Kang In Hunt Heading Into Final Round and More From ANA Inspiration

KANG IN THE HUNT HEADING INTO FINAL ROUND

Two-time LPGA winner Danielle Kang shot a 2-under 70 on Saturday in Rancho Mirage, making three birdies against a lone bogey to move -5 overall. The 26-year-old American is tied for third heading into the final round with Mi Hyang Lee, and three shots behind leader Jin Young Ko.

“To be honest, I was getting a little bit greedy. I wanted those putts to drop. I definitely hit some incredible shots coming in,” said Kang, who birdied the par-5 11th and then parred her way into the clubhouse. “Saved those pars, and each hole is very difficult out here. It's one of the toughest it's ever played in my opinion. I've been here I think 8 years now.”

Kang is making her eighth start at the ANA Inspiration with a best finish of T26 in 2015 and 2016; the highest she’s climbed on the leaderboard through 54 holes at Mission Hills was 27th in 2016. As usual, Kang watched the leaderboard today as she patiently made a steady climb to close in on the leaders.

“I definitely saw the leaderboard and one of players, I saw was at 10-under. I know I am at 5, but like I said, every hole you can't lose your focus. There is so much going on per hole. You miss a green by a yard you might not get an opportunity,” said Kang, who hit 16 of 18 greens in regulation. “I knew that, and especially it's a final round of a major championship. I know there are a lot of people in the hunt. It's going to be exciting.” 

WITH A WIN…

Jin Young Ko, In-Kyung Kim or Mi Hyang Lee would become the fifth player from the Republic of Korea to win the ANA Inspiration, joining Grace Park (2004), Sun Young Yoo (2012), Inbee Park (2013) and So Yeon Ryu (2017)

Ko or Lee would become the 17th player to win her first major at the ANA Inspiration

Ko or Lee would become the 15th player from the Republic of Korea to win a major, the most of any country other than the United States

Kim or Danielle Kang would become the 21st player with multiple major victories; Kim won the 2017 AIG Women’s British Open, while Kang won the 2017 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship

Ko would become the first multiple winner of the 2019 LPGA Tour season; two weeks ago, she won the Bank of Hope Founders Cup

Kang would become the second consecutive American to win a major, joining Angela Stanford, who won the 2018 Evian Championship

LEE FLYING HIGH THANKS TO ANA, ACE

On Saturday afternoon at the ANA Inspiration, Mi Hyang Lee rolled in a hole-in-one on No. 17, from 181 yards and with a 5-hybrid. If her reaction was any indication, she was REALLY excited as she let out a loud scream. With the ace, Lee wins two first-class round-trip tickets courtesy of ANA Airlines. She finished at -5 overall and is within striking distance of the leaders heading into tomorrow’s final round tied with Danielle Kang for third.

After her round, Lee said she didn’t realize a free flight was at stake when she made the ace: “I didn't think about that because my caddie told me no cars here, nothing…So, yeah, right now just I will think about it. Some vacation.” Lee, who wanted to be a flight attendant when she was younger, said she might use the tickets to spend time with her family in the offseason.

Her ace adds another $20,000 to the season-long CME Group Cares Challenge - Score 1 for St. Jude, which benefits St. Jude Children’s Hospital. With eight aces so far in 2019, the donation total now tallies $160,000.

PLAYER NOTES

Rolex Rankings No. 5 Jin Young Ko (69-71-68)

• This is the second time in Ko’s career that she has the lead going into the final round of a major; she was tied for first at the 2015 AIG Women’s British Open (as a non-Member) and finished in solo second
• Ko’s third-round 68 is her career-best round at the ANA Inspiration, breaking the mark set by the 69 she shot in the first round
• Her 54-hole 208 is her career-best 54-hole score at the ANA Inspiration; her previous best was a 215 in 2018, when she finished tied for 64th
• She hit 10 of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens, with 27 putts
• Ko is in her second season on the LPGA Tour; she won the 2018 ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open in her Membership debut and won the 2017 LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship as a non-Member
• This is Ko’s sixth event of the 2019 LPGA Tour season; she won the Bank of Hope Founders Cup, finished second at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open and tied for third at the HSBC Women’s World Championship
• She is competing in her fourth ANA Inspiration; her best finish is T64 in 2018
• Ko won the 2018 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year honors, an award she clinched with four events remaining in the season

Rolex Rankings No. 25 In-Kyung Kim (71-65-73)

• This is the first time in Kim’s career that she will play in the final group on Sunday at the ANA Inspiration
• Her 54-hole 209 is tied for her career-best 54-hole score at the ANA Inspiration; she also shot 209 in 2018, when she finished tied for 30th
• She hit 12 of 14 fairways and 11 of 18 greens, with 29 putts
• Kim is in her 13th season on the LPGA Tour; she has seven career victories, including a major win at the 2017 AIG Women’s British Open
• This is Kim’s third event of the 2019 LPGA Tour season; her best finish is T19 at last week’s Kia Classic
• She is competing in her 12th ANA Inspiration; she was runner-up in a playoff with Sun Young Yoo in 2012, after she missed a 1-foot putt on the final hole that would have won the championship
• Kim is a two-time member of Team Korea at the UL International Crown
• In 2015, she won the Kia Community Assist Award for her charitable efforts with the Special Olympics, where she is a Global Ambassador for Golf; she donated her entire winner’s check from the 2010 Lorena Ochoa Invitational to charity, half to the Lorena Ochoa Foundation and half to the Special Olympics 

Rolex Rankings No. 54 Mi Hyang Lee (70-73-68)

• Lee’s third-round 68 is tied for her career-best round at the ANA Inspiration; she shot a 68 in the second round in 2015
• Her 54-hole 211 is her career-best 54-hole score at the ANA Inspiration; her previous best was a 212 in 2015, when she finished tied for eighth
• She hit seven of 14 fairways and 11 of 18 greens, with 25 putts
• Lee is in her eighth season on the LPGA Tour; she has two career victories, most recently the 2017 Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open
• Lee’s ace on the par-3 17^th was her third career hole-in-one
• This is Lee’s seventh event of the 2019 LPGA Tour season; her best finish is T10 at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open
• She is competing in her sixth ANA Inspiration; her best finish is a tie for eighth in 2015, with missed cuts the last two consecutive years
• Lee spent 2012 on both the LPGA and Epson Tours; on the Epson Tour, she earned Gaelle Truett Rookie of the Year honors thanks to a season that included a win at the Epson Classic

Rolex Rankings No. 16 Danielle Kang (71-68-70)

• Kang’s third-round 70 is tied for her third-best round at the ANA Inspiration; she shot two 67s in 2015, recorded a 69 in yesterday’s second round and has two other 70s
• Her 54-hole 211 is her career-best 54-hole score at the ANA Inspiration; her previous best was a 213 in 2016, when she finished tied for 26th
• She hit six of 14 fairways and 16 of 18 greens, with 33 putts
• Kang is in her eighth season on the LPGA Tour; she has two career victories, including a major win at the 2017 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
• This is Kang’s fourth event of the 2019 LPGA Tour season; she tied for second at last week’s Kia Classic and has two other top-20 finishes
• She is competing in her eighth ANA Inspiration; her best finish is a tie for 26th in 2015 and 2016
• Kang represented the USA at the 2017 Solheim Cup