GAINBRIDGE LPGA AT BOCA RIO

January 27, 2022

Danielle Kang

Boca Rio Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, here with Danielle Kang, right now the clubhouse leader. You were just talking earlier that you felt your wifi was a little off. You had some not-so-good shots. But there is no pictures on the scorecard, so take us through today.

DANIELLE KANG: There are cameras, though. They're videoing and showing live on TV.

But I hit some weird shots today. It's a little different because last week all the left were the biggest troubles and this week all the right are the biggest troubles.

So I'm just -- I think I'm focused too much on how to guide the ball more so than just hitting it. But I don't mind it. It is what it is. Trying to hit the best shot I can hit, and I hit some really great drives and really bad drives, and I'm okay with that; made some good putts.

Yeah, stayed in the moment and had a lot of fun today.

Q. Coming off a very strong performance with your win last week, I think it was Tuesday I saw a little bit of twilight golf and being able to grind it out there on the range. Were you able to reflect a little bit about what worked so well last week, and what have you brought with you this week to Boca Rio?

DANIELLE KANG: Yeah, I actually played golf up in West Palm Beach that morning with some friends, and I even stayed up there for a night. I just -- I actually went home. I'm going to say that I went home because the Gretskys now live in Florida and they're like my second family. Stayed over at their house of ate home-cooked meal. Janet cooked us a really nice dinner.

I played golf with them in the morning on Tuesday. I had dinner. It was Wayne's birthday yesterday, so we had Hibachi. I just like seeing family. They kind of reground me and group me, and it doesn't feel like I been on the road for a couple weeks already.

I was actually very happy about that.

Q. You did well here back in 2020. It's been a couple years since we've been back here. What do you like about Boca Rio that you found going through this course the first day?

DANIELLE KANG: I kind of don't remember, to be honest. I only remember that I have been here just because there was a drive that I did, but I don't remember.

All I remember is the greens being really fast. Another player and I talked about that, because it was kind of reminiscing, and I can't remember the shots that I hit. I don't know what it was.

But, yeah, I just remember it being really fast and firm back in the day. I don't remember the weather.

Q. Do you feel momentum off of such good play over the weekend?

DANIELLE KANG: Yeah, I guess. I don't really try and focus on momentum and whether you have to create it or you have to ride it or it's not there or there.

It doesn't really matter, right? I played well last week. It's a new week. I still have things to work on. I still have things I need to focus on.

Every golf shot is difficult. Golf is hard. So my whole thing is to be mentally present and constantly work on the things that I need to work on without being so focused on the result, while knowing what I need to do and want to do, but being able to prioritize what my values are right now I think is the most important.

Q. You made some nice early birdies on the back nine, but also made some nice saves to keep going forward. How big is that in the mix of a round?

DANIELLE KANG: I made some good saves in the front nine, too, actually. I worked really hard on my short game. I worked with Butch on some chipping around the greens. Worked with Pat Goss with short game.

I have some techniques as long as you can see it and execute it and trusting, getting the feel around the greens. I think that's the most important to have so that you can play kind of free golf. I mean, freedom golf a little bit, not really.

But if I mishit a shot you're not so focused on it because I have to go find that one and figure out how to hit that one the best I can.

Q. How long have you worked with Pat?

DANIELLE KANG: Couple years. He always does a short game checkup with me.

Q. Did you enjoy MJ's place? Had you seen it?

DANIELLE KANG: Yeah, I been there before. It's one of the coolest places ever. He comes up and says, Hi, and says, Hey, DK, you won last week, congrats. I'm just staring at him. This is Michael Jordan. It's so cool.

Yeah, to be honest, I'm just so thankful for my friends. I just felt like I actually went home, and that makes me happy.