FORTINET FOUNDERS CUP

March 21, 2026

Nelly Korda

Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Nelly Korda after the third round of the Fortinet Founders Cup. Just touch a little bit on today's play for you.

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, solid overall. I mean, it's nice to have a clean scorecard wherever you play. Doesn't matter. With kind of how tough it is off the tee and into the greens, just really happy with my round today.

Q. Can you touch on how the course has changed over the past couple days? I feel like we've heard so much from so many different people, and of course it probably depends what time of the day they're playing.

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I played yesterday morning and it was still soft, putting our divots back. The ground was still like moist and today it was just really dry.

So obviously have to just adapt to those conditions. Can't really prepare for it before your round. You just kind of figure that on the fly as you go.

But mindset is that everyone is in the same boat, so you just kind of have to always adapt with golf, right?

Q. And then I wanted to ask, you talked about your process in the interview with Karen. When do you think you finally got clicked with the good process? Does what make sense or is it always evolving?

NELLY KORDA: I think it's always evolving. Mentally you could be in a different state a month from now and you were thinking just how good it was in a month ago. And then in two months you could be like, wow, this is the best I've ever felt.

You're always adapting, not just like as a golfer but as a human being, right?

So I would say it's just about finding comfort in your own skin and kind of being true to yourself and knowing like why am I out here is the big question. What's my passion? What do I love doing?

I feel like if you answer those questions and you really enjoy being out here, it's always fun and you always enjoy the ups and downs.

Q. How do you adjust your process when it gets a little crispy?

NELLY KORDA: Crispy as in the ground?

Q. Yes.

NELLY KORDA: We just know there is a bit more roll-out let's say if you were more aggressive. Couple time the first two days you can land a wedge pin high and you know it's going to spin. Now it's like, okay, you need to land it ten short.

Or same thing in the fairways. You know it's going to roll out maybe ten more yards than it did the first two days.

So you just kind of adjust to that. Pick your numbers. Also like tee boxes change every single day. No matter what you do that every week anyway. You're always adjusting your -- what's it called?

Q. Game plan?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, game plan, yeah.

Q. When you look at -- and I know a lot of people may think it's a little bit odd how you do your schedule. Won, took a big fat break, and now you're right back in contention. What do you say to people that look at that schedule and maybe wonder if you're right back in competitive mode? Do you feel more comfortable and settled now that you've had time to rest and now you're right back at it riding momentum from Hilton but having a break to back it up?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I mean, for me this is my tenth year on the LPGA; my 11th year as a pro. I'm old.

I mean, but I've learned. I've learned that if I don't take time off -- and I get to play these amazing events in December, but that takes up a good chunk of my offseason. If I don't take time off that's going to catch up to me in the middle of the season.

It's not saying that I won't be injured or tired throughout the season. It just means that I'm giving my body the best opportunity to make sure that I don't put myself into that position.

I've just -- with the help of my dad, everyone on my team, I love playing in Asia. I've contended in all those tournaments. I love playing in front of those fans. I think they're some of the most passionate fans to play in front of.

My priority is just to make sure that I give myself a chunk of break and that also just helps me be fresh and like love the game even more even through its ups and downs.

You want to have a fresh mindset. You don't want to be burnt out.

Q. How fun and how validating is it to have won and now put yourself in this position again to chase another title down on Sunday?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I took six weeks off from competitive golf, but I was still grinding so much when it came to my game, my body, whatever. It's nice to see hard work pay off. Every girl out here, every athlete is putting in so much hard work.

Whenever that does pay off it feels really nice. You just know you have to soak in every single moment because you just never know when that rollercoaster will start again, right?

Q. I believe you said you cooked the other day. Did you cook last night?

NELLY KORDA: I did cook last night. I made that viral cottage cheese bowl with the sweet potato. I put the sweet potato in the oven for an hour and then had it with cottage cheese, avocado. I sauteed some beef and then put some honey on it. It was very good, yeah.

Q. Might do it again tonight?

NELLY KORDA: No. I don't have any beef. I would if I had it. I think I'm going to go Greek. Or I've been feeling sushi. It's the Bay Area. There is too many good restaurants so it's so hard to make a good decision.