BANK OF HOPE LPGA MATCH-PLAY

May 28, 2021

Danielle Kang

Shadow Creek

Quick Quotes

DANIELLE KANG: I just really like being able to focus on one person. I know that a lot of times when we play stroke play we have to play to the field, which means you have to focus on your game and do what you need to do and see where you end up.

Here I just have to beat one person and they're right in front of me. It's easier to be aggressive and attack and do what I need to do.

Q. And you have the added luxury of playing a golf course that you know so well when a lot of players are having trouble with Shadow Creek. This is a tough venue.

DANIELLE KANG: Yeah, we need to have a U.S. Open here. It would be really cool to have a major out here. This is a major championship golf course.

We talked about that yesterday.

Q. Speaking of a major, we got it next week. How did you not think about the Women's Open next week and stay concentrated on this event?

DANIELLE KANG: Crazy as it sounds, I'm not thinking about next week at all. I been really looking forward to this week for -- since it was announced. MGM people and I been talking back and forth and they've always wanted to support women's golf, so the fact they wanted to build history and start an event here, and they been treating everyone beautifully. It's hands down one of the best tournaments we have on the schedule.

So it's just been really exciting to play at a home golf course. I've never done that.

Q. Danielle Kang, 4&3 winner over good friend, Lizette Salas. Good friend last night; competitors today. How good did it feel to come out over a friend today?

DANIELLE KANG: To be honest with you, it doesn't feel that great. I really wanted to win. I wanted to advance and play this weekend. I've been looking forward to this tournament since it was announced, even before when we were all talking about it, when MGM really wanted to support women's golf and host an event here.

But all in all, any time she missed a putt my heart just dropped because I want her to make them. I know she's playing against me and it was definitely different. I knew this was going to be very stressful for me. But she's a great competitor and I just -- yeah.

Q. Some extra highs and lows today then despite just your own game.

DANIELLE KANG: Yeah, of course. Of course I want to win whoever I'm playing, but it's just -- it's different. It's a different feeling, especially with Lizette. I -- yeah, I don't know. Every time she missed a putt, any time she missed I'd go, Oh, go in. My heart just kind of dropped because I don't ever want her to miss putts. I'm not wishing that on her or anything.

I made some really great putts today. I had some crazy putts go in, yeah.

Q. I would imagine she maybe missed few but saved them for when you guys are back together at Solheim later this year.

DANIELLE KANG: Yeah, she's my teammate and always has my back and I've got hers, so I can't wait to play with her as a teammate again.

Q. Speaking of Anaheim, it's a big headline out here. Bronte tomorrow. Just from competing against her, seeing her compete in Solheims, what are you expecting tomorrow?

DANIELLE KANG: I actually didn't know I was playing Bronte. Just like one person at a time. Tomorrow just another player that I want to beat.

So I think I know this golf course better than a lot of people out here, which is giving me a little bit of an upper hand, so I think I'm just going to take that as a secret weapon and play well.

Q. Shanshan said earlier it took her three days to realize she needed to change clubs on a hole because of how was it playing. Just hearing something like that from your competitors out here and you kind of have that upper hand, like you said, with how much experience you have out here, is it still going to take people a couple days to figure things out?

DANIELLE KANG: I played here 10 times and I still didn't figure it out back couple years ago. At the end of the day you still have to hit really good golf shots. This golf course demands good golf shots from tee to green, around the greens, and all that. Even though I have an upper hand, you still got to play the cards right.

Just have to play good golf, and that's what I been doing. Coach has been coming out every day and a lot of my friends and family are supporting me. It'll be really fun.

Yeah, so just working on certain things with Butch. My game has gotten better, which I'm really happy about and just overall. Yeah, so that's just really happy with the way it's progressing.

Q. Last one. The entourage out here, does it feel good to look out in the stands at an event where we don't have fans but you can see friendly faces?

DANIELLE KANG: Yeah, of course. My mom hasn't seen me compete for a while, so it's really nice to see her, and her friends are out here. My friends come out. Even Chef. You went to Yellowtail the other day. He's here, Chef Akira was here I was with his family, so we got the Vegas crew coming out here and there.

Really excited. Not sure who's going to show up, but couple of PGA TOUR players already have come by. They watched me play on Wednesday. They said they come back on the weekend.

Q. Nice, you made it to the weekend. Got a big weekend. Go get some rest.

DANIELLE KANG: Thank you.