Welcome back to the media center here at the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship. Pleased to be joined by the new 2024 champion in NELLY KORDA.
Q. Nelly, overall, the thoughts of the last hour that you’ve had. Take me through what the last couple holes of regular play was like and then the emotions of that playoff.
NELLY KORDA: Honestly didn’t really start feeling nervous until I made that eagle putt. I was kind of just — I didn’t really know what was going on, how the group behind me was doing. It was so windy was caught up in trying to control my ball flight.
Once I made the eagle, I mean, I got maybe a little nervous where it kind of got a little ahead of myself and started making some mistakes of yeah, interesting last couple holes. Eagle, bogey, birdie, bogey, bogey. Yeah, it was just — I say this all the time, but I seem to always make it interesting.
Yeah, just doing normal Nelly things, making it interesting.
Q. Preparing for that playoff get to go 18 tee what was the main focus?
NELLY KORDA: Probably just calming down after making two back-to-back bogeys. You know, I vented to my coach on the putting green and then he asked me if I’m ready to be positive. Took a little bit and then I was ready.
And then we talked a little bit, laughed a little bit. He’s really good at just cracking jokes, which sometimes I just give him a pity laugh.
It’s usually pretty good.
And then, yeah, just when I walked to 18, Jay and I told ourselves that it’s still — I can still win, so just keep my head high.
Q. Having Jamie here this week, how much did that help you throughout this entire week and not only today?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, it helped a lot just because I haven’t played competitive golf in the past seven weeks. I took at least three and a half weeks off, off of golf, so it was nice to have him here all week.
If I was struggling after the round he knew exactly what to say, what to do. He’s also a super positive presence and I enjoy spending a lot of time around him.
Q. The conditions, wind, everything that was, was it about this golf course that you think you best overcame?
NELLY KORDA: I just kind of stayed in my own bubble for the majority of the four rounds. I was kind of on the cut line after round one at 1-over, and I just told myself, like there is so much golf to be played.
The weekend is going to be tough. Just stay in my own little bubble, and to kind of continuously chip at it. I think I did. I didn’t get too ahead of myself throughout the 72 holes — 73 holes.
Yeah, that’s what I did best around here. It gets tough. The conditions are tough. Greens are bouncy and I’m not the used to this kind of grass.
Yeah, just honestly, it’s very boring, but I stayed in my own little bubble.
Q. Obviously sounds like you got a little bit of a check from your coach there. How do you keep yourself in it when — bogey-bogey finish isn’t ideal — but how do you mentally reset as you look ahead to a playoff?
NELLY KORDA: I vented for a little and then I became positive. It’s nice to kind of let it out and to refocus again. I had a good bit of time. I think I had ten minutes to do my own thing, to let it out and to refocus and to know that it didn’t slip away just yet.
Even though I made two bogeys and in a sense I could have let it slip away. I knew that we’re both starting at even and we’re playing head-to-head. Best one wins.
Q. Two wins, two playoff victories this year. I know you say you like to keep it interesting. How does that tell you where your game is and mental fortitude as we hit the meat of the season here?
NELLY KORDA: I’m ready to not play a playoff and just win. (Laughter.) I’m stressing myself out.
No, I think as I said, with every win there is always a story of what you’re overcoming or going through. I never have the personality of I never back down. I make sure I give it my all 110% every single time, no matter what the circumstances are.
If I messed up or if I’ve finished eagle birdie, when you step on that tee in the first playoff hole, it’s time to go. It’s all fresh and new.
Q. How are you feeling just as we look ahead? First major of the year is in two, three weeks now, maybe a month. How are you feeling about your game looking ahead to Chevron and the major season this year?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, not too shabby. I would say there is definitely some loose ends I need to tighten up. I think overall the work I’ve put in I can see that I’ve improved.
Q. Congratulations. Twofold, wondering how you totally dealt with the wind out there? I know a lot of them didn’t do well and you figured out a way. Also, where do you see your game now as opposed to when you were at your absolute peak?
NELLY KORDA: How I dealt with the wind, I have a lower ball flight so I actually like playing in the wind. I wouldn’t say I like playing in it every week, but I grew up in Florida so hit a lot of controlled shots, penetrating shots.
Getting to play British the past couple years, too, I’ve kind of learned how to manage my game in the wind. It’s all about making the least amount of mistakes and give yourself opportunities when you can.
Where my game is at compared to what it was at my peak I can’t say because it was so long ago. I mean, that year kind of felt like a blur. Sometimes golf, you put so much effort into practice and into golf, and it kind of goes sideways and sometimes golf just kind of feels easy in a sense where everything is kind of flowing.
