Lady Golfer: Rising star Jessica Korda talks life on the tour
A lot of the girls out here are coming out really young now. A lot of the girls that I grew up with are starting to come out on Tour, and we’re kind of having some fun out here, and it’s a little different.
We’re a little more outspoken, more media creative and I think just a little more open towards the fans, and it’s great. It’s great to see, and I’m just happy to be a part of it and help the game grow.
In my rookie year in 2011 my dad had some health problems, so he couldn’t come with me to Taiwan. I literally set out all by myself. I sat by myself, I ate dinner by myself, and it was really hard.
But I think the girls kind of see that you are by yourself and said, ‘oh, we’re going to dinner at this time, do you want to come?’
A lot of the girls will kind of take you under their wing and help you out. By the middle of 2012 I was completely OK. I travel with Jodi Ewart Shadoff. We room together all the time, and Michelle Wie is one of my really good friends as are Brittany Lincicome, Vicky Hurst and Sandra Gal.
Just through travelling by myself and playing better and playing with the veteran pros out here that you see week in and week out, you get to know them and they get to know you and you just mesh well.
If I didn’t make it [as a pro] I was going to go take my SATs and go to school. I think I have flashbacks sometimes of my dad, Petr, winning the Australian Open tennis. I was there. I was in the stands. I had this purple notebook that I was drawing in and had no idea what was going on.
But I do remember him like climbing up the wall and running up to me and my mom and lifting me up and saying that he won.
So I definitely remember certain aspects of it, not the whole thing, though. He tries to be just dad, but the athlete in him always wants to help, and I appreciate any help I can get from him because he knows so much. Any type of knowledge from him is really appreciated.
He tells me to have fun, just relax and smile and enjoy it because there’s only so much you can do in practice.
They kind of let me make my own mistakes and let me grow as an individual and don’t pressure me to do anything. It was the same thing when I was turning pro; they had an ultimatum, if I didn’t make it I was going to go take my SATs and go to school.
We also spoke to teenage phenomenon Lexi Thompson. Read what she had to say HERE.
The Women’s US Open starts this week. Read out preview HERE.
