FIR HILLS SERI PAK CHAMPIONSHIP

March 21, 2024

Danielle Kang

Palos Verdes Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Tell me about the ace.

DANIELLE KANG: Hole-in-one. It's sometimes luck, but I absolutely purred it. It was 170 yards I believe. I was trying to play 160, 65 and let it run up to the hole.

I just hit my 5-iron exactly where I wanted to hit it and we all just kind of stared it down, and Andrea just reacted so cute. She was just like, oh, my God, oh, my God. She screamed.

Q. I love that. I heard your caddie said it was perfect right before you hit your golf shot.

DANIELLE KANG: It was the perfect shot, yeah.

Q. Love it. You as you know, $20,000 goes to CME because of your ace. What does it mean to you to be able to contribute to that as being a child of cancer?

DANIELLE KANG: I think it's great that CME is donating to good causes and partnering up with the LPGA and making differences in people's lives. It definitely gives us a bit more of an edge to do better and do well. They doing it for birdies?

Q. Just for aces. 20,000 for an ace.

DANIELLE KANG: Regardless whether it's a dollar to a hundred, no matter however much money, it could change someone's life. I really appreciate them donating that.

Q. So Yeon Ryu announced she is going to be stepping away from golf after The Chevron Championship. I saw you commented on her post in Korean. Couldn't read it. How much have you got to know her over the years?

DANIELLE KANG: I'm actually really sad she's retiring. I feel like there has been a lot of changes out here. I don't know why I'm crying, but I feel like there has been so much change out here and you can't -- change is inevitable, right?

I just feel one by one my eonnis, which means older sister, are taking on a new chapter. It's like I'm so proud of them, and yet like really sad about it.

But I'm so happy for her that she's able to move on to the next chapter. She's had an incredible career. This isn't an easy life, an easy lifestyle. I think she held on as long as she could.

Sometimes when you have been at the top -- she's been world No. 1, major champion, done everything she needed to do, but golf is just never ending. People always want more. They want you to win the next one.

If you don't do well you're not relevant. I hope that she gets the exit she deserves, and I'm just really happy and proud of her.

Q. 17th ace. What?

DANIELLE KANG: It's my 17th ace. 17 is my number. It's my lucky number. I am pretty sure -- actually, I've had four hole-in-ones on the 17th day.

I've had five hole-in-ones on the 17th hole.

I've had three hole-in-one in on the 17th hole with the 17 number ball.

I won my first am when I was 17 on the 17th hole.

I won my first Solheim 2017.

Won my first major on the 17th.

Won my tournament on the 17th, a Sunday.

I was No. 17 I think going -- like going into -- I can't explain that. I'll have to get that number right.

Yeah, just there is so much that has happened at 17 that it's just been my lucky number.

And then I've been waiting for my 17 hole-in-one for a while.