Throughout my career and throughout the rest of my career I’m going to have those times. Everyone kind of goes through them.
But I think it’s just managing it and having a team around you that knows you really well and that know how to put your head back into the game.
Q. Congratulations, Nelly.
NELLY KORDA: Thank you.
Q. Well played. I just want to go back to the break for a little bit, the three and a half weeks when you didn’t touch a golf club. What did that do for you in terms of a refresh? How did that fill your soul?
NELLY KORDA: It was so nice. I spent two and a half weeks in Prague with my family, which was amazing, in actually cold weather, and I really, really enjoyed it. I don’t remember — like I was telling Jay and Jamie, I don’t remember the last time I put my clubs away and wasn’t injured and was like in a good headspace.
For me, it was just super nice. Obviously I missed it by the three and a half weeks that I didn’t touch a club. I missed it and missed competing.
But I would say it was just so nice being in Prague with my family. I was actually there working out, too, so at lose I had something to do.
It was just a different change of pace and I really liked it.
Q. Then if I could ask one follow-up. Ten victories feels like a milestone number, to me at least. What does it mean to you? When you look back at the whole, did those ten victories come quicker than you thought or did it take longer than you thought?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I mean, I think I paused at eight for a pretty long time. I mean, seven, and then after 2021 I felt like I kept racking them up I guess, the wins and golf was so much fun.
And then 2022 I got one at the end of the year and last year was disappointing with no wins. I think it’s just golf. You got to take it as it comes. Everything happens for a reason. I’m always going to put 110% into everything I do, especially with how much I love the game.
I just think it’s so much fun competing. There is nothing better than that adrenaline rush coming down your last couple holes when you’re in the lead. When it comes to wins, obviously every event that I play in I want to win, but I also just love the experiences of playing in these events and learning more about myself.
Q. You talked a little bit about feeling some rust this week of that break. Where did you see that rust show up in your performance this week?
NELLY KORDA: I would say the first day a lot of my chip shots came up really short. Like I just looked at my caddie and — Jay and I was like, that’s knotted normal.
So I would say just kind of when it comes to just competing more of and like scoring, that’s where I saw the rust of taking my opportunities when they come.
I would hit it up close into a par-5 and I would just kind of not really gain anything from the shot that I hit. I just was rusty honestly.
Then turned it around the next three days.
Q. Given having some rust and going on to win, where do you see your game going from here with what the rest of the season might look like oops?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I have small goals and I’m continuously working on the same things. I think everyone will tell you throughout their entire career if they’re not making swing changes or changing coaches, they’re continuously working on the same things.
I’m not the type of person that wants to reinvent my swing or my game. I like to keep it very simple. I think when I play well I succeed well with a simple game.
Just making sure that everything is in line for me.
Q. With this win you are projected to return to the top of the Rolex Rankings. Was that one of those small goals to you? If not or if it is, what does that say about the state of how you’re feeling about your game?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I mean, gosh, I feel like the No. 1 ranking almost changes like the wind. It’s so back and forth. I would say I am so grateful and so proud that I have the world No. 1 ranking, that I got it back in 2021.
Would I say is it a goal of mine entering the year? I wouldn’t say it’s a goal, because if I play well and if I’m present and if I’m having fun out here, that all kind of comes with it.
So my goals are mainly very present of where I am right now, the week I’m playing, and just small little goals will eventually lead timeout big goals.
Q. To win a tournament with someone’s name like Seri Pak’s attached to it, what does it mean to be the first official championship of the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, actually this was the first time I got to speak and interact with her. Growing up, she inspired so many around, and me being one of them. She’s one of the greatest to ever play the game.
To get to meet her and talk to her and win her event is an amazing feeling.
WHAT’S IN NELLY KORDA’S BAG
- Taylor Made Qi10 Max 10.5° driver (Mitsubishi Diamana GT 60 S)
- TaylorMade Stealth 2 15.0° 3-wood (Fujikura Ventus Red 7 S)
- TaylorMade Stealth 2 21.0° 7-wood (Fujikura Ventus Black 7 S)
- TaylorMade P·770 5-iron (AeroTech SteelFiber i80 cw)
- TaylorMade P·7MC 6-PW (AeroTech SteelFiber i80 cw)
- TaylorMade Milled Grind 4 50° SB, 54° SB (AeroTech SteelFiber i95 cw)
- TaylorMade TP5x golf ball