THE MODERATOR: All right, welcome to the media center at the 2025 CME Group Tour Championship. Joined by Nelly Korda. I have one question before I open it up.
Another year here at CME Group Tour Championship. Just wrapped up your pro-am. What can you say about being here again this year?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, oh, my gosh, Jason and I were talking about it driving in from the pro-am. We can't believe that we're here again. Like it just feels like this year has flown by.
You know, it's always a goal to make it to the Tour Championship, so yeah, just excited about the week ahead.
Q. With one more week to go can you wrap up your season, good, challenges, all of it?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, it's definitely been an interesting year I would say. There has been good; there has been flashes of really good; there has been flashes of I don't know what just happened. (Laughter.)
But I would say overall that's just kind of golf. Coming off last year it's kind of always going to be difficult to back that up.
But this is my ninth year on the LPGA Tour and every year has been very, very different.
So, again, you know, I get to do what I love. I get to compete against the best players in the world that at the end of the day raise my game too. Even I'm not playing well they make my want to raise my game all the time.
It's been fun. It's been a good year at the end of the day. I've been healthy for the most part. That was definitely a very big goal of mine going into this year, is making sure that I was healthy.
But, yeah, it definitely sucks in a way that I didn't get to raise a trophy, but I still have one more week to try to get that done.
Q. I was going to ask you about that. We've seen 29 different winners on Tour.
NELLY KORDA: Yeah.
Q. How do you assess having a good year but not having the win?
NELLY KORDA: The competition is just getting better. Girls are just getting really good. You see that across all sports though. Everyone is getting better. The technology when it comes to that, the knowledge, whatever you want to point it to, it's just really tough to win anywhere.
Yeah, I mean, at the end of the day that is also -- you can spin it in a very positive way of like, okay, I need to sit down and I need to improve myself to keep up with all the good play out here.
But yeah, overall, I mean, the goal every week is to be in that final group and to raise a trophy. I would say in individual spots you definitely lose more than you win, but it's always just a learning opportunity for me.
The drive of competing against the best players in the world is what drives me to be out here and to compete.
Q. Nelly, you never finished worse than T19 here. What is it about this golf course, property, tournament that brings out the best in you?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I love Florida golf. Grew up here. My family and friends come out. It's so close to home. I think there is just kind of a level of comfort. I would say that playing on bermudagrass, growing up on it is definitely an advantage.
But I think it comes down to just like a sense of comfort of having my people around and being relaxed.
Q. ...storylines this week about the Tour in general. Just thoughts on the new FM partnership, the television coverage, how it's changing and the schedule this year.
NELLY KORDA: I think it's honestly amazing for FM to step up and for everyone behind the scenes at the LPGA to come together and do this for the Tour is amazing.
I said this so many times. I mean, since seeing Jess out here since 2011, just the improvements and the strides that women's sports have taken, and for us to finally get our shot at having live TV and for people investing in our product out here has been amazing.
I can't wait to see where it's going to go, but it all come downs to having great leadership and that's what we really do have here at the LPGA.
Q. Obviously I know routing is important to you. When you look at the schedule next year, what do you like and not like? What's kind of your target on how many events you'll play?
NELLY KORDA: I love the beginning the of season. I think having a West Coast swing at the beginning of the season is great. Where I would love to see improvements obviously is the majors. I feel like they're really bunched up.
But I would say it's a marathon. It's not a sprint. I think if we continuously make small improvements it's going to get there. You can't snap your fingers and for it all to be done.
I've seen major improvements in our scheduling as well.
Q. When you look at the numbers, seven wins to zero, looks like a huge dropoff.
NELLY KORDA: Uh-huh.
Q. But in your case I believe - you believe too -- it's not been the case. Stats aren't a whole lot different in a lot of ways. Is it true it's just a razor thin margin year to year and the wins --
NELLY KORDA: It's honestly a fine line. It comes down to sometimes one shot. It's like one putt lips out and you don't get your momentum. It's just such a fine line when it comes to golf.
And I'm not disappointed with the season. Obviously like I would've loved to raise a couple of trophies. When it comes down to my stats and the way my body has felt, it's been amazing compared to, I don't know, since 2021 I think I've been out for a couple months every single year with injuries.
So I always like to take the positives out of the year. I still have one more week. You never know what's going to happen. But with golf it's literally all about centimeters and it can go such a different way.
Q. You ever have any negative thoughts?
NELLY KORDA: Oh, yeah. I'm human. (Laughter.) And I'm a golfer.
Q. You kind of touched on this a minute ago, but golfers, you know, we hear from over the years always talk about they want to be better by the end of the year.
NELLY KORDA: Yeah.
Q. Do you feel like you're a better player than you were a year ago?
NELLY KORDA: I would say that -- that's a great question. I don't necessarily think that I'm a worse golfer or a better golfer. I would say that maybe last year few more things were going my way.
Q. Some good bounces here and there?
NELLY KORDA: Yes, correct. That's just kind of how golf is. I've never going to have a pity party and never going to be like, oh, why is it in this divot or why did I get that bad bounce. It's just sports. That's just how they are.
Sometimes you get a wave of good bounces and good breaks and sometimes you don't. When it comes to the level of effort that I give this game I would say I probably give it more this year -- every year I give it more and more and more.
I think about it more and more.
Q. Effort. I don't know what you mean.
NELLY KORDA: As in practice, diligence, body work. It doesn't matter. If there is something new out there that could improve my body, if there is a device that can help me with my practice, I will be doing it. I'm always looking and I have a great team doing the same for me and giving me great ideas.
There is not a lack of effort for sure in any department.
Q. And one more. I might need you to work with me on this one because I don't know how to word it. You talk about confidence you get from the game. Is there a way to measure what confidence you get from the preparation you do getting to the first tee on Thursday and confidence that comes from results?
