FORTINET FOUNDERS CUP

March 17, 2026

Nelly Korda

Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right, joining me ahead of the Fortinet Founders Cup is Nelly Korda. Nelly, this is your first start since your win at Hilton.

NELLY KORDA: Yeah.

Q. How does that give you confidence or set you up you think for the season?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I mean, I took six weeks off, so it's pretty much like I'm coming in off my offseason.

Yeah, it was nice to be home for a little bit, get into a routine. Obviously nice to get a win at the start of the year even though it was in a sense a little bit of an interesting one with the weather.

But, yeah, tried to work really hard when I was home to get ready for a long stretch now, starting this week.

Q. As you mentioned you took some time off. What was that stretch like and what did you do with that extra time?

NELLY KORDA: I just kind of worked out a lot in the gym and then started practicing. So a lot of time just kind of setting up a routine. Cooked a lot at home, which was really nice.

Really enjoyed being around family, but did grind a lot, too.

Q. This event last year was held near your hometown. How do you prepare for an event like that that's right in your stomping rounds versus somewhere like this across the country?

NELLY KORDA: It's weird staying at your own house during a tournament, but, yeah, I mean, any time that I get to play at home, especially also in my hometown, Bradenton, that was a dream come true to win there. To play in front of friends and family is always so much fun.

It's nice to have a test and play a new golf course. The weather and the golf course is really amazing this week. Lucky to be out here at Sharon. But, yeah, it's going to be a good test.

Q. Obviously a fan of the golf course. What specifically do you like about it?

NELLY KORDA: I think it's pretty just demanding overall. Greens are softer. I heard they were shut maybe for two years doing some renovations. Not 100% if that's accurate.

But pretty demanding off the tee. There is no first cut so it's either fairway or rough and it's pretty tight. The bunkers are pretty penal. So, yeah, just going to be a very demanding off the tee.

If you are hitting it really good you feel like you do have a good opportunity to kind of shoot a low one.

Q. Talking to Morgan Pressel last week about while a lot of players are trying to find their game after a long break when they come to their first tournament, see how everything is, you are usually winning or right there. What is it in your prep during a long stretch that enables you to hit the gas to quickly?

NELLY KORDA: I mean, I'm still trying to tighten up loose ends really my first week to see like being back into playing mode, especially walking. That's the biggest adjustment. Bottom of my feet are sore and so are my shins.

I think maybe you're a little fresher. You're just super excited to be back out, competing, playing among the best golfers early in the world. I think you're just your mind is a little bit more refreshed.

I'm grinding a lot at home. It's not like I'm taking all six weeks off. I think I just took five days off really and I was in the gym and out practice, out putting in a lot of work with my coach David Whelan.

And, yeah, you're already eager to get out and play instead of just being on the practice area kind of grinding on your game. You're just very eager to go out and post a number.

Q. What are specialty dishes in the kitchen?

NELLY KORDA: I was very adventurous this time around. I don't think I made the same thing twice. Yes, very hard to do. Yeah, just like always looking up healthy recipes. I was concentrating on eating very clean, so a lot of veggies, gluten free, high protein, yeah.

Q. Isn't that normal for you or no?

NELLY KORDA: It's hard on the road to really be clean. There is a lot of temptation to what you see on a menu, especially me being a foodie. That's one of the best things I think about traveling the world is like all the different cuisines you get to try and amazing restaurants you get to try.

At home I was very disciplined.

Q. I was going ask you, there is such a strong presence of the Founders and what they have meant to the LPGA throughout this week. Can you just speak to their legacy and what it means to you as a player?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, without them, we wouldn't be here today. I mean, you know, for them to come out and really bet on themselves and put the work that they did for this Tour, we have to honor their legacy and continue putting in the work for them to honor their legacy.

Without them, we wouldn't be here today. This tournament is a great reminder, especially at the start of the year, to make sure that we're honoring them and continue on with the LPGA Tour and taking those strides forward.

For me, I love seeing all the legends come out. Even around Solheim Cup, when all the past captains come out it's so much fun to hear their stories. It's always a great week.

Q. I think you posted recently a little picture of you as a little girl.

NELLY KORDA: Uh-huh.

Q. Talk about where at that came from. Did you run into any other pictures? I think you had Nike stuff on.

NELLY KORDA: I did. Yeah, I have a bunch of photographs from when I was little the golf course with my brother and sister. Just a really fun throwback.

Q. How was the time with the Solheim Cup team at Inkster's house? How do you think it was beneficial to the team?

NELLY KORDA: It's great. We don't have the opportunity to get together throughout the season where a bunch of us have kind of the time, so we flew in a little earlier to spend some time with Inkster, Pat Hurst, with all the assistants, Ang. So it was fun. It was a great everything. And then we played the next day, too which we had little bit of fun on the golf course.

We teamed up and did a red versus white team. It was fun getting together and especially the week of -- or the year the Solheim we don't really have the opportunity to do something like that, so it was a great way to kind of get to know each other when we don't really get to do that. We're so focused on ourselves and our golf game throughout the year.

Q. Leg day, you posted about it. Pretty intense.

NELLY KORDA: Yeah.

Q. The box jump was...

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I hit a couple PRs this offseason.

Q. Box jump specifically, how high is that and was that a PR?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I was 36 inches and my trainer is trying to get me to 40. When I see 40 in front of me I'm like no chance. Super high. I don't try too train like a golfer. I just try to train like an athlete. I think that's what makes the workouts so fun to me.

I just get to do something different and I love being in in the gym. It's kind of like an outlet for some golfers, too. But, yes, hit a lot of the PRs this offseason.

Q. What were some of the other ones?

NELLY KORDA: I mean, definitely not the box jump. The hip thrust for sure. Barbell dead lifts -- sorry, not -- yeah, barbell dead lifts. Just anything with upper body. I don't love to do upper body. I feel like I lose feel especially when I'm practicing.

Since I wasn't playing golf for a little bit, I was okay doing it.

Q. How do you start out on the box jump?

NELLY KORDA: I have pretty long levers, so he just tries to make it difficult for me. Thankfully they're soft. Couple times I've hit any shins pretty hard. A wooden box would not be it for that.