Danielle Kang felt like garbage during Friday’s second round of the Buick LPGA Shanghai, but you’d never know it by her scorecard. The 30-year-old major champion said that after curling in a birdie putt on the 13th hole at Qizhong Garden Golf Club, she ran to a bathroom and threw up, the likely after effects of a stomach bug. She came back out and made three more birdies before posting a five-under 67. At nine under for the tournament, she is one shot off Maja Stark’s lead heading into the weekend.
Kang has won this event twice, first in 2018 then again in 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this is the first time the tournament has been played since her 2019 win.
“I love being here. I like Shanghai a lot. I enjoy the city. I enjoy the golf courses, the people,” Kang said.
The last player to win an LPGA event three times in a row was Inbee Park at the KPMG Women’s PGA from 2013-15.
With only one top-10 finish since March, the six-time LPGA winner readily admits the 2023 season has not been her best. But after strong play at the Solheim Cup, she feels her game is moving in the right direction.
“I thank [captain] Stacy [Lewis]. I feel like Solheim Cup was a turning point in my golf, and I told her to trust in me before I got there, because I know I haven’t been playing as good as before, and I played the best golf all year there,” Kang said. “So I think from that, I’m taking some momentum on and more taking care of myself and feeling good and being ready to play instead of worried about golf.”
As far as taking care of herself, Kang is hopefully getting lots of rest and fluids so she can get through the weekend without the distraction of a stomach bug.
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