NELLY KORDA: Preparation I would say is a lot for me. The practice that I do at home, I do way more practice at home than I do at events. I truly believe personally for myself that I don't like to practice at events. I like to play the golf course.
So preparation for me is really big. Knowing that there is nothing that's kind of going wrong, that I can commit to my lines out on the golf course. Obviously it helps when you're playing well, when you have a couple weeks that you're playing in a row.
But if you have some time off before maybe a few events, preparation is really important for me.
Q. Nelly, what have you learned about yourself this year?
NELLY KORDA: What have I learned about myself this year? I would say that what I learned about myself this year is that it's okay to lean on others when stuff isn't going well.
Q. And those that you've been able to lean on, how have they been able to help you?
NELLY KORDA: In every way possible. Doesn't matter if it's showing up for me, taking a call, texting me, FaceTiming me, it doesn't matter. They've just shown up every single day, which I'm very grateful for.
Q. How would you describe your health this week and how you're feeling physically?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I feel good. Played last week after a little bit of a break, but feel good.
Q. What would you have to achieve and do here this week to feel like you ended the season in a way that makes you proud?
NELLY KORDA: I mean, I'm going to be proud no matter what. Obviously the end goal is to lift the trophy at the end of the week.
Q. I remember at the KPMG you said that you learn or take everything away from every season out here.
NELLY KORDA: Yeah.
Q. If you took leaning on other people this year, what did you learn about yourself last year when everything was going your way?
NELLY KORDA: Also the same thing. I mean, I would say that you receive a lot more criticism when you're on top of the game, and having a tight knit circle, you're very grateful for the people you have around. The circle does get a little smaller, but I think I have an amazing circle.
I would say I'm extremely, extremely lucky for the people that I have around me. At the end of the day the life that we live and performing in front of people, it is super important to have that stability in your life.
Q. Lydia was in here yesterday saying she watched a press conference of yours and she notices the stats from this year and last year are pretty similar. How do you as a competitive athlete balance really, really wanting to win but not getting too down with the fact that sometimes things just don't fall your way like this year?
NELLY KORDA: I would say back to probably having the people around me and like venting to them. Honestly sometimes I feel bad because sometimes do I vent a little too much.
But they're also a great reminder. They see stuff differently than maybe what I see. And they've been around me for so long. I've had pretty much the same team my entire career.
So they're great people to bounce ideas off. Last week I was a little disappointed with my outcome and I talked to my team and they're like, well, this improved from the last time you played and this improved from the last time you played.
I think then you get a whole new perspective when you talk to your team who have been around for so long.
Q. We talk about growing the game. If you were to give someone just picking up the sport one tip to exponentially improve their game what would it would?
NELLY KORDA: Exponentially improve their game? I had a great coach growing up, you know, from different stages in my life. I started playing the game of golf when I started walking at the age two but started taking lessons when I was six and started playing in mini events when I was nine.
But I had an amazing coach growing up and we would hit fun flop shots, work on the more creative side of the game of golf versus the technique side. I think she would sneak it in here and there, but golf is a game of creativity, and from a young age if you work on that, then it's just going to continue growing.
Q. Perfect seque by the way. We are expecting a lot of those early, first-time golfers in attendance this weekend, probably following you along and cheering you on. What do the younger fans mean to you, and how does that make you feel when you're out there fighting for the trophy?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, it's probably my favorite thing about what we do, is seeing all of the little kids out there, picking their role models in the crowd. When I was their age I had role models too that I looked up to, and I think that's really important for them to come out and see what we do and hopefully love the game of golf as much as we do.
But it's probably the best part of what we get to do is seeing all the little kids out. No matter what kind of day you've had, I've shot a couple over and been so disappointed with my round and I'll still go and sign. All the little kids oh, my gosh you played great, and I have a tear going down my eye. Yeah, thank you.
But it's just a different perspective. To see like how much fun they have out here, you know, rejuvenates your love for the game, too.
Q. Before I ask my question, who was that first coach?
NELLY KORDA: Tracy Reiser, IMG Academy, yeah.
Q. So my question is how would you describe Jeeno's game and what you appreciate about her game and your relationship?
NELLY KORDA: I mean, just solid all around. She hits it great off the tee, is really accurate with her irons, and then at the end of the day, like she makes a lot of really clutch putts.
I've played with her a lot over the past two years, and I would say that she rarely ever has a miss-hit. That's kind of what have to do to be on top of the game and that's what's she's doing.
Q. Two quick ones. What has your relationship and friendship being around Caitlin Clark done for you and you what do you think you've done for her as athletes?
NELLY KORDA: I think we just enjoyed spending time with each other, respecting each other's crafts. I'm always really impressed with how big of an impact she has made across just sports in general. Doesn't matter I think what she does, if she goes out and plays baseball, there is going to be so many kids, so many people out there watching her.
To me that's super impressive, and I think she's -- for how young she is and the stardom that she was thrown into, she really carries herself really well. It's amazing to see how many people she pulls to a different sport.
Q. And what are your plans the next few months?
NELLY KORDA: Well, I'm back here in a few weeks, and then playing with my dad at the PNC in December.
Q. And then one last question. We had awesome news yesterday with the broadcast enhancements. What can you say about that and what's your reaction to that news?
NELLY KORDA: I'm so excited for the LPGA. I'm so proud of, you know, the people behind the scenes putting that together. It's just going to be super exciting to see what the future has in store for the LPGA.
I think the girls and the product out here, we really deserve it. I'm excited to see what everyone thinks about it.
THE MODERATOR: Awesome. Thank you for your time.
NELLY KORDA: Awesome. Thanks.
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