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A18 SPORTS
Monday 3 July 2017
Danielle Kang wins KPMG Women’s PGA Championship

By JAY COHEN incredible. But I know that posed to play, congrats,”
AP Sports Writer he was there, because I felt and Wayne Gretzky and
OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. (AP) — — I felt him with me every Caitlyn Jenner — two bud-
From a young age, Dani- day, and I still do.” dies from her days at Sher-
elle Kang’s parents instilled It was another great finish wood Country Club in Cali-
in her the belief that any- for the LPGA Tour’s second fornia — also reached out.
thing was possible. major of the season. While she got some great
Even major championships. Henderson beat Lydia Ko support from her friends
Kang birdied the final hole in a playoff last year at Sa- this weekend, it was some
to win the KPMG Women’s halee in Washington. sage advice from brother
PGA Championship on The 24-year-old Kang that set the tone for her
Sunday for her first LPGA trailed Henderson and breakthrough win.
Tour title, edging defend- Chella Choi by one after Feeling overwhelmed af-
ing champion Brooke Hen- she bogeyed the par-4 ter her last practice round,
derson. 10th. Kang called Alex, who
Kang bogeyed the tricky But Kang moved in front plays on the Web.com
par-3 17th, and Hender- with four straight birdies on Tour, to help formulate a
son closed with two birdies Nos. 11-14, getting hot with game plan.
to move into a tie for the her putter at the right time. He told her to “just blast it
lead, coming up just short Kang also had a clutch down.”
on a 30-foot eagle putt on 21-foot par putt at 16 on “Alex is the one that I called
the par-5 18th. But Kang Danielle Kang raises the championship trophy after winning her way to a 4-under 68 to map out the golf course.
responded with two solid the Women’s PGA Championship golf tournament at Olympia and the winner’s check He’s one of the people that
shots to get to the green in Fields Country Club, Sunday, July 2, 2017, in Olympia Fields, Ill. of $525,000. Her previous I lean on for everything,”
Associated Press
two, and then two-putted best finish in a major was a Kang said.
for the victory. Fields, after the trophy pre- ally difficult road for me tie for 14th in the 2012 U.S. Worked out quite well.
“I just told myself it was my sentation. the past four or five years. Women’s Open. Kang posted four rounds
week. It was my day,” Kang Kang’s father caddied for It’s life, though, you pick Henderson closed with a in the 60s. She had just five
said. her when she won the U.S. yourself up and you have 66 to finish a stroke back. bogeys, with each of them
Kang lost her father, K.S., Women’s Amateur in 2010 to keep working hard at it, Choi, who was tied with coming in the final two
to cancer in 2013, but her and 2011. She keeps a jour- and then believe in what Kang for the lead coming rounds.
mother, Grace Lee, was nal where she writes mes- you’re doing, and not let- into the day, was third at 10 Thompson looked ready to
one of the first people to sages to her father. ting yourself down. under after a 71. make a charge, beginning
congratulate her on the “If I could wish anything, “I just know that he’s here “Really, she won this, and with three birdies and no
victory. She also face- I would wish that my dad for it. What are the odds I was just trying to make it bogeys on her front nine.
timed with brother Alex, an saw me won,” said Kang, that my first win is a major? a little bit closer and may- But she sputtered down the
instrumental figure in her wiping tears from her eyes. Pretty sure he had some- be force a playoff but like stretch.
performance at Olympia “I think that it’s been a re- thing to do with it. It’s just I said, I played great and Thompson contended for
I wouldn’t really take any- the first major title of the
thing back,” Henderson year, but was penalized for
said. a controversial rules viola-
Mi Hyang Lee (67), Amy tion and lost to So Yeon
Yang (68) and Sei Young Ryu in a playoff in the ANA
Kim (68) tied for fourth at 9 Inspiration. The top-ranked
under, and Lexi Thompson Ryu shot a 72 in the final
(69) and Inbee Park (68) round at Olympia Fields
were another two strokes and tied for 14th.
back. “The back nine, I think I
Kang’s first victory in her honestly got really tired,”
144th LPGA start was a Thompson said. “I don’t
popular one in some high- really know what hit me.
profile circles. Michelle Overall the whole week,
Wie, one of Kang’s closest I played very well. Just
friends on tour, followed missed a few putts that I
her around right after the needed to make, and kind
win. Dustin Johnson texted of my wedges let me down
“That’s how you’re sup- a little bit.”q