It’s confounding to see where 14-year LPGA veteran Danielle Kang stands now. Following spinal tumor surgery in June 2022, her on-course stats have taken a concerning dip. This season, Kang has played 7 events, missing cuts in 3. Her recent performance prompted an emotional message from the golfer. Just in line with her 2024 mantra, “There’s always going to be another challenge,” Kang faces a new challenge: another missed cut and a lower CME ranking than last season.
In 2024, the one-time major champion faced the risk of losing her LPGA card due to a concerning series of performances. In her 19 appearances, Kang missed the cut 9 times. Now, in the 2025 season, she has fallen further in the CME ranking from last year, dropping from 144 to 150. Currently, she stands at 418 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. Unfortunately, she remains at risk of losing her card this season if she does not improve.
The weight of her performances sits heavy on Danielle Kang’s shoulders, however, as per her latest Instagram update. After missing the cut at the ongoing El Camaleón Mayakoba Golf Course event, Mayakoba Open, Kang posted on her Instagram: “to all those that want to quit, whatever that may be, don’t. life isn’t as bad as your brain is making out to be look at the people that surround you through it all and love you for you. find your happy in the midst of all the sh-t, cause I promise you when it’s all over, there’s fresh batch of new sh-t waiting for you at the end for you to deal with .”
Struggling both in her game and with her health, Kang decided to skip the Chevron Championship to focus on her performance. She then played in the Black Desert Championship, where she scored a disappointing 2-over-par in the first round. Just when fans hoped she would do better on the second day, Kang withdrew due to illness. Before that, Kang missed the cut at the JM Eagle LA Championship and failed to qualify from her group in the T-Mobile Match Play event. Her best result came at the Blue Bay LPGA, where she finished T68 with a score of 10 over par.
Given the trend of poor performances, it is not surprising that this isn’t the first time the golfer has talked about her gameplay. In 2024, a hopeful Kang said ahead of the Aramco Team Series Singapore, “It’s just that sometimes it’s hard to keep fighting but if you find the joy of it and the results of it, I want people to know that no matter what it might be – it could be a job, a home, if you keep working towards what you want to, you’ll always make it out.” Just like for most of the LPGA pros, the game of golf has given Kang both good and bad memories.
Danielle Kang Experiences Both Sides of Golf
In 2021, Danielle Kang sat down for an exclusive interview with Golf