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HSBC WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

March 2, 2018

Danielle Kang

Republic of Singapore

Q. We've just been watching some of your highlights. There are a lot of them out there today. The course record, 64, you've equalled from Inbee Park last year.
DANIELLE KANG: Never too bad to tie a course record, but that's interesting to hear. I like that.

Q. We enjoyed watching it, bogey-free for 36 holes. In specific, what's going right for you out there?
DANIELLE KANG: Honestly, like I said yesterday, game is coming easy right now. There are lots of birdies out there. I'm more focused on being present and just hitting the shots. I'm hitting it well, rolling the putt well. So I'm not really worried about the results of how those shots come out. It feels like just a cruising day. Just hit fairways, greens and have a run for a birdie.

Q. I heard a rumor that you've stolen Dale Smith, your caddie, from your brother, Alex.
DANIELLE KANG: I did.

Q. Is he ever getting him back?
DANIELLE KANG: No, not for right now, he's not getting him back. Yeah, I mean, it's my brother. It's okay.

Q. Keep it in the family?
DANIELLE KANG: Yeah, my brother is playing on the Web.com and he had another caddie lined up, as well. But I really like Dale. It was definitely a change after having my caddie for two years, but we came out in the Bahamas and clicked pretty well. We're still working on things here and there. I'm not easy. I'm pretty difficult. I'm all over the place, so he's doing a really good job on keeping up with me and keeping me calm and staying the right things.

Q. Now we have to ask: How is the tooth feeling after yesterday?
DANIELLE KANG: Every time I hit a shot, I'm like, it keeps scratching -- it's raw here, but it's okay. I just don't chew on this side. I'll be fine.

Q. So what are you thinking right now? That was a pretty good round, bogey-free. How do you feel?
DANIELLE KANG: Pretty good. When you shoot a bogey-free, tying the course record, you feel fantastic. I said yesterday and today, everything just kind of flowing really nicely. And so thinking about fairways, greens and putts. That's all I'm doing. Shot 8-under today.

Q. Did you know where you stood on the scoreboard; that you were starting to pull away? You have a four-stroke lead after 36 holes.
DANIELLE KANG: Yeah, I'm a scoreboard watcher, like I've said previously. I watch the scoreboard all day. Oh, So-and-So made a birdie, like, oh, Jess made a birdie on the front, on 7 or 8 or whatever. I keep up with it or whatever because it let's me know that there are birdies out there and what holes are playing tough or not. That gets really analytical but it helps what I need to do, what I need to focus on. But mainly, I'm just focusing on like the present for myself. So I think it's good.

Q. Since the win at KPMG, it's like the floodgates opened. That win for you, that seemed to be the moment that opened it up.
DANIELLE KANG: Well, I mentioned that winning that tournament wasn't more so anything than a relief. I felt relief, just a weight off my shoulders and I finally just got that first win over with, and plus, it's always nice to win. I got a taste of it and I want more of it, and I said that earlier.

You know, it's been a good year and I just keep -- once you get something and you want more. That's how things work.

Q. Yesterday you said you had been working out over the off-season to beef up. Is that helping you in the heat, feeling stronger?
DANIELLE KANG: Yeah, definitely. I mean, I gained nine pounds over the winter. People are like, oh, you don't look like it. Whatever it is, I've been working out every day. My new trainer, Brian Chandler, has been helping me out a lot at home. I feel good. I don't have injuries, knock-on-wood -- he doesn't want me to say it.

But yeah, just my body is feeling good, swing is feeling great, and as long as my body can keep up with the speed of the swing, so I don't feel like the club is swinging me, that was my goal.

Q. Going back to the tooth, how much did you lose?
DANIELLE KANG: I can't even get -- I tried to take a picture of it with my iPhone. I didn't break it while I was stretching. I was telling Christina earlier today, I fell asleep stretching; that was one incident.

And then I was eating and it broke. My dentist told me, I've chipped another one before, and he said, you don't break it at that moment. It's been broken and it just chips off. So I don't know how it broke.

Q. Is there any pain?
DANIELLE KANG: I just don't chew on that side. But it's jagged so it's kind of like rubbing my side. So every time I hit, I'm like -- but it's okay. It's there. I'm like, what is that? It's okay.

Q. The way you played today, do you feel that you're in the zone and going into contention the next two final rounds?
DANIELLE KANG: Yeah, definitely. I've been playing pretty good. Golf game's there. Definitely in contention. That was my goal, to keep myself in contention.

Q. You said just now that you want more after that major win, but wanting more, that may be taking another burden on your shoulder.
DANIELLE KANG: No.

Q. Different feeling, right?
DANIELLE KANG: Yeah, for me, most importantly was there were a lot of little things built on that KPMG win, and the fact that it was a major and it came -- that win was separate than just what I needed it do. It was just kind of like a spark. I just needed my spark back and needed my fire back. It was kind of dulling out a little bit. I've always got that fire, though, everyone says.

But yeah, KPMG was just special for me, but that doesn't necessarily create another pressure. If anything, I'm actually quite more relaxed. I was super uptight before then and a little less now and just kind of enjoying the game and enjoying the process more so than anything.

Q. Can you talk about how important that last birdie on 18 was? You had a three-shot lead, just one shot, but you want to end on such a strong, positive note going into tomorrow.
DANIELLE KANG: How important was the 18th hole birdie? I don't know about importance, but that was three hell of a good shots. Hit my drive really well and hit-8-iron right at the pin and that was a good roll. I just made a solid birdie.

Like I said, I don't really look -- I watch the leaderboard but I don't look at the result. I wasn't worried about making a birdie or not making it. I was just more in the process of putting on a good stroke, putting on a good roll.

Q. Do you know the most birdies you've ever had in a round before?
DANIELLE KANG: I shot 10-under before. I don't know if that was bogey-free then. I don't think so.

Q. Have you ever gone 36 holes bogey-free before to start a tournament?
DANIELLE KANG: Yes, I have. I don't know on the LPGA but I definitely have because my brother always says, you know, you're bogey-free, that's nice. And he always sends me like great round, and if I shot 2-under, bogey-free, I'm like, "I only shot 2-under."

But he said, "Yeah, but bogey-free." It's always great to shoot bogey-free." He says that a lot.

Q. Have you ever done 72 before?
DANIELLE KANG: Honestly, I don't even know what I did last week. I can't remember. If you tell me to tell you the eight birdies I made today, I can't. I made birdie on 18. I could tell you that.

But no, I don't keep up with that little statistic. It's already too much going on in my head, anyways (laughing).

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