U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN

June 1, 2021

Nelly Korda

The Olympic Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Please welcome this morning, Nelly Korda. Nelly will be making her seventh U.S. Women's Open appearance this week, with her first coming at the age of 14.

Nelly, we've heard a lot about the course, a lot of people saying it's tough, great. Give us your first reactions.

NELLY KORDA: I just think it's such a U.S. Open golf course: tight fairways, high roughs, small greens. It's going to be a shot-making golf course, and I can't wait to get started on Thursday.

THE MODERATOR: Talk to us about your feelings about the U.S. Open, why you love this week so much.

NELLY KORDA: I think it's just because this is where my love for the game grew. As you said, this is my seventh U.S. Open. I played in my first one when I was 14, and every single time I walk on the range or walk on the golf course at a U.S. Open, it just gives me a feeling inside that I love.

Q. You didn't play last week at the match play. How do you make decisions on what events you do choose to play and how you prepare for majors?

NELLY KORDA: Usually just sit down with my team. But when you think about match play and you look at the schedule, you know that, if you -- hopefully you do make it to the weekend. You could be possibly playing 36 holes in Vegas where it's really hot.

All you want to do is be prepared going into the U.S. Open, and I just thought playing Vegas, unfortunately, it's such a cool event and I wish I could have played it, but I was just focusing on being prepared for this week.

Q. Can you talk me through the preparations for this week? What did that look like?

NELLY KORDA: Well, here or at home?

Q. Both.

NELLY KORDA: I took a day or two to relax and then got to work with my coach and my trainer and made sure my body was 100 percent coming into this week.

Q. What's it like being the sister of an ATP winner?

NELLY KORDA: It's good. I get referred to as Petr Korda's daughter and Jessica Korda's little sister, and now I'm going to be referred to as Sebastian Korda's little sister.

Q. You were watching, I take it?

NELLY KORDA: Of course. I pretty much watched every round. It was amazing. He played really well, and I'm super happy for him.

Q. We were talking to Jessica a little earlier that there's got to be a family dynamic where you guys feed off of each other. How nice is it now to have Sebi as a winner as well?

NELLY KORDA: Since kind of last year -- I don't know what happened, but he trained so hard during the shutdown, COVID, when it first happened. He came out and just started really balling out. He played really well. He put in so much work, and to just see that is pretty inspiring. Jess is playing really well this year, too. We all have a win, which is cool.

I guess, in a way, we are feeding off each other, but we know it's an individual sport, and at the end of the day, everyone carves their own path.

Q. How would you characterize the rough here and what kind of clubs are you able to hit out of it?

NELLY KORDA: Thick (Laughter). I don't know, it's definitely going to be about hitting fairways. The greens are small, so if you miss a fairway, it's highly unlikely that you're going to have a nice shot into the green because, even around the greens, the rough is really thick and it's going to be difficult because the greens -- I feel like it's on a side of like a hill, so every hole is like this. So the greens are really fast when it goes downhill.

Q. Steve asked you about your brother. I'm curious how you and your sister feed off each other and what's it going to be like to play in the same group in a major? Does that loosen the atmosphere a little or is it just business as usual or what's that going to be like?

NELLY KORDA: It will be easier for my parents. The first thing my dad was like, Yes, I just get to walk 18 holes. It will be nice. We do feed off each other, but at the end of the day like if I'm struggling, she's right there. I can lean on her and vice versa.

Q. How much growing up did her interest in golf sort of guide you that way? What was the dynamic like when you guys were younger?

NELLY KORDA: For sure. I mean, honestly, growing up I spent a lot of time with my brother because I think Jess' rookie year was 2011, and I didn't really see her that much like when I was in my teens. Obviously, seeing her on Tour and excelling was definitely motivating for me.

Q. What is the dynamic like for you to always be your dad's daughter or your brother's sister or your sister's sister? Are you fine with that, or is there ever a part of you that says, I want them to be known as Nelly's father, sister, brother?

NELLY KORDA: I think it's cool. That just means that they're doing well, and hopefully they'll be referred to as Nelly Korda's big or little sister, too. I don't really think about it too much. I just hope that they do well and I hope they excel at anything they put their mind to.

Q. Nelly, one thing not on the extensive Korda resume is a major victory. How much is that an emphasis for you guys? How much do you talk about it? What are the things you've analyzed about getting over the major hump?

NELLY KORDA: Well, there actually is a major on the Korda resume. It's my dad (Laughter). I mean, yeah, it's definitely a number one goal of ours to contend in majors and to eventually lift a trophy, but it's all about preparation.

It's all about the mindset going into the week and not putting so much pressure on yourself, because I feel like when you put so much pressure on that one event, you kind of lose like the joy of actually being able to play an amazing golf course and just having fun.

Because that is the most important thing, is just having fun and having a good time out there. I think good golf will always solve the issues.

Q. Have you felt like you've had to change your approach a little bit from when you started playing them until now?

NELLY KORDA: I think every single time you tee it up in a major or you contend, you learn more about yourself and how to handle a situation differently.

Q. There's a chance all three of you will be in Japan for the Olympics. Your sister says she doesn't look at rankings that much. How much is that on your mind, and how special would that be if you were all there?

NELLY KORDA: I mean, it would be amazing. It would be an amazing opportunity to rep our country. But same as Jess, I don't really look at it too much. Right now I'm just focusing on this week and see where that takes me.