Q. Danielle, 6-under 66. You said your body woke up. Is that because it was a little warmer and you started feeling like you can turn a little better today?
DANIELLE KANG: Yeah, it was just warmer weather. I play well in really hot weather. Evidently cold weather has not been my forte, but today weather was on my side.
And even yesterday though even though it was cold in the morning, I had a really nice chat with Butch about how to play if the cold.
Trying to just dink it around the golf course.
Q. What else did you figure out? You got off to a little bit of a slow start, one birdie in the first seven holes and then you kicked it into another gear and made six more.
DANIELLE KANG: I actually played really well from the beginning, better than I did on the back nine. I just couldn't quite get the ball to the hole, but I knew I was putting well.
The greens are slick and fast, and being poa it's just a little scary, a little bumpy. You have to trust your lines, and that's what I been doing. Just kept putting the way I did and started dropping on the back nine.
Q. How were you able to rebound from last week? We all know how mentally and physically taxing playing in a major can be.
DANIELLE KANG: I think the last two weeks playing even Shadow Creek, that's a really tough golf course, and Olympic Club. And I think having -- not having to move, traveling, has helped. Not sure. Just sleep a lot. Got to sleep, keep preparing with my game, and working on the things I need to work on and just give yourself a chance to win.
Q. Danielle, here you have taken the lead as you come into the clubhouse. How are you feeling after two days here at Lake Merced?
DANIELLE KANG: Feeling pretty solid. I definitely wanted to be in contention. I played really solid today. Played solid yesterday as well. I think it was a little bit sloppier yesterday than today.
I lost my train of thought.
Q. You played well today; played well yesterday you said.
DANIELLE KANG: Yeah, I did play well yesterday. It was a bit sloppy. I didn't score as well as I did today. Looked like I got off to a slow start, but actually I was playing better than I did in the afternoon on the back nine.
And, yeah, it's just -- I think our game plan, Butch and I talked about, was really, really helpful, so I'm excited for the weekend.
Q. The last two tournaments have been a grind. You just talked with Golf Channel about Shadow Creek, that match play event, as well as Olympic Club. How do you think that prepared you coming into this week that maybe the pressure is a little less than maybe major championship and one of your big sponsor events?
DANIELLE KANG: To be frank, every week is just the same amount of pressure. I want to win any tournament that I play in. You play to win. So Shadow was special to me, something that I really wanted to win. Obviously everybody wants to win the U.S. Women's Open. But this year being the inaugural MGM Bank of Hope tournament would've been really cool. But I gave it a great fight.
With that being said, I also gave 100% at Olympic Club. I think my body is a bit used to the cold now. We don't play in the cold very often, and just get used to it and go with it.
Q. You've talked with me before, especially back in Scotland, that playing in the cold is something that you're not the biggest fan of. Today you were saying with the sun out that you weren't wearing as many layers. Do you think that helped get you more comfortable on the course out there?
DANIELLE KANG: Yes and no actually. I had a really good chat with Butch couple days ago. It didn't change at all. Even at the Olympic Club I was really struggling, and yesterday was really cold so yesterday was a tough day for me.
But we have a new game plan starting two days ago on how I'm going to play in the cold, and kind of gave up one part of my game and then putting trust in other parts of my game, which I've been doing.
So just going to stick to that game plan. Even on the last hole I wasn't trying to hit it far at all. Just ended up hitting a good spot on the fairway and having a good eagle putt. I think I just need to stick to the game plan, yeah, that we had in mind.
Q. What part of your game are you trusting more after that conversation?
DANIELLE KANG: More of my wedges, yeah, my wedges and my putting. My Scotty Cameron putter is my weapon right now. Not only that, just having my wedges around, one of them actually broke so the Titleist sent me wedges by Monday -- Tuesday this week, and having good feel around the greens.
But that's all practice, so engraving that feel and trusting that and being able to make up and downs, that's what I trust. So I'm okay missing greens, as weird as that sounds.
Q. What's the game plan?
DANIELLE KANG: Call Butch and ask.
Q. What parts of your game did you give up?
DANIELLE KANG: You got to ask Butch. It's interesting. Him and I were on the phone for a while on the range because I told him -- it's more of a complaining, but it's not just about this week. It's more so just figuring out my weaknesses in my game in general.
Even I'm if leading, if it gets cold doesn't mean that's my weakness. You have to make your weakness stronger and that's what we're trying to strive for, one of them being cold weather. Today for me this is cold, so I'm wearing three layers, and even yesterday. So shooting under par last two days is really (wind - indiscernible).
Q. You mentioned that Scotty is your secret weapon. You went from 31 putts yesterday to 25 today. What was different?
DANIELLE KANG: I putted out of my mind yesterday. Like I putted well yesterday. 31? That must be wrong stat because I putted so well.
My putting saved me yesterday. I missed one that was like three feet. But I don't blame my putter for that one. It was definitely not my putter.
No, I putted well. I'm making putts that I need to make, which is -- it's been my go-to for the last few weeks.
Q. I know you've been talking with Butch. You're getting used to this Lake Merced course. What do you think it will take to continue striving throughout the weekend?
DANIELLE KANG: I still got to keep playing good golf, playing well. I'm hitting the ball okay. I'm chipping and putting well, so I just got to rely on parts of my game to back me up when I need it.
With that being said, just got to keep myself in contention and try and get that W.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports