ORLANDO, Fla. Danielle Kang readily admits that she and her golf game remain a constant work in progress. She spent much of the off-season trying to figure out a way to “feel comfortable, feel unwell.” It seems to be working.
In a difficult championship test at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club, Kang ran off five birdies on a seven-hole course in the middle of her round, posted the low score at 4-under 68 on Sunday and sprinted to a three-shot victory at the season-opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
“My mental game was really good,” said Kang, who was winless after winning in each of her previous four LPGA seasons. “I had a really good attitude all day today and yesterday. I know I left a few putts out there, but I never let it get to me, and I have to give myself as many birdie chances as I can.”
Kang was 16-under 272, three shots ahead of Canadian Brooke Henderson (70).
Kang was the only player to break 70 on both weekends (69-68), and the only player in the 60s to strike all four rounds. The 29-year-old American now has six LPGA titles.
On her only previous visit to Lake Nona, Kang missed the cut at the Gainbridge LPGA last year. But when she was asked about it during this tournament, Kang said she had no memory.
On a stormy, chilly day in Florida where birdies were scarce and points difficult, Kang poured in more than her share, making six birdies. They took control of the tournament early on the back nine with three consecutive birdies starting at the par-3 13th.
A highlight of the round was a hard-earned bogey on the 393-yard 16th, where Kang almost pulled her serve in a penalty area and had to play away from the hole on a difficult bunker shot. They then two putted from about 90 feet, surrounding a bogey putt from 10 feet.
“A massive bogey,” said Kang’s caddie of five years, the Englishman Olly Brett.
Gaby Lopez, one of three players to hold the lead Sunday, experienced an up-and-down day, cooling off after a hot front nine to finish third, four shots behind Kang. She took the lead with three consecutive birdies from the fifth hole, but could not keep up the pace and ended up with a 72.
In addition to Nelly Korda and Annika Sorenstam – a current No. 1, a former and 72-time LPGA champion – the experience is valuable and instructive for fans.
“Starting on Sunday with the world number 1 and Annika? It’s right where I want to be,” she said.
Korda, who took a one-shot lead into Sunday, shot 75 and slipped to a tie for fourth place. Korda made her first birdie of the round on the 15th hole. It certainly wasn’t a continuation of her first 54 holes, when Korda made 16 birdies and an eagle.
“Overall I didn’t play very well,” Korda said, “but I’m going to take something positive with me this week and hopefully I can take it into the next two.”
She plans to play the first three events of the LPGA in Florida, then take six weeks off and create her own offseason after a long and very successful campaign.
Considering that Korda had been putting in a solid performance all last season, her game Sunday was a little breathless. She had entered the finals at Lake Nona in the 60s in seven consecutive rounds, and 11 consecutive rounds in the 60s in total dating to last season.
You don’t have to look far to find the LPGA record holder for consecutive rounds in the ’60s: Sorenstam, who once totaled 14 in a row, was in her group, vying against former MLB pitcher Derek Lowe for the Celebrity Division title.
Lowe and Sorenstam would go to extra holes to determine a prominent winner, where Loweilowe surprised the World Golf Hall of Famer when he rolled in a 25-foot birdie on the first extra hole, the par-4 18th. Sorenstam had a putt right in Lowes, but when the ball could not be dropped, the victory was his.
