Birthday girl Kang the conqueror again in Shanghai
Danielle Kang held off Solheim Cup team-mate Jessica Korda to defend her Buick LPGA title. Report, highlights and quotes follow
Report
Last week Danielle Kang was dishing out a pep talk to boyfriend Maverick McNealy as he struggled on the PGA Tour. This week the LPGA star took a piece of her own advice to grind out a two-shot win at the Buick LPGA Shanghai. And all on her birthday
Kang finished on a tournament-record 16-under par to defend her title at Qizhong Garden and earn her third LPGA Tour win – the now 27-year-old opened her account with a major at the Women’s PGA Championship.
Kang had started the final round a shot behind Jessica Korda, but a 2-under 70 was enough to leapfrog her Solheim Cup team-mate, who could only manage a level-par 72.
Kang had pulled two clear thanks to a birdie at 15, but Korda put the pressure on going down the last with one of her own at 17. But Kang holed a nervy three-foot par putt at 18 to seal the win.
Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Georgia Hall led the European charge in China but in the end fell well short at -8 and -7 respectively.
Leaderboard
Danielle Kang wins the @BuickLpga for the second straight year!
FULL LEADERBOARD ➡️ https://t.co/rGL4wQoE6C@NEC #NECLPGAStats pic.twitter.com/pumsVqkTDc
— LPGA (@LPGA) October 20, 2019
Prize money
With her win, Kang earned $315,000 taking her total for the season past the $1 million mark and just shy of $5 million for her career.
Highlights
LPGA Tour win #3 ✅
🏆🏆🏆
Happy Birthday to Danielle Kang! pic.twitter.com/9MFkC7hISU
— LPGA (@LPGA) October 20, 2019
What the winner said
“It was a really stressful day. I definitely played well out there. It was really tough because you’re definitely watching what Jessica is shooting and scoring, and always just try to keep in my own game
“I’ve never been more nervous than the last putt for some reason, but I made it.”
– Buick LPGA Shanghai champion Danielle Kang
Alex Perry
Alex has been the editor of National Club Golfer since 2017. A Devonian who enjoys wittering on about his south west roots, Alex moved north to join NCG after more than a decade in London, the last five of which were with ESPN. Away from golf, Alex follows Torquay United and spends too much time playing his PlayStation or his guitar and not enough time practising his short game.
