NW ARKANSAS CHAMPIONSHIP

September 25, 2022

Danielle Kang

Pinnacle Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Danielle Kang after her third round. Gosh, what an amazing round. Let's start at the end a little bit, that chip-in on 18 that put you in first place spot along with Atthaya.

DANIELLE KANG: Well, that was to get in the lead, and I saw the scoreboard all day today. I kept telling my caddie that I just wanted to finish at 17-under. I knew there were people at 14, 13, 12, that I could shoot 5-under or 4-under on this golf course. Sometimes asking myself to shoot 8-, 9-under is sometimes too much of a stretch.

So on the last hole I kind of miss-hit the 5-wood a little bit and we didn't want to be long. As we walked up I said, man, I really wanted to making an eagle. I'll chip that in. He was like, you can chip that in easy.

We chipped it in. For us, it was really cool, but I think this event itself was like a huge win for me. It really didn't -- like obviously I wanted to win, but putting that aside, the result really didn't matter as much as the -- didn't matter as much as how I felt and what I felt coming into this event, leading up to this event.

Q. Gosh, so many emotions there at the end. Just take us through what was going through your head. I know you didn't win; I know you really wanted to win on this course. Just take me through some of those emotions and some of what's behind this drive to win here.

DANIELLE KANG: Well, this place is really special for me. It's the first time as a pro I ever played. I have a family here for 13 years. I've been with them, the Akers, and Natalie is like may little sister. Literally like family. I've known her since she was 12 years old.

But this is the last domestic tournament that my dad ever watched. There is a lot riding on this event, but with that going on, the way like my team had built me into coming here is where I get emotional and so thankful. It was just extremely difficult.

Q. Yeah. Last question just about that. I know you were talking to Jim. You were ready to give up at times, but you persevered. How much does it mean to you? I know your team is supporting you, but how much does it mean to yourself that you were able to just persevere through all that this season and be able to do what you love?

DANIELLE KANG: I guess I could just say I'm proud of myself, but I'm just thankful for the people around me. I have no words actually to explain what I feel and how I feel.

It's just so -- I was very private about what I went through and how the treatments were and all that. If I live through it in my head, I don't know how I got through it other than the fact that people around me helped me get through it.

Q. Uh-huh.

DANIELLE KANG: I didn't persevere. People around me did. I'm just so thankful for that. You know, it's like that fear of -- sometimes you have that fear of like am I going to play as good again or can I play again or is this -- are we at the end.

All those thoughts crept into my mind. We had to work different ways to hit the shots. It was wild. So what I did to get here to finish, to even contend is a win for me.

Q. Last question: Just going into the rest of the season, how happy are you not even about that, but just finishing here and having a couple more events to just come back even more and just do what I love?

DANIELLE KANG: I know that it's still a lot of process. I know that it's still a process and it's hard work every day that I want to play.

Obviously nothing is ever easy and I understand that, but I love putting in that kind of effort to see the results, and knowing that I can do it and I have that belief in myself, that kind of family and friends and my team around me to help me be the best player that I can be.

And, you know, moving forward it's not going to be easy still, but it's there, right? That's what I'm happy about.