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SPORTS Tuesday 15 May 2018
Danielle Kang enjoying ‘freedom’ after winning Women’s PGA

By JAY COHEN took on former Chicago
AP Sports Writer Bulls forward Toni Kukoc in
CHICAGO (AP) — It has a closest-to-the-pin contest
been almost a year since on a small green floating in
Danielle Kang won the the Chicago River.
KPMG Women’s PGA After a few successful prac-
Championship, and her tice shots, rain started to
life looks pretty much the fall and wind began to swirl
same. around the surrounding
Kang still has the same skyscrapers. Each player
friends, everyone from fel- came up empty during the
low LPGA star Michelle Wie actual competition.
to hockey Hall of Famer “It was really difficult to hit
Wayne Gretzky. She re- the green and make it stay
mains active on social me- on the green,” a chuckling
dia, delighting her Insta- Kang said. “It’s very windy,
gram followers with a peek but it’s definitely fun.”
at her life on and off the The conditions were much
course. She continues to better when Kang shot a
work on her game. 3-under 68 in the final round
But there has been one ma- at Olympia Fields last July
jor change for the 25-year- for her first win in her 144th
old player since her first LPGA start. She birdied the
LPGA Tour victory. final hole to thwart a chal- KPMG Women’s PGA defending champion Danielle Kang hits golf balls at River Point Park in
“Trying to force a win for lenge by defending cham- Chicago onto a huge floating green on the Chicago River with former Chicago Bulls player Toni
the last few years and try- pion Brooke Henderson. Kukoc (not seen) on Monday, May 14, 2018.
ing to just get it done, try- Kang’s previous best finish Associated Press
ing to win before my dad in a major was a tie for 14th U.S. in the Solheim Cup. said. “I’m the type of per- cacy group she sought out
passed away, all of that in the 2012 U.S. Women’s It has been a mixed bag so son that if I’m home for one after her win at Olympia
was so hard on me,” Kang Open. “That week, my golf far this year. She finished in more day, that’s really ben- Fields.
said. “But finally just having game stands out to me, to a four-way tie for second in eficial for me. Fitnesswise, While Kang comes from an
that win just gives me this be honest,” Kang said. “I the Women’s World Cham- golf is an all-day sport, too. affluent background — “I
freedom. I can breathe. I know a lot of different shots pionship in March, one I don’t really have a lot of had everything that I ever
feel free from myself. I can that I hit. I have memora- stroke behind Wie. But she time and you can’t really wanted,” she said — her
just be myself and just play ble shot moments, and it has struggled in five starts build muscles on the road. parents instilled in her the
golf like I used to.” wasn’t just on Sunday.” since Singapore, missing “It’s more about maintain- importance of appreciat-
Kang’s father, K.S., died The victory was one of a the cut twice and finishing ing all of that. I didn’t do a ing her blessings.
of cancer in 2013. She re- career-high six top-10 fin- outside the top 50 three very good job of maintain- “I’m very passionate about,
turned to Chicago on Mon- ishes for Kang in 2017. She times. ing it this time, and I hope since I was young, that no
day for a promotional event also earned more than $1 Kang said she is still learning that I can get better at it.” one should be hungry,”
ahead of this summer’s million in a season for the about how to manage the Kang also is looking forward Kang said, “and UNICEF
Women’s PGA Champion- first time, and went 3-1-0 in rigors of the tour. to her work with UNICEF, the does amazing work on pro-
ship at Kemper Lakes. She her first appearance for the “We travel so much,” she worldwide children’s advo- tecting children.”q

Team Sky’s Bernal wins first

GC test in Tour of California

By The Associated Press Powless and Peter Stetina the climb.”
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) before the final couple of Rafal Majka of Bora-Hans-
— Egan Bernal tasted glo- kilometers. grohe was 21 seconds back
ry at the Tour of California With the group whittled to in second, followed by
when he rode solo to the about a dozen riders, Ber- Adam Yates of Mitchelton-
top of Gibraltar Road. nal finally moved to the Scott and Antwan Tolhoek
Sebastian Henao and Tao front, unleashing a big kick of LottoNL-Jumbo. The top
Geoghegan Hart were just that drove him clear and American finisher was Tejay
as heroic Monday. left him to ride solo into the van Garderen of the BMC Bernal Gomez, right, of Colombia, leads the peloton before
After powerful Team Sky overall leader’s jersey. Racing Team, who was winning Stage 2 of the AMGEN Tour of California Monday, May
worked to bring back the “The last part was the most strong early on the climb 14, 2018, in Santa Barbara, Calif.
early breakaway, the pair important part of the race. but wound up 50 seconds Associated Press
of worker bees rode to the In the final two kilometers, back of the winner. ishes at Laguna Seca Race- have the big motor of his
front of the peloton and I attacked and arrived With the time bonuses, Ber- way in Monterey County, biggest rivals in the time
set a brutal pace up the fi- alone,” the Colombian rid- nal rode into the overall he should be able to main- trial. The fourth stage in San
nal climb of the day. One er said. “I’m so happy be- lead through two stages tain it. Jose is a relatively long race
by one, Henao and then cause my team did a great with 25 seconds on Majka The big question is whether against the clock, and that
Geoghegan Hart splin- job. When I attacked I did and 31 seconds on Yates. he’ll keep it on Wednes- means Bernal will be hard-
tered what was left of the my own pace. I looked at And with a relatively flat day. pressed to hang onto the
main group, dropping top my watts, my pace, and I third stage Tuesday, which The slight Bernal is happy leader’s jersey later in the
climbers such as Neilson needed to take control of begins in King City and fin- going uphill, but he doesn’t week.q