THE ANNIKA DRIVEN BY GAINBRIDGE AT PELICAN

November 12, 2026

Nelly Korda

Pelican Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Okay, we are pleased to be joined by Nelly Korda after her first round at The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican.

Nelly, bogey-free round out here today. Obviously you talked about just having so much rest the past couple weeks. How does it feel to come out here bogey-free after having that rest?

NELLY KORDA: It feels great. Definitely when you're playing out and practicing there is not as much I would say pressure, but it was nice to kind of feel those juices flowing again, especially playing with Hye-Jin who just had a great round today.

And then Auston played really well, too. I feel like all of us were flowing with our round really well. Yeah, it feels nice. There are times where you can't do anything about it but you get a little burnt out mentally and it's nice to take a break.

After like week three I was already ready to get back out here. Feel really good to be back. But it's really important to take that break as well.

Q. Yeah, you talk about the competitiveness with Auston and Hye-Jin out there. How important is it to keep it low on this course?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, you just have to focus on yourself. Sometimes when everyone is dropping birdies around you you get a little frustrated when they're not going in. The most important thing is just trusting your process and take it one shot at a time. You hear that over and over again in golf, but it is really important. You have to keep it simple.

Q. Wrapped up the Rolex Player of the Year. If you were to win this week or next week and get into the Hall of Fame, this almost be like a Nelly slam for you? Having the best year of your career probably.

NELLY KORDA: I mean, every year has been so different. Two years ago I won seven times, so I've had some amazing years in my career. Is the Hall of Fame something I'm really looking at? Not at all. I mean, I'm just focusing on being competitive and trying to give it my all.

The accolades are great. I'm honored to even be in that position. Honored to be the Player of the Year. What drives me is the competitive tournament that I'm in currently. Like I want to do the best that I possibly can where I currently am.

After that, everything else is out of my control.

Q. During your break, what are some of your favorite things to do to refresh mentally?

NELLY KORDA: Honestly, just cooking at home and sleeping in my own bed; a little bit of a routine. Really the simplest things possible. Going to the gym, having a routine there. I didn't have that much time off. I went to grease right after Solheim.

I probably -- I went there for five days and after that, I mean, I probably took four days off max. I was in the gym, practicing, doing what I wanted to do kind of. Just getting in a routine of being like a normal kind of human being. I think that's what reenergizes my batteries the most.

Q. Favorite thing in Greece?

NELLY KORDA: The food and the cats. Almost took a few back home with me. They were everywhere and super cute.

Q. You mentioned you had your putting coach out here.

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, David.

Q. Is there anything specifically that you've been working on during the break leading up to this?

NELLY KORDA: No, I think we're always working on the same things of like first making sure that my tendencies, working on my tendencies, and after that working on start target, and after that performance drills. Always the same exact things.

He knows I like to keep is simple in my camp. I don't want to know all the numbers. I just want to know a few simple keys. He's been a great addition.

Q. What's the tendency?

NELLY KORDA: I just shut the face on the way back, so that's one of the things I do. I just kind of take it straight back, but with that I shut my face and then I open it on the way through.

Q. Thank you. Just like riding a bike, huh?

NELLY KORDA: I wish.

Q. When you come back from a long break, if you could narrow it down to one or two things, what are the things you absolutely have to have back in place when you get on the first tee here?

NELLY KORDA: I mean, your distances are a little bit different with adrenaline, but it's about trusting yourself and going through the same exact routine over and over again with your caddie.

I've been with my caddie for eight years now so we've gotten to know each other really well. He knows exactly what to say, and we switch right back into that routine. I think there is a comfort in that, so I get comfortable knowing I put in a lot of work and I just need to ease on into the round.

Q. You kind of mentioned that you were getting a little anxious to come back, that the break was long.

NELLY KORDA: I wouldn't say anxious. Excited, yeah.

Q. Okay. Fair enough. At what point were you kind of saying, can we get The ANNIKA going here?

NELLY KORDA: You know, I needed to take that break, and right after Solheim I was burnt out. I just didn't want to -- I just needed to mentally step away for a few days. Five days really is all really I need.

But not feeling guilty of having to go practice again in a few weeks because a tournament is coming up. I had bit of an extended break.

It's important. I mean, there is girls that play 30 events because it's their rookie year. My body just can't do that. Once I start to feel something I just have to take that break. I need to be like, okay, I'm going to miss a few events here and there, but at least I'm giving my body the break and rest it needs to eventually not create something bigger from it.

Q. What's the highest number of events you played out here?

NELLY KORDA: That's a great question. I have no idea. (Smiling.) No idea, yeah.