Read a transcript of the post-Round 3 interview with Denny McCarthy and Nelly Korda.
Read a transcript of the post-Round 3 interview with Denny McCarthy and Nelly Korda.
Q. We have Nelly Korda and Denny McCarthy up. Just talk about today and your fight up the leaderboard.
DENNY McCARTHY: I’ll start. I think right now we’re both a little frustrated just because we’re both very competitive and like to win. We know we probably left some shots out there.
But playing with her is always a treat. I like her caddie a lot, Jay. He’s great. My caddie gets along with him great. Just so much fun being out there with them and competing.
Her game is phenomenal. I learned a lot three years ago, I continue to learn a lot from her playing with her the last three days. We just had a lot of fun.
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, same for us, same for me. I mean, Jay and I have so much fun with Denny and Derek. It was so nice to kind of get the band back together and team up again.
But I have so much respect for Denny and his game. I became a huge fan three years ago. Jay and I follow him. I know Jay’s been out to watch him at a couple events, too. Yeah, this week is so special in growing the game, but also creating great relationships. And I’m a lifelong fan. And same as Denny said, you learn so much from each other and hopefully that continues to build.
Q. Nelly, what was your favorite shot that Denny hit today and this week, and same with you, Denny, after.
NELLY KORDA: Oh, my gosh, there were so many. He had some amazing clutch putts. Where did you almost hole out, on No. 2?
DENNY McCARTHY: To start our tournament I almost made a double eagle to start the scramble day. I’m trying to think where else. I almost holed out on 2.
NELLY KORDA: We had a holeout game going
DENNY McCARTHY: We did.
NELLY KORDA: so we had a couple close ones so we were really watching closely, but today you came up really close on No. 2.
DENNY McCARTHY: Yeah, we were playing a holeout game. Whatever the yardage was, everybody, if they holed out from that yardage everybody in the group owes well, the caddie and the other player owe that person who holed out that amount of dollars however many yards it was.
I think my favorite shot of hers was 18 just because we knew we kind of needed to hole out. We both were kind of trying to hole out. We had talked about how many times we had almost holed out, and then she hit a beautiful 6iron?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah.
DENNY McCARTHY: 6iron in there that looked like it was rolling in like a putt and almost went in. Yeah, it was a really we were talking about it all the way up the fairway and the fact that she almost did it is pretty cool.
Q. Off the golf course, what were some of the more fun moments throughout the week?
NELLY KORDA: I mean, gosh, it is a pretty jam packed like week. Probably just chilling in the hotel room.
DENNY McCARTHY: Yeah, I guess we kind of
NELLY KORDA: Like homebodies.
DENNY McCARTHY: I didn’t really go to the concert. I have been before, but it’s a lot after it’s a long week. It’s a really fun week
NELLY KORDA: Yeah.
DENNY McCARTHY: but it wears on you as the week goes on. I think we were both in the same boat of just trying to chill and get some rest.
NELLY KORDA: It’s kind of nice that we both have our families out, too. He has his entire family, I have mine, plus Jess being in the field. I think when we’re off the golf course, just having them around is super nice.
Q. How does a week like this send you into the offseason on a positive note?
NELLY KORDA: Yeah, it’s fun. It’s a great tournament to kind of go into the holidays with. I’m playing with my dad next week so that’s always so much fun. I mean, the memories that you create there playing alongside like your dad is, I mean, those are core memories that you share forever. To see his competitive spirits come back and be alive during that one week is a lot of fun.
But to end the event or to end the year with two really fun events, I mean, there’s no better way to showcase women’s, men’s golf and then also have fun on top of it.
DENNY McCARTHY: I’ve been off, so this is kind of like getting back into it for me. I did play Sea Island two or three weeks ago. Yeah, I’ve been working hard. I took some time off and then played Sea Island.
It was a nobrainer to come here and play with Nelly. You know, had I been a little sharper, maybe our names would be on top of the leaderboard.
NELLY KORDA: He’s ready to make a run starting in January.
DENNY McCARTHY: No, we had so much fun. This was a nice way to kind of get some tournament feels, be under the gun, have a chance to win a tournament alongside her. We just had a lot of fun doing it.
Q. Nelly, last one, how’s Petr’s game looking for next week?
NELLY KORDA: I don’t know, I haven’t seen it. Hopefully good. I mean, he’s carrying the team.
