Danielle Kang held a three-stroke lead midway through the final round of the LPGA Drive On Championship in the LPGA Tour’s return to golf after a six-month shutdown because of the Coronavirus pandemic, but lost all of it and fell into a tie with Celine Boutier of France.
But the fourth-ranked Kang, from Thousand Oaks and a two-time All-American at Pepperdine, finished with five straight pars and a even-par 70 to beat Boutier by one stroke at the Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio.
“I made sure I played golf (during the shutdown) as much as I did normally, not because I had to but because I wanted to,” said Kang who claimed her fourth victory on the LPGA Tour, of her time at home in Las Vegas. “I’m so thankful for the time. I tried to make the best of it. We had all the time in the world. Golf courses were open in Nevada. I didn’t have to rush and cram for a test. I’m proud of the work I was able to do.
“ … I knew where I was standing with three holes left and I wanted to know where I was on the final hole stretch. You have to respect the golf course and that’s what I tried to do, even the little putts I didn’t take for granted.”
Kang, who was in or near the lead all the way after opening with a 66, built her lead with three birdies on the first 11 holes of the final round and finished with a 54-hole score of 7-under 209.
Boutier, who has won three times a pro including the 2019 ISPS Handa Vic Open on the PGA Tour, made birdies on the 12th and 14th holes to pull even after Kang made her only bogey at No. 13.
However, Boutier missed a short par putt on the 15th hole to fall behind, couldn’t sink a four-foot birdie putt on the last hole that would have forced a playoff and finished with a 71.
Eighth-ranked Minjee Lee of Australia closed with a 70 to finish three shots back in solo third, followed one more back by Yui Kawamoto of Japan, who had a 72, and Jodi Ewart Shadow of England was five behind in fifth after a 75.
Mina Harigae of Monterey shot 73 and finished seven strokes back in a tie for sixth with Gemma Dryburgh (71) of Scotland, Brittany Lang (72), Sarah Burnham (74) and Sarah Schmelzel (75).
Ninth-ranked Lexi Thompson tied for 16th after finishing with a 73, while second-ranked Nelly Korda totaled 71 to tie for 40th.
For complete results, visit https://www.lpga.com/tournaments/lpga-drive-on-championship/results
