So sometimes it's really good to get it out. He's such a great team player. I owe a lot of my success to him.

THE MODERATOR: I know you had a couple birdies on the front nine. On the back, some crucial par saves there. What stuck out the most?

NELLY KORDA: Probably that one on the Par 5. That 360. I just had to laugh because that was absurd. It was insane that it went in and a little bit of luck, too.

THE MODERATOR: Nothing like a little bit of luck.

NELLY KORDA: Yeah. You need little bit of luck when you win.

THE MODERATOR: As it was starting to get down to the closing holes, what were some of the thoughts racing through your head?

NELLY KORDA: Stay calm, stay calm, you got this.

THE MODERATOR: With that, this is your first victory on American soil, on home soil. What does that mean to you?

NELLY KORDA: Feels so nice. Honestly, I've been trying to get a victory on home soil, or just even in Florida is really nice. To have it in front of my parents, that's amazing.

So I think it's my first professional win in front of them, both of them. I don't think I've ever won an event in front of my mom. So for it to be in front of them it's a great feeling, to be honest.

Q. Also your sister, she had a birthday yesterday. She also won the first event of 2021. It's the second time that sisters have won consecutive events, the last one being Annika and Charlotta in 2000. What does that little stat mean to you, that this is something that Annika and Charlotta have done as well?

NELLY KORDA: It's amazing. If we can follow in their footsteps, in Annika's footsteps, that would be absurd. As I said, it just feels amazing to pull off a win, especially in front of family. It's actually kind of funny because Jess won the week of my dad's birthday and I won the week of Jess'.

THE MODERATOR: Nothing like a little coincidence. What are some of the things you've been working on specifically? We saw some incredible play at the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions and now here at Gainbridge LPGA. What has made that all come together?

NELLY KORDA: I'm back with my old coach, David Whelan, and we've just made my game back to simplicity. Honestly, that's the key pore me. I really grinded on my putting to make sure he was making those clutch putts, and on the front nine I was making a lot of clutch putts for par, especially at first three holes. So it's paid off.

It's nice to see hard work pay off, and hopefully continues to pay off if I work hard.

THE MODERATOR: We've seen you win in a playoff, but I think that was the most emotion we've seen out of you there on the green after the final putt dropped. What was that about for you?

NELLY KORDA: It was just the stress, honestly. I was so uptight and stressed today. It may not have looked that way, but if you just heard my conversations with my caddie today you would've known how stressed I was because I was not hitting it well. I didn't feel very good. I just grinded through it. Today was honestly a grind.

THE MODERATOR: Open it up.

Q. So I know you were excited for your sister at Diamond, but how much did it motivate you?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, definitely motivated me. Not even that, it's just getting to play Diamond Resorts motivated me. I love that event so much. I love the guys that play out there. I formed a pretty great relationship with a lot of them. I formed a great relationship with Derek Lowe. I'm probably going to go play with him at Concession when I'm done at Ocala.

So honestly that motivated me, too. But, yeah, Jess' win, I was like, Okay, I got to get one now. We were close that one year she won in Thailand and I was leading in Singapore, but it's nice to get back-to-back Korda wins now.

Q. So how do you think you'll celebrate? Will you go home in between now and Ocala?

NELLY KORDA: I'm not going to play golf tomorrow. I'm going to do my laundry, put my feet up, and just rest.

Q. I saw and you Angel laughing a lot out there. She's quite the comedian. What impact did that have on your day having someone like that out there with you?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, both her and Patty are really nice. We're around the same age, so they're both really outgoing and characters, especially Angel. I love playing with Angel. I've been paired with her a couple times and I'm pretty sure we've been on tour the same amount of years. Every single time I get to play with Angel I know it's always going to be a day.

Q. Did it help alleviate any of that stress you said you were feeling?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I think so. Any time you get to take your mind off things is good.

Q. In a way it's more satisfying having won against a great field without having your A game on Sunday?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, because I know that I can improve a lot, so it feels good. As I said, I was really stressed today, but I know there is a lot of room for improvement.

Q. You always seem really laid back and easygoing on the course. Describe how you were feeling internally.

NELLY KORDA: To be honest, I was very stressed. If Jason could is describe me he would say I'm a perfectionist, which is the worst thing you can be in golf. But I just -- I am a little hard on myself. I know a lot of golfers are. That's something I've always needed to work on probably, always tried to work on.

But I'm a perfectionist, and it's kind of hard to go away from a that to just tell yourself, You know what? It's okay. But, yeah, I mean, I try to stay as calm as I can and I do look really calm. A lot of people tell me that I look really calm. Internally I do stress a little.

Q. Congratulations.

NELLY KORDA: Thank you.

Q. When did you and David start working together again?

NELLY KORDA: Right after CME. Honestly, I had a meeting with him the Monday after CME. I just knew -- I started working with Dave when I was 16 and he took me pretty much from nothing to something. So I believe in him and I trust him so much, and I wouldn't be where I am without him. Honestly, my whole game is David Whelan.

Q. Looking back to last year, just kind of how the back injury threw things off course, how much does it mean to be starting this season off feeling good, feeling healthy, and getting a win so quickly?

NELLY KORDA: I mean, I think there is no athlete that's not in pain, to be honest. Every athlete is constantly dealing with something and just trying to maintain. Yeah, it's been a really hard six, seven months. I don't know when I injured it. I've worked a lot on my body to get myself to where I am today.

I'm continually going to work that hard, but it feels great to finally see the hard work payoff.

THE MODERATOR: Any more over here?

Q. Are you playing the Kia ahead of AMA?

NELLY KORDA: Yes. My plan is to play Kia right now, yes.

THE MODERATOR: As we begin to wrap it up, we've got another event coming up right away that you're leaving to and going to in just a little bit. What is it for you now to be able to go just a little bit away and have the confidence that you do have a win like that?

NELLY KORDA: For sure. I've never played in Ocala and I'm actually really excited to see that track because I've heard there are a lot of replica holes out there. So I'm super excited for next week already. I'm going to give myself a rest day tomorrow and get back into it on Tuesday.

THE MODERATOR: All right.

Q. Have you been to Ocala before?

NELLY KORDA: No, I've never been out there. I wasn't on tour when I they played. I didn't even go and watch. I heard the weather was brutal the year they played out there. Really cold. I looked at the weather forecast and should be pretty warm. That's nice.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Nelly.

Q. Congratulations.

NELLY KORDA: Thank you.