Born in San Francisco, Danielle Kang, now 24, qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open in 2007 when she was just fourteen years old. A former Oak Park High School player, Danielle transferred to Westlake High School here in Westlake Village before a two-year college career at Pepperdine University. She also holds the Westlake Golf Course record after shooting at 57 during a tournament here.
In 2010, Kang won the U.S. Women’s Amateur and competed in all four major tournaments, making the cut in three of them. Danielle went back in 2011 to play the regular season with Pepperdine before being deemed academically ineligible for NCAA post-season play. The post-season ineligibility coupled with her second consecutive win at the U.S. Women’s Amateur prompted her to turn professional after an August 2011 win. It was the first time in fifteen years a that player won the U.S. Women’s Amateur in consecutive years.
Kang joined the LPGA Tour in 2012 on conditional status and played in nineteen LPGA Tour events, making the cut thirteen times while finishing the year at 52nd on the money-earning list. That performance earned her full status as a member of the Tour in 2013. Through 2016 Danielle earned eight top ten finishes.
2016 was an injury riddled year for Kang starting with a wrist injury followed by three bulging discs in her neck. After missing six weeks of the tour Kang underwent surgery for a growth on her eyeball caused by exposure to UV rays. But this year is looking much better.
Referring to her 2016 season as ‘survival mode’, Kang says she’s grateful to have only missed six weeks of action. This Danielle Kang is one to watch.