CNN
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Breakaway excursions, first-time main winners, the return of Tiger Woods; 2022 was a seismic yr for a lot of golfers.
However few golfers had a season as life-altering life as Danielle Kang’s.
The American couldn’t have had a greater begin, clinching her sixth LPGA Tour title on the first occasion on the calendar, the Hilton Grand Holidays Match of Champions. Days later, she completed only one stroke behind winner Lydia Ko on the Gainbridge LPGA.
Come April although, she had withdrawn from a number of occasions citing again ache. On the US Ladies’s Open in June, deeper causes emerged: Kang revealed she had been enjoying the match with a tumor on her backbone and could be taking a break from the game.
It was a prognosis she had identified since withdrawing from the LOTTE Championship in Hawaii earlier, however she had not wished to publicize it.
The one-time main winner made her aggressive return in late August, shaking off the rust to earn a decent tied-Seventeenth end on the CP Ladies’s Open in Canada. Since then, Kang has eight extra occasions and a bunch of spectacular shows – together with three top-10 finishes – beneath her belt.
A “monumental” 2022 appears a very long time in the past now, and the 30-year-old is blissful to maintain it that method.
“That was type of the final yr of the twenties and I’m actually, actually glad to depart it behind,” Kang instructed CNN. “I really feel that I’m going to study new issues and uncover myself once more within the thirties.
“Final yr was an enormous momentum swap for me and I’m truly type of glad all the things that’s occurred occurred – the way in which I received originally of the yr, the way in which I completed out the yr, the way in which I contended, coming again stronger than I believed I might.
“It was a really attention-grabbing yr, very up and down, however I type of desire a bit extra consistency this yr and I feel that’s what I’m striving for. I’m feeling nice.”
In 2023, Kang is again firing on all cylinders – simply ask Max Homa. Recent off his sixth PGA Tour victory on the Farmers Insurance coverage Open in January, the boys’s World No.8 took intention at Kang, having simply drawn degree together with her on titles.
“Shoutout to Danielle Kang … she mentioned I must catch as much as her,” Homa instructed reporters.
“She’s bought six (wins) and a significant. I bought six now, so I’m coming DK.”
However beneath the jabs, it’s all love between the 2 associates.
“He’s an incredible dude … it’s a pleasant rivalry,” Kang mentioned.
“I would like him to play the very best that he can play. He’s all the time been very supportive of girls’s golf and I actually admire that.”
Homa stars in Netflix’s “Full Swing,” a brand new fly-on-the-wall type docuseries that follows lots of the high gamers on the PGA Tour. Detached to actuality exhibits, Kang isn’t notably jealous of her good friend’s new-found TV stardom, however understands the recognition of comparable collection which have boomed within the wake of Netflix’s Components One centered “Drive to Survive.”
“I feel it’s all the time intriguing to see behind the scenes, particularly the place you’re simply curious … the fact present works for a motive,” Kang mentioned.
“I’m not an enormous fan, however I’m positive the followers get to see behind the scenes plenty of issues that they don’t (usually) get to see. So I feel it’ll be standard for a sure demographic, however I’m type of simply, ‘no matter floats your boat.’”
Contending on the 5 majors is a key aim for Kang this season, because the World No.17 seems so as to add to her PGA Championship victory in 2017.
A one-shot victory over Brooke Henderson in Illinois secured the then-24-year-old a significant title and her first skilled win on her 144th LPGA begin. Kang has since added 5 additional LPGA titles but regardless of 4 top-six finishes, one other main triumph has to date proved elusive.
However there may be additionally the added pleasure of a looming Solheim Cup. Teeing off at Finca Cortesin in Spain in September, the 18th version of the biennial group occasion represents – like the boys’s Ryder Cup counterpart – the top of the ladies’s recreation.
And Kang has each intention of constructing the roster of US captain Stacy Lewis, in search of to avenge European victory in Ohio two years in the past.
“I all the time say good golf takes care of all the things, and for proper now I feel I’m fairly secure,” Kang mentioned.
“So with that mentioned, I can’t wait to play for Captain Lewis and I’m excited. I’ve by no means been to Spain, in order that’ll be cool.”
