THE MODERATOR: All right, we are joined here by Nelly Korda, the champion of this week's 2026 Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba. Congratulations, Nelly.
First thing, I'll open with one question then open it up here. You had a great quote about asking players did you win with your A-game. What is your response after winning today? Do you feel like it was your A-game?
NELLY KORDA: Honestly, like I guess there is two parts to my round. Definitely on my front nine I had my A-game, and then on the back nine I wasn't playing bad; just wasn't hitting it close.
And then I was kind of cruising and then golf humbled me on the last hole. Made my first bogey I think on the weekend.
But overall, I'm just so happy. I mean, I just made two mistakes all week. With how tight the fairways are and how hard this golf course is, I played some really good golf.
I had flashes of A-game and some flashes of C and B, but got it done.
Q. And coming down 18, seeing the crowd there, I don't know if you knew the lead you had, but what was going through your mind?
NELLY KORDA: I was just a little frustrated that I actually hit a (indiscernible) on the drive. I was like, really, on the last hole? And then the 18th hole always had a really cool vibe. The music was blaring and I think everyone was just enjoying themselves.
At the end of the day I just really wanted to have fun, too, and to make that long putt for bogey, even though it was for bogey, was great to emphasize the week on a good solid stroke and good putt that went in.
Q. First, congratulations on your win.
NELLY KORDA: Thank you.
Q. How do you feel playing here in El Camaleon? You said earlier that it's one of your favorites places. Would you like to come here back next year?
NELLY KORDA: Definitely. I mean, I've been here on vacation once and now I've come here to compete. I think it was a perfect week after a major championship, too, where it felt like it was super relaxing but I knew that I needed to grind and I was here to work.
So it's like a slice of paradise. The resorts are all unbelievable. The food is unbelievable. I must say I'm tacoed out. I'm not going to touch a taco for on the least two weeks now. I've had too many.
Everyone has been so nice. I've had such an amazing time. Yeah, I mean, emphasizing it with a win, at the end of the day that's what I was coming here for. There is an aspect to also being super relaxing and a fun vibe this week.
Q. What was your best shot of the weekend?
NELLY KORDA: My best shot of the week? My putt on 18 for bogey. (Laughter.) I had a few. I mean, today I hit a really good 7-wood into the par-5 six I think. Yeah. And then emphasized that with an eagle.
So, yeah, I mean, overall I hit some really good shots. You have to out here. With the wind kind of swirling every single day between the mangroves and not feeling it too much and knowing that the wind is up higher, you have to really trust your shots.
And then I hit a really good shot on 15 yesterday where I made -- that's obviously the signature hole. It's so pretty. But the wind does blare off your right there so you really have to trust your line.
Overall I just hit a lot of good shots, yeah.
Q. Just your final message to all the girls and boys that came to cheer you on today?
NELLY KORDA: It's been amazing to play in front of everyone. I'm not the only one that's inspiring the next generation. I saw the crowd that followed Gaby. It's amazing to see that the locals and the people that are here, home in Mexico, that are inspiring the next generation of golfers.
Hopefully these little girls, I was one of them back in the day, and hopefully they'll be on the other side of the ropes one day.
Q. Nelly, a win's always great anywhere, but coming into the week, what were you hoping to get out of this week?
NELLY KORDA: A win. (Smiling.)
I go into every week wanting to win. That's the main goal. Sometimes you fall short. Sometimes you're so far off of winning.
But that's always very motivating to me. You know, sports, obviously you want to ride the highs but there is something also about the lows that teach you so you much. It makes you very grateful for these moments that I'm sitting here in front of all you guys.
Because not many people see what happens behind closed doors, the frustration obviously after having a tough week, so I'm just so grateful for my team. I've had the same exact team. I've had the same exact caddie since my second year on Tour. He has been through all the ups and downs with me.
I've had the same physio for a really long time. I've known Kim since I was 16 and I started working with her in 2022. Same thing. I mean, through the ups and downs no one has left each other. No one has -- everyone is super motivated from the first day that we met each other and that's what I like around me. The people around me are motivated. I'm motivated. And no matter the ups and downs I know that they have my back.
