LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Danielle Kang recently posted a video of she and Maverick McNealy getting a “Couples Lesson” from Butch Harmon on the range at Rio Secco Golf Club in Henderson, Nevada. When your boyfriend is a PGA Tour pro, it’s easier to make a date out of work.
Kang considers 2020 a rollover season, saying she took two days off after making a run at the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship. There were outings. Golf in Hawaii and Palm Springs. And, of course, work with Harmon.
It worked out, with Kang opening the year with an 8-under 63 to jump out to a two-stroke lead at the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions. Gaby Lopez, Angela Stanford and Inbee Park are tied for second. Lexi Thompson is among those who are three strokes back.
Mark Mulder leads the celebrity division with 42 points. He’s three ahead of fellow MLBer Eric Gagne in the Stableford format.
“We go practice at Rio Secco quite a bit,” said Kang, who lives in Las Vegas. “Butch designed the practice range, and it’s a beautiful practice facility. The way he managed to put all the wedge numbers and the chipping green, the way it slopes right to left – everything that Butch made, it kind of fits a golfer’s style. Mav and I go out there and practice quite a bit and sometimes joke around.”
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Kang’s second trip to the TOC brought a strong sense of familiarity after she was once again paired with country singers Lee Brice and Cole Swindell. Kang doesn’t listen to country music, expect for these two.
“I’m a big fan of theirs,” said Kang. “I know when Lee comes out with new singles or Cole says he has pretty cool stuff coming in the future and things like that. So we talk about our own jobs out there because they say they can’t do mine.”
Kang finished the 2019 season 1-2-3 in her last three starts, moving up to No. 4 in the world. The 27-year-old said she only pays attention to the rankings “because Butch pays attention.”
She wasn’t too keen to talk about how badly she wants to get to No. 1 either.
“To be honest,” sai Kang, “right now I just need to get back inside. It’s pretty hot. Everybody has a specific goal. I have my own goals and why I started golf and things that I wanted to accomplish. I have goals for this week. I have short term, long term. Right now, today, I think I’ve accomplished today’s goal, went out there and shot 8 under, and I’m excited for tomorrow.”
No one on the LPGA now knows more about being No. 1 than Park, who is starting her season in January for the first time since 2016. Park pays attention to the rankings now because they tell the story of whether or not she’ll return to the Olympics in 2020. And Tokyo is her No. 1 goal.
“I feel like my putting improved a bit compared to last year,” said Park, “so I’m happy with that. Bogey-free round was a great start to start off the season.”
Stanford is in the midst of marathon training and said her legs are the strongest they’ve been in 10 years.
“Ran four miles yesterday with Cydney Clanton,” said Stanford. “I told her, it’s like training with a gazelle.”
The mental strength is takes to push through pain while running has already helped her to snap back into focus inside the ropes.
“In the past, I think I would have just kind of checked out and got frustrated and would have said, well, you know, it’s typical,’ ” said Stanford. “… I told my caddie I need to be more aware of this. I don’t know if it’s just me or if it is when you get older, it’s hard to hold your focus for an extent. I felt it the last couple of years, where I’m like, man, I played nine really good holes and then I kind of hit a wall in the back nine.”
Stanford shot 31 on the back nine at Tranquilo Golf Club and trails Kang by two.
“It’s funny, people are like, ‘Oh, you just have to beat 25 people,’ ” said Stanford. “Yeah, they’re 25 winners. It’s not just beating a random 25 people. I know I’ve got to bring it all week. Let’s see if I can.”
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