KPMG WOMEN'S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

October 9, 2020

Danielle Kang

Aronimink Golf Club

Quick Quotes

THE MODERATOR: Danielle, you had a good round today, 69, a 1-under, currently tied for the lead. What was the difference from yesterday to today out there on the golf course?

DANIELLE KANG: It's so stressful. From beginning to the end, I can't really take my mind off of it, so there's just so many mistakes that are just right around the corner. There are a lot of opportunities that I gave myself but I didn't capitalize on them. However, I think that's the beauty of this golf course. You have a six-footer and it's really hard to make that six-foot putt. But I made some good up-and-downs and some good birdies today. It's always good to shoot in the 60s.

THE MODERATOR: Brittany was saying right before you this is a course if you can let yourself have fun and be creative there are lots of options out there.

DANIELLE KANG: A lot of options, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Did you find yourself in some places where you were having to be creative out there today?

DANIELLE KANG: Yesterday more so than today, I think, but she's right, though, there is no right shot, but there are wrong misses. That creates that opportunity of really tough up-and-downs. A couple times I hit a really good shot and I got penalized for hitting a good shot, but I just didn't think far enough to not hit it there. I guess my goal tomorrow is just to kind of keep it step by step, a shot at a time and stay focused.

Q. What do you think the biggest thing this weekend will be for a player to separate herself from the rest?

DANIELLE KANG: I don't know, to be honest. You've just got to hit it well off the tee, like I said. Good iron shots into the greens. If you miss them you'd better have some good hands around the greens. But the greens itself are really tough for me, as well. They're really hard to read. The speed is tough. I feel that some of the holes are slower than others. There's a reason why, because like certain greens are more undulated. I think getting to know the golf course a little bit more day by day, I think by Sunday if you get to know it really well, and like Brittany said, enjoy it and hit some good shots -- I don't know if anyone is going to really be able to separate. I think it's just got to focus on your own game. It's pretty packed.

Q. Are you mentally drained at the end of every day this week?

DANIELLE KANG: No. Mentally drained is like checking out. But no, I'm -- I really truly enjoy the challenge. It's difficult. Some days you succeed and some days you feel, and I think that's the beauty of a challenging golf course, and Aronimink itself, it's just bringing a lot of challenges. It's fun. Like I said, sometimes you succeed and sometimes you fail.

I think you just have to have a good attitude no matter what happens. Even today I three-putted from just -- I don't think three putts are really -- they're really costly out here because it's really hard to make birdies. But I wasn't trying to get too down, it was just let's go to the next hole, and I think that's what you have to do because the next challenge is waiting for you on the next tee or the next shot.

Q. You had an exceptional amateur career, and the co-leader here right now won at Augusta last year. Were you jealous of that, since obviously you didn't have the opportunity when you were an amateur? Did you watch the August National Women's Amateur last year at all?

DANIELLE KANG: No, I didn't watch it.

Q. Have you played with Jennifer much since she's been out here?

DANIELLE KANG: No. I think I got paired with her once.

Q. Could you mention one or two of the best up-and-downs you had today? Could you describe them?

DANIELLE KANG: I was thinking about taking my 50 out today and I didn't. Instead I took one of my woods out and put another hybrid in, and I needed that 50 on one of the chips, and it was a really, really good chip out of the rough, so yay.

Q. What sort of benefit do you think there is to the women's game whenever major championships are brought to these historic and prestigious general use like Aronimink?

DANIELLE KANG: I think it's always a step in the right direction. The women's game is growing in the best way possible, and being able to play at prestigious golf courses like Aronimink, Sahalee, Olympia Fields, Hazeltine, and courses that are set up in the future for us, as well, really excited to go to Baltusrol, I think it's elevating our game and I'm really excited for the golf courses to host us and grateful to the KPMG Women's PGA to make this event happen and a possibility.

Q. Can you take us through the birdies at 12 and 16 that brought you back into a tie for the lead?

DANIELLE KANG: 12, oh, I was walking down the fairway on 12 and I was doing my whole putting stats and then I missed it short and low for 11 holes in a row. So I decided to hit it long and high, and it went in. It was really exciting.

Q. You thought about all the previous holes --

DANIELLE KANG: All the holes, yeah, because I was wondering -- there's some consistency to it. I never try and fix anything, but if there's a consistent mistake then I need to kind of adjust. I think the greens were running a little bit slower than yesterday. I think the greens dried out. I started smashing putts on the back nine, but this morning with the moisture, I think they rolled a little bit softer.

Q. How long was that putt at 12?

DANIELLE KANG: Probably like 15 feet. 16 was a reachable par-5. I missed it to the right bunker. That bunker is really firm. I don't know, I pretended I was in a putting contest with my brother and just made it. I wasn't making a lot of putts today, so I went, all right, let's just have fun, pretend I'm on the putting green, and it went in. So it was good.

THE MODERATOR: Thanks so much, Danielle.