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KPMG WOMEN'S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

July 1, 2017

Danielle Kang

Olympia Fields, Illinois

CHRISTINA LANCE: Welcome back, everyone, for our final press conference of the day here at the KPMG Women's PGA here with our co-leader after 54 holes, Danielle Kang, three rounds of 69, 66, 68, three great rounds in the 60s.

Five birdies to two bogeys today, and Danielle, the moment that seemed to stand out for me was maybe your hole-out on No. 12. Tell us how that felt when you saw the ball go in.

DANIELLE KANG: Well, from the fairway, I was hoping the wind and having a flyer lie, I was kind of trying to get it on the green, but then I failed. And then when I tried to hit the first chip, I was being aggressive but then I didn't believe that it came out really soft, because I thought all the people stepped on it and I thought it would be firm ground.

And I had the second chip and I said, you know, I could either chip it normally and try to hit it close. I said, you know what, I like flop shots. I'm just going to flop it again. And it was just great to see it go in, because I hit four great shots and ended up there.

CHRISTINA LANCE: And the nice birdie there on No. 18 to pull yourself into the tie for the lead. Any pressure you felt as you stood over that putt?

DANIELLE KANG: No, I didn't feel pressure. I just really, really was excited to have a bunker shot, just because I've been practicing my bunkers and I've had difficulty with them for the past couple of weeks and then when I had that shot, I go, oh, I practiced this. And that's all I was excited about, to make an up-and-down.

CHRISTINA LANCE: Do you think the practice then is helping you? Three round in the 60s, you look fairly comfortable out there on the course. How do you feel your game is rounding into shape going into this final round.

DANIELLE KANG: I've been working on my game every day to get better. Like I said previously, all I could do is work on my game and hope that every day, just chip away at your game and it gets better every day and that's where it's getting at. Every year, I've just been performing better. I have trust in my own game.

Q. Anna Nordqvist made this chip her first victory but she had not been out here quite as long as you have at that time. How important would it be for you to not only win, but make a major championship your first victory?
DANIELLE KANG: It would be incredible to be called a major champion, especially out on this tour.

However, I didn't really put like the -- I didn't fortify the tournament as much as I wanted, if that makes sense. I actually just wanted to perform the best I could perform, and at the end of the day, I would love to be the major champion. But like I told people earlier; that my week doesn't change just because it's a major. My practice routine doesn't change because it's a major.

I've just been working at the same thing and trying to get better and try not to analyze a golf course better than I can.

Q. Obviously the trappings of this, a major championship, how do you tune all of that ought?
DANIELLE KANG: I don't, I love the vibe of a major championship. It makes you feel so blessed to be out here and that I take full -- I take it in fully, and every part of the major championship, I love showing up to a major championship. But as a tournament, when I step up and hit a shot, it's the same thing as if I'm on the driving range, I do what I have to do and stick to my routine and play my game.

Q. What maybe change or decision or something like that, do you think was most important in leading you to this opportunity right now, something over the last, whatever, year or whatever.
DANIELLE KANG: What was important?

Q. What do you think -- any change that led you to this opportunity, or any decision you made that led you to give you this chance?
DANIELLE KANG: I wouldn't say a specific one thing. I've just been believing in my team that's supporting me around, all around for a few years. And more trusting in your own game, trusting the thing that I'm working on, to sticking with what I've been trying to get on the range.

It's mostly I think, if I have to pinpoint it would be changing an attitude that winning is not everything, and that has been my attitude since -- that's the change.

Q. You have a lot of world-class athletes in your life. Have you heard from any of them this weekend?
DANIELLE KANG: Yeah, Wayne texted me this morning. It was pretty cool.

Q. What did he say?
DANIELLE KANG: He said, "Just go win it."

And you know, I was like, "It's third round." And I was like, "Thank you, Wayne."

And he's like, "You just go, get it done." Caitlyn Jenner called me yesterday. I have a lot of people just beyond that, just calling me up and encouraging me to just keep playing my game and that they are rooting for me. I love it.

Q. Is there any specific they have shared with you about being in a high-pressure situation in a clutch moment?
DANIELLE KANG: Hollis just tells me -- Hollis Stacy called me yesterday, too, and she told me that "if you're not nervous, what are you doing out there." That's all she wrote. And then, I said, "Ha, ha, ha."

And then she resumed on saying, "Just stick to your routine. If you're nervous, you should be nervous. That means that you're out of position where you need to be." And I try to be comfortable with being nervous and comfortable being in a position that I want to be at.

Q. How key is 16, 17, 18, both 16 and 17 with how difficult it is and 18, the pressure to make birdie, because it seems like it's been yielding some low scores.
DANIELLE KANG: I think it's a great stretch of holes coming in. 16, that was my first green in regulation today and I 3-putted. I was kind of bummed. But it's very difficult holes coming in. 17, especially, a lot of girls have 5-woods, 3-woods into that hole.

And 18, yeah, you're right, there are pressure. But I think the main key is to dissect on which holes you need to give yourself a par opportunity. And the 18th hole, no matter what, you have to give yourself a birdie putt. You can miss the green. You don't have to hit it on in two. However, you need to give yourself a run at it because most likely the field is going to make a birdie on that hole.

But every hole on this golf course is very difficult. So even on 2-, 3-footers, you see me marking them because they are not straight putts. They are breaking outside the cup. You just have to keep your focus.

CHRISTINA LANCE: Did you reach out to your brother at all yesterday and get any more tips like you said you had earlier this week?

DANIELLE KANG: Of course, he said, "Bogey-free, that's awesome." I was kind of bummed I made that first bogey today, like, oh, man.

He just said, "Keep playing good, stay aggressive, your game's great."

Q. Your two victories in the US Women's Amateur, obviously match play. Is it any different going into a final round of a major championship than stroke play? How is it different?
DANIELLE KANG: It's kind of funny you ask that question. Today I got paired with Sei Young, and I lost to Lorena. So I kind of just was playing match play in my mind today. And I really wanted to be tied for the lead tomorrow, just so that I could just play my game and just stay aggressive just like match play, kind of thing.

Q. I think I know which Wayne you're speaking of --
DANIELLE KANG: The Gretzkies. Wayne Gretzky.

Q. How well do you know him?
DANIELLE KANG: Very well. Well enough that he gets annoyed sometimes (laughter).

CHRISTINA LANCE: Now any further questions for Daniel? I'll say it again, our co-leader, Danielle Kang. We'll see you tomorrow.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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