WATCH: LPGA star Danielle Kang uses young fan’s gift to accessorize her bag
Danielle Kang had a warm encounter with a young fan while competing at the 2024 Buick LPGA Shanghai. This week’s LPGA Tour event in Shanghai started with its first round on October 10.
A young fan approached Kang and gifted her a plushie during the event. The American golfer chatted with the fan as she received the gift and hung it on her golf bag.
The LPGA Tour shared a video of Kang's caddie carrying her bag with the fan's gift hanging on it, writing:
"A young fan gave Danielle Kang a gift to start the week. It now hangs in Danielle's bag ❤️ @daniellekang | Buick LPGA Shanghai"
Danielle Kang has had a decent outing on the LPGA Tour in 2024. She has competed in 16 events this season and made the cut in seven. Although she has not recorded any top-10 finishes, she had some decent finishes, including T27 at the Dow Championship and T20 at the Honda LPGA Thailand.
Danielle Kang struggles in the opening round of the 2024 Buick LPGA Shanghai
Danielle Kang started her game well at the 2024 Buick LPGA Shanghai event but struggled later in the first round, tying for 59th place.
The American golfer began with two birdies on the front nine. She made pars on the first two holes. Adding to her solid start, she made a birdie on the par-4 third and another on the ninth. However, she lost momentum on the 12th hole, recording her first bogey.
Kang quickly regained momentum adding a birdie on the 14th, but struggled again on the 16th, making another bogey. She added two more bogeys on the next two holes, finishing with a score of 1-over 73.
Meanwhile, Sei Young Kim was impressive, shooting a round of 10-under 62. She made nine birdies, an eagle, and a bogey in her opening round to take a two-stroke lead in the tournament. Speaking about her performance in the post-round press conference, she said:
"After turning the ninth hole I'm kind of like, 'Oh, I shot 8-under.' I never play like that, so I was a little nervous. I don't know. Then I try to calm down but after that my body's reaction is a little tight, and then after a couple of holes I make par and then bogey one hole, and I realize, 'Okay, I just keep going, what I did is front nine,' and I was able to knock three birdies and a strong finish."
Celine Boutier secured second at 8-under, followed by Lucy Li. The event will conclude with the final round on Sunday, October 13.