Photo: USGA/John Mummert
Following are excerpts from the USGA interview with Nelly Korda at the U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills in Wisconsin.
Korda is the top ranked player in the world but has to win this year, something she had done six times before last year’s Open. She hasn’t been playing poorly – she just has not been as dominant as last year.
She has been grouped for the first two rounds in a super group with Britian’s Charley Hull and Lexi Thomson of the United States. It is as high profile a group as any in women’s golf today!
The interview has been edited by ACES editor Dennis Miller.
THE MODERATOR: Welcome back to the interview area at the 80th U.S. Women’s Open presented by Ally. You just got off the golf course, played nine holes this morning. What’s your reaction to the test out there?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, it’s definitely going to test everyone’s game, very demanding, so I’m excited to see how this week is going to play out.
Question: What do you think is going to be sort of the characteristics someone needs to tackle Erin Hills?
NELLY KORDA: It’s very demanding off the tee with all the bunkers. The bunkers are not easy. Sometimes you just don’t even have a stance in them because they’re so small.
Then the shots into the greens and also the greens. Just an overall good test of your entire game.
Question: Can I get your impressions of the 9th hole, the par-3, which in some championships here has been one of the toughest holes on the course?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, it’s a diabolical green for sure, especially if the wind gets up. It’s going to be a very interesting test. I wonder how many groups are going to be on the tee box.
But yeah, that’s the U.S. Open; it’s supposed to test every part of your game. You’re supposed to have holes like that. It’s a really cool hole because obviously on the green you look at it and you don’t see how sloped the green is.
If you look at it just from the tee box, you see it’s kind of like a shorter par-3, but it’s very, very demanding in every aspect.
Questions: Obviously one of the longer hitters on the LPGA Tour but probably putting a premium on accuracy as well as distance this week. Can you talk to what it’s going to take to keep the ball in the fairway out here?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, no matter how long you hit it, sometimes on golf courses longer hitters have to thread it a bit more than shorter hitters. It doesn’t really matter how far you hit it, it’s all about accuracy at the end of the day, especially on a golf course like this.
Question: Late last year, Justin Thomas said that one of the hardest things in golf is to play when everyone knows that you’re going to potentially contend and/or win. Do you subscribe to that? Do you believe in that? Is that something you think about?
NELLY KORDA: Not necessarily, I don’t try and think about it. Definitely when you’re a higher ranked player or you’re more popular there is more pressure on you just from outside perspective when it comes to media, fans coming out it to watch you play.
If you want to feel it, you will feel it, but I think what’s really important is just kind of sticking to your game plan and being really focused on what you’re doing present time, and that’s really helped me.
Question: Was that something that you had to develop over time? Was that a thought process that you started golf with or started professional golf with, or is that something you’ve worked on?
NELLY KORDA: I think the more you’re put in under-pressure moments and the more you’re in contention, you learn more about yourself and how to handle those situations.
Every year something has tested me, and every year I learn a little bit more about myself and how to handle myself in some situations. So yeah, I think it’s all about putting yourself into that position.
But at the end of the day, you’re the one that put yourself there, and you have to be grateful that you are in that spot, and you kind of have to just enjoy even the pressure.
Question: The LPGA had some big news last week. I’m wondering if you’ve had a chance to talk to Craig Kessler, and what are your impressions?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I’ve briefly talked to Craig. I’m excited for the role that he’s going to play and for the future of the LPGA. I think he’s a great person from the interactions that I’ve had with him. He has so much energy, so much positivity that I think it’s going to be really good for the LPGA.
Question: It’s a long commute for most people. I’m curious if you’re staying in the Milwaukee area, how you balance your time this week being way out here?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I’m staying in a house probably 15, 20 minutes away, so not that bad. But it’s so pretty. I’m staying on a lake and it’s a nice little getaway.
And my parents came with me. Usually they get in on Wednesday, but they’ve been with me here all week, so it’s been nice, too.