Q. Can a week like this help you at the other Riviera next month?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, obviously it's a confidence boost, but that's so far ahead. I still have one tournament before that in Cincinnati, so right now the only thing I'm focusing on is getting on my flight, going home, taking a few days off, and then practicing again.
Q. Congratulations on your victory.
NELLY KORDA: Thank you.
Q. You confirm why you are No. 1 the world. Do you think you're living right now the best moment of your career?
NELLY KORDA: I've had some amazing moments in my career. In 2024 I won five in a row and my fifth one was a major.
So I've had -- I can't say that one moment in my career was the best. I think all of them have had a different meaning and all of them have been so great in different ways.
I'm just happy to be competing out here healthy, motivated. You know, I'm so happy on the golf course. I'm happy off the golf course.
I just think that, yes, I am living my best life for sure. But golf also humbles you, so I know that I need to enjoy these moments.
There have been so many times that legends have told me it smell the roses, so now I have a week off and I can officially smell the roses for a few days.
Q. (Zoom question.) Someone noticed how much you were smiling on the back nine. What was your mindset and what were the conversations with Jason like on the back nine?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, we were joking a lot. We were having fun. You know, at the end of the day like we get to travel the world and we get to do what we do as our job, which is so crazy to think.
Like we're at an amazing resort in Mexico. It's very hot out, but we're enjoying ourselves so much. We're playing in front of a great crowd in a great place.
What is there to frown about? We're in a sense living our best life.
Q. You said that your caddie loves Mayakoba. He was very happy here. Can you explain what was the thing that he loved the most and also what was the thing that you loved the most playing here?
NELLY KORDA: He loved everything. I mean, he loved the vibe of the place. He loved the hotel that we were staying at. We were staying at Rosewood, so he was just loving the whole vibe of it. His wife was not here this week and he was sending her videos and she was extremely jealous.
So she was really hoping that we were going to play well this week so we could come back next year. I'm sure her wish has come true, so I don't know, it was a great week. Everyone was super relaxed, really enjoying themselves.
Q. Another one from the Zoom: Last week Hannah Green was talking about how exhausted she was winning multiple weeks in a row. How do you manage your energy levels? She talked about how she manages hers; how do you manage yours?
NELLY KORDA: I mean, I took Monday off, so I make sure to take one day completely off. Then after that, I mean, you're going to be tired, but you're playing like not overdoing it, not over practicing, like making sure that like you're conserving your energy as much as possible.
I still hit the gym on Tuesday and Wednesday. I went out and did minimal practice, but it was needed. I played just nine holes on Tuesday, nine holes on Wednesday, and then started the tournament on Thursday.
When you play so many weeks in a row the weeks go by so fast. The most important thing is obviously conserving your energy, but then also making sure that you're hitting the gym, because if you're not, then you're not activating the right muscles and you're more prone to injuries.
Everyone has a different recipe. I've just noticed that you can't run away from being tired. You kind of just have to roll with it and know that your energy levels are not going to be 100%.
But you kind of just try to adapt to the situation every week.
Q. With that in mind, I know you really enjoy your off weeks. Do you have anything you're looking forward to most about next week?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, I'm going to a sculpt class tomorrow. It's like a yoga class, a heated yoga class. Yeah, so I'm excited for that.
It's like I haven't been sweating for the past two weeks at all, right?
Q. And then also a cool stat that came through: You're the youngest American to reach 18 wins since Nancy Lopez.
NELLY KORDA: Amazing.
Q. What does that mean to you to have your name next to her?
NELLY KORDA: It's such an honor to have my name amongst so many legends. I think one of my favorite days of the year has to be the Champions Dinner at Chevron, when all these legends come together and share their stories. To have my name among theirs is just a huge honor.
Q. Going back to that eagle, birdie, birdie, can you talk about how that myself kick started things for you? Did that change anything at all? I know fans at home were really excited after those couple.
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, the eagle, birdie, birdie was obviously definitely a great kickstart to the round. You know, it just kind of maybe solidified my spot a little bit more so I just had a little bit more ease going into the back nine.
But I was playing solid golf. Like I was playing safe as well, but I was playing solid. I miss-hit a few shots here and there. I bounced back with my short game.
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