DIO IMPLANT LA OPEN

April 1, 2023

Danielle Kang

Palos Verdes Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, here with Danielle Kang after her third round here at the DIO Implant LA Open. Really good round for you today. Best so far of the week. Take us through some of the most memorable moments from your round today, especially on the front nine where you had that long string of birdies.

DANIELLE KANG: I'm trying to think. There isn't a specifically most memorable one is except my up and down on -- there was a couple coming in at the end was unbelievable up and downs.

What hole is that straight downhill, 13?

Q. Yeah.

DANIELLE KANG: That was such a good chip shot. Even the bunker shot before, I had mudballs coming in. I probably had -- I mudball on 10.

I had to hook it on 9.

Mudball on 12.

Mudball on 14.

Mudball on 16.

It was hard for me to try and manage it, but eventually we just ignored it one point if there is a chunk of mud. Even on 7 I think I hit my 3-wood probably 190. So this was kind of memorable. It wasn't to as easy as the last couple days.

I shot the best, but it wasn't easier.

Q. Speaking of the last two days, coming into this round today, how important was it for you to take advantage of moving day and trying to go low for you? Were you thinking about that?

DANIELLE KANG: Not really. I think this golf course is just testing a lot of people's patience. The greens are not as easy as it may seem. A lot of the shots are shotmaking into greens, and I know we have a lot of scorable holes with wedges in your hands, but, I mean, they pulled back 11. I have driver 4-iron into that hole; 4-iron on the last hole.

So it does test all parts of your game, and I think it's a really good place to play golf. Brad just keeps telling me, my caddie, don't get frustrated on the greens. You know you're hitting it well. Today I didn't hit it as well and I putted well, so that's just how golf works.

Q. What makes the greens so tricky here?

DANIELLE KANG: It's just poa, right? California greens are not the fan favorites, especially people coming from the east.

But we don't like bermuda either. I actually love bermuda, but I think it's just really being patient on how the breaks go. When people played Saticoy Country Club for the MEDIHEAL Championship, they really, really don't like the greens. It's not the golf course, it's just the type of grass.

That's just something that I feel that I have an advantage because I grew up on these. At the same time, living in Vegas the last nine years has taken me away from it, so just trying to get my feels back.

Q. You mentioned you have a lot of mud today. Maybe more than the past couple days?

DANIELLE KANG: I've had probably one mudball the last two days, and then today they got rid of lift, clean, and place and I've had six. And the worse was it stays on after the shots, so I'm chipping with a chunk of mud and I go, what are you doing?

But it's fine. It's part of golf.

Q. Do you think they should consider going back to lift, clean, and place tomorrow for the final?

DANIELLE KANG: Doesn't really matter to me. I don't know. It is what it is, right? (Laughter.)

Q. Where is your game at this point?

DANIELLE KANG: I think it's in a really comfortable place. The it-is-what-it-is tone is kind of how my game is. I really wasn't hitting it well, but I talked to my coach, Drew. I work with Drew Stickel as well on the wing, and I been working with him for a little while. He complements Butch as well.

Anyway, yeah, I spoke to him. It's been working really well, but today In don't think how to find it as fast I guess. I'm also wearing three layers less, so maybe I just lost a little bit of rhythm.

I'm not sure. So I'm going to try and figure that out on the range today and hope for a good day tomorrow.

Q. Obviously you're at this point I think five back of the leaders. You'll need another low round tomorrow. Just the same as today, go out and play your ball and let the scoring happen, if it does?

DANIELLE KANG: Yeah. I'm not really sure -- I don't really feel super low scores out here, but then it can happen because the greens are a bit more receptive than other golf courses.

But you never know, right? You think I got to keep hanging in there and see what happens tomorrow. Just don't know until the last putt drops, I guess.

Q. I know winning at Saticoy was something you really wanted to do, but anywhere in So-cal would it mean a little more to win here?

DANIELLE KANG: To be honest, I think winning anywhere means a lot to me, but I do want to win in California. Watching Max Homa win in home towns is really, really cool, right? Sometimes you have that hometown crowd.

I've really wanted to win the Vegas tournament. I really want to win Korea. But if I keep going down the list I really want to win a lot of things.

So I think it's really fun to play in front of my friends and my -- they call them my entourage, but it's cool to have them come out. I know they're a bit loud, so I apologize. It's been fun.

Q. What's the crowd like this week for you? How many are out following you?

DANIELLE KANG: My friends?

Q. Yeah.

DANIELLE KANG: They're kind of scattered and everything, but you know Hillary. Hillary is out there today. I've had good crowds out here. My brother is here, my mom is here. My mom has been here the whole week. My brother made an appearance today.