Jessica Korda says Jack Nicklaus helped her boost confidence
American Jessica Korda has said in her latest interview that she is thankful to the 18-time major winner, Jack Nicklaus, as he advised her how to focus on her game.
Korda said that she was going through a rough time in the 2011 season due to less practice and no direction.
She appreciated Nicklaus for giving her meaningful advice at the end of the last season, which helped her record a stunning victory in the 2012 Women’s Australian Open.
Korda performed amazingly well in the Aussie Open, played in February, at the Royal Melbourne. This was her first victory on the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) Tour.
In recognition of her impressive performance, Korda was awarded the United States Sports Academy’s Female Athlete of the Month (February).
Analysts said that the young American is on the move and appears to have set out some major goals for the 2012 season.
Speaking to Golf Digest about her phenomenal career, Korda said that she has been a hard worker from the start, which has helped her improve her game within a relatively short period of time.
The 19-year-old prodigy said that the 2011 season was the turning point in her career, as she learned how to train and stay focused on the course. She said that she had been a bit troubled as to what to do to improve her game.
“I did a lot of growing up in 2011. Going out on tour was like being thrown into the deep end of the pool, and I was not prepared for what pro life is like. I was still in high school and had a hard time finding balance,” she shared.
She said that she needed directions from an experienced player, and finally, Nicklaus told her what she could do to boost her morale.
“I got some advice from Jack Nicklaus (we have a mutual friend) at the end of the year, and he put a lot of things in perspective. He told me that balance is the most important thing in life”.
Korda recently participated in the 2012 Kraft Nabisco Championship held at the Mission Hills Country Club. She sought to perform her best in the first major title of the season, but failed to make the cut.
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