THE MODERATOR: All right, welcome back everyone to the 2021 season on the LPGA Tour.
Joining us this afternoon is none other than 2020 Vare Trophy winner, Danielle Kang.
With that, Danielle, welcome. How was the long-deserved break? What did you do? Who did you see? How was Christmas?
DANIELLE KANG: I don't believe that it was really a break. I think I had less than three and a half weeks to get things kind of organized. So it's been a chaotic few weeks. It wasn't really a break.
Q. Chaotic meaning golf-wise or just life-wise?
DANIELLE KANG: No. There were two moves. I moved, then I got exposed to corona twice. Had to quarantine twice. Take six tests in the last two weeks. It's been a little hectic.
So golf hasn't been the top priority.
Q. But you're here.
DANIELLE KANG: And I made it here, which was the goal.
Q. Well, I hope you got some family time in, because we know family time is really important for you. Hopefully got to see baby Buddha?
DANIELLE KANG: I did. I saw my mom. We're still right there, so got to hang out with my mom and my dog a lot. Yeah, it's been pretty consistent.
The weather has been great in Vegas, so those days that I had to quarantine inside and it's beautiful outside were kind of dreadful, but it's okay.
Q. Okay. New Year's just past. While you were quarantining did you put in place any new resolutions maybe golf-wise or nongolf-wise?
DANIELLE KANG: Not really. I always set new goals throughout the year, short term and long-term. All the things that I'm thankful for the year before, I just write these things out.
No, not as like a year resolution.
Q. We were thankful for your donation at CME last year. Did you get to follow up with Mary Browder?
DANIELLE KANG: No.
Q. Well, we really appreciated that, she really appreciated that.
DANIELLE KANG: Yeah, I think I'm really appreciative for a lot of the Instagram fans and stuff, and I know that social media has a lot of negative space in this world, but using social media as a platform and having more than 60, 70 people donate their money was really incredible.
And it wasn't even really for my cause. It more for LPGA's cause, so I thought that was pretty awesome to see how many people were moved and wanted to be a part of that kind of movement.
I really liked seeing the positive effects of social media.
Q. You had such a great 2020 season with two outstanding wins. Wins means strong golf game. How do you feel now? I know you mentioned golf wasn't as much of a priority, but how do you feel about your golf game right now?
DANIELLE KANG: Yeah, well, golf is always a priority for me, but sometimes things get in your way. I wasn't able to prepare like I normally can.
However I have four weeks off after this week, so that's kind of the time I'm going to capitalize on.
For the last week and a half is when I started practicing actually the way I would prepare for an event knowing I'm going to be here, or hoping that I'm going to be here.
With all this said, I looked at this tournament as more of a fun one and a pre-season starter. It's like there is no better way to kick off the season than with this event, so I'm really just excited to be here.
Limited event. Get to play with really fun people. I got some good friends that are playing in this event, so I'm just really ready to have fun out there.
Q. You mentioned fun, and we got our pairings for tomorrow. You're going to be playing with Cole Swindell and Lee Brice. How do you feel about that?
DANIELLE KANG: I play with them every year, so we get paired -- the three of us get paired. I'm really excited to see them. I just saw Lee earlier today and his crew. Those boys are really, really nice guys.
At least once a year we get to play golf no matter what, which is here, and I'm really excited. You know, I'm excited for the tournament to be here every year, and I asked Mike Flaskey to don't ever take it away, because it's a pretty awesome event.
He's doing so many good things with his charity and clothing line and all that stuff, so...
Q. Just in the timeline of things, when did you get clearance that you were okay to fly here? When did you find that out?
DANIELLE KANG: Yesterday.
Q. Oh, wow. Okay. And when you were quarantining, was that in your new house?
DANIELLE KANG: So the quarantine happened for one or two days at time, because I was exposed to somebody that got positive, and then I have to take the test the day of that I'm -- or the following day, but I had the test kits already at my house, so I took a test the day of that we got exposed, right?
Couple days later you get your test results back and I'm negative and I'm free. Roam around for two, three days, and then I get exposed again, which means I go back inside again.
You feel paranoid because you don't know, right? The 15 minutes, six feet within rule, all CDC guidelines are different. Then you have to take the test again, and then get the following test.
However, each time you're exposed you have to take a test from the seven days from the day you're exposed because there is an incubation period. That's what we learned.
So every seventh day I took a test. I wasn't allowed to travel on Sunday because that was technically my seventh day until I was exposed. Then I had to cancel my flight, etc, etc, but I'm here.
Q. So you got in yesterday?
DANIELLE KANG: Late last night, yeah.
Q. Do you talk to Lee and Cole throughout the year at all?
DANIELLE KANG: Yeah, yeah. We keep up.
Q. Are you a country music fan now?
DANIELLE KANG: I am a country music fan now.
Q. Like you listen to it on your own?
DANIELLE KANG: Yes, I do. I was rocking country music the whole way here.
Q. Perfect. Sounds like you didn't have much of an off-season. How did you then pace yourself when that's going to be a Jack packed schedule in 2021?
DANIELLE KANG: One thing in my favor is that in the beginning of this season right now we don't have a lot of events, so everything is going to be really packed starting in March.
So it's only January, and I thought to myself about a week and a half ago, Okay, if I have five, six weeks until the first two Florida events, sure that's plenty of off-season for me to be ready.
More so than anything during the off-season, the only thing I did really focus on is my injuries in my body so I will be strong enough throughout the year instead of having nagging injuries and not being able to swing the way I want to swing.
So that was my main focus.
Now the game part, I just wanted to be safe. I need to go see Butch, but with the corona and all that and COVID I wanted to keep a safe distance, I only saw him once in the last five -- four, five weeks, and that's rare for us.
So pacing myself to have the Florida tournaments to be my goal to be ready. If I'm not, then I'll use this tournament as kind of a building step as well. Then I have another two weeks after until Kia. So technically I got at least eight to nine weeks, so got enough time.
Q. Will you alter or change your schedule at all so you do stay healthy and keep from having any injuries?
DANIELLE KANG: Yes and no. I always feel like I can play everything until my seventh week and then kind of get tired. We'll see. There is a huge, jam-packed schedule. Hopefully the Asia events happen, Singapore, Thailand, and Blue Bay.
With that, I think there is a huge west coast swing right before it and after it, so I don't want to miss anything on the west coast or Asia so we'll see. I can't really guarantee. Beginnings I can.
THE MODERATOR: I have two questions. How is the course playing right now, and is it any different than the other years?
DANIELLE KANG: I haven't played. Lee told me that it's rolling really, really fast. It's like a cart path and he can't control his putting speed.
Q. That's what we've all heard.
DANIELLE KANG: Yeah, that's what I've heard from the singers. (Laughter.) And I told him it's probably you.
Q. Last fun one: You mentioned you're now a country music fan, but what other kinds of music do you enjoy listening to?
DANIELLE KANG: I listen to all kinds of music. Depends on my mood. If I'm in a sassy mood, the Ariana Grande. If I am in a chill mood, Justin Bieber. Then like if I am in an alternative mood, then Coldplay and Matchbox 20, Daughtry, and I go back to Nickelback.
Q. Korean music?
DANIELLE KANG: Yes and no. I don't keep up with lots of K-Pop, so I think I know like really old Korean music like JYP. I listen to JYP.
Q. Big Bang?
DANIELLE KANG: Which one?
Q. Big Bang.
DANIELLE KANG: I don't know that one? I watch Big Bang Theory.
Q. Do you watch The Office?
DANIELLE KANG: No. So, yeah.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you so much.
DANIELLE KANG: No problem.
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