HSBC WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

March 3, 2023

Danielle Kang

Sentosa Golf Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right. Welcome inside the Media Center here at the 2023 HSBC Woman's World Championship. We're here with Danielle Kang, who had a day out there. That was an impressive round of golf, 63, bogey-free. Just walk me through your day out there.

DANIELLE KANG: I stayed really patient. I tried to stay focused on the shot that I was hitting, more so than where I was standing with the score.

I was just trying to really stay in the present and focus on what was in front of me, whether it was walking through the mud or whether it was sitting there, waiting for the weather delay. I wasn't really trying to get ahead of myself, and I think I did a really good job.

THE MODERATOR: How did you manage the conditions? I know it's challenging, get your body loosened up after that break, but how did you seem to manage the conditions and staying loose?

DANIELLE KANG: I actually don't mind weather delays that much because I feel I just have time to chill. I feel less rushed.

But my caddie was really helpful in the rain. I told him he had magic towels. I don't know what was happening, but the grip was fully soaked when it went in the bag, and every time he handed me the club, it was completely dry. So it was pretty incredible.

THE MODERATOR: Just walk me through, the first eight holes had five birdies, obviously went out in 31, and then finished with a really solid back nine, 32 on the back, with three in a row on 12, 13, 14. Do any of those birdies in particular stand out? But I also heard you had a heck of a par save on a hole that seemed to be pretty good.

DANIELLE KANG: My highlight was probably 11 today because I had 135 yards on 10, and it's an opposite hole. So when I was coming back on 11, there was torrential rain. And I had to hit the drive because they hadn't blown the horn, and I had 222 left for my second shot. So I -- with uphill, so I couldn't reach it.

It was wet. I couldn't reach it with a 3-wood, so I went driver, 3-wood, wedge, and it was a mud ball, so it was an awesome up-and-down when I came back out here.

And then on No. 16, the par-5, it took me 11 years to learn that that putt breaks right. And I aimed left and hit it, and it went in. So that was pretty awesome.

THE MODERATOR: Just to get a round done like this, I know you've been working really hard in the offseason, getting a new caddie out there with Brad Beecher. What did you find today, or did you see something maybe pay off that finally -- that you've been working on that just finally clicked?

DANIELLE KANG: Not necessarily, I think I'm just more -- I'm just trying to focus more on consistency with the swing, how I'm approaching the game, what's -- so I don't see so much up-and-down.

And I know I haven't had -- gotten off to a hot start this year, and a lot of people have pointed that out. But it's okay for me. It's a whole year thing, and that's what my mom and my caddie keep repeating to me, is it's week two, it's week three. Calm down. We're okay.

And I'm just trying not to worry about what the results are and where I get to, but mostly just stay focused on the shot in front of me.

Q. Having your mom on site this week I know was a special thing.

DANIELLE KANG: I know, it's awesome.

Q. How cool is that, just to put up a number like this in front of your mom, and what does that mean to you?

DANIELLE KANG: Honestly, the most important thing in my life is that she's healthy, genuinely. No matter what happens in my golf game, it is what it is, right?

But she's healthy. She's able to travel. She came out. I love that she's here. She always has a really positive attitude. I mean, she was bouncing off walls this morning, and I went, Mom, it's 4:45. You need to calm down.

But she called herself a luggage yesterday in my life, because a lot of people think moms are there, they're going to get you food, they're going to do all this; but I have to make sure she eats, I have to make sure she's okay. Do you want me to go get you food? That's what I'm doing. And I love doing that stuff. So I'm really happy she's here.

THE MODERATOR: I know you're a player that holds herself to pretty high standards. Does that kind of help you chill when you get done with golf? Can you kind of relax and just focus on your mom?

DANIELLE KANG: Yes and no, yeah. I give her her time, she goes to the spa. You know, I have to do my workouts and then my stretches and all that.

But it's been really nice, all the players staying at the same hotel. I love playing in Asia. So I've had Lizette come over to my room. I harass her all the time. So it's been nice.

THE MODERATOR: Any questions?

Q. (Question regarding weather delays.)

DANIELLE KANG: I actually just kind of sit in my own space and just -- I know this sounds really corny, but I meditate half the time. I just close my eyes and try and listen to all the noise. I try and kind of see things I didn't realize. Like it's like experiencing the five senses type of deal.

It's just a lot of time on my hands that just are on standby, and it's kind of nice. I haven't looked at my phone since I got out of the hotel this morning. So I don't need to watch Netflix, a couple of my best friends are out here, so they came out and they'll chat about their life. And then just sit, stretch. Time goes by fast.

Q. I just want to know how difficult is it to win on this Tour.

DANIELLE KANG: Very difficult. It's never easy to win. You never know who's going to win until the last putt drops. You never what's going to happen. That's the beauty of golf.

I don't ever think that anyone -- everybody deserves to win, and however, the effort that they've put in. So a lot of it you have to have luck on your side and things go your way. So it is really hard to win in a golf tournament, right? Same thing with weather delays to timing, wind, lies, all that.

Q. So when you (indiscernible) six weeks, eight weeks, three months, four months, five months, six months without a win, what happens?

DANIELLE KANG: To be honest with you, I tell a lot of people that winning doesn't change anything. It really doesn't. There's going to be a new champion crowned every week.

And as blunt as it sounds, not a lot of people -- it doesn't matter. It only matters to you, like if you worked for that moment, and that's the five minutes of peace, the things that I like to feel on that 18th hole, is what I play for.

But winning doesn't resolve anything that you feel. It's not going to make you feel any better about the last three months. How about if you don't play well again the following week? Then you're unhappy again.

So it's just kind of chasing that unhappiness for something -- it's like the pursuit of happiness that you're never going to pursue. It's interesting. So for me, it never changed it. I have specific wins that are my favorite. There's like moments of it that I remember. But, I mean, my mom is over there, she's not going to love me any less if I win or don't win, you know?

THE MODERATOR: I love that mindset. I feel like the last time I saw you play this well was in Walmart last year and came really close, and I know that was kind of -- I mean, not a disappointment, but it was a big success, as you called it, that week. You've gotten yourself to this point, heading into the weekend in contention again. Just how much are you looking forward to playing the next two days after this stellar round?

DANIELLE KANG: I'm not really sure. I don't know what the weather is tomorrow. So I'm just going to have to just figure out my dinner tonight and then go by my days and see what my mom wants to eat for dinner. That's kind of what's on my mind right now. I'm not really looking at Saturday, Sunday.

But my swing is feeling really good. Before I came out here, my -- I have two coaches, you know, Butch Harmon and Drew Steckel, and Drew flew out last minute from PGA TOUR to just work with me Friday, Saturday, just to get the swing consistent.

And it's been helping a lot, and I've been hitting the ball a lot further. So definitely it's helping.

Q. So actually since returning to LPGA after your break, is there anything different with your routines?

DANIELLE KANG: Yeah, before I woke up an hour and a half before my tee time and just got ready and got out. Now I got to wake up three hours before my tee time, roll on the foam roller, stretch. It's a whole debacle.

But it's fun. And I'll have to eat. Because I normally eat on the golf course; now I just eat before. And then you have to get ready, then you have to make sure you stretch, then you have to come out here, and then foam roll.

It's a lot of work. But that's what it means being 30, so it's okay.

THE MODERATOR: Play well this weekend.

DANIELLE KANG: Thanks, guys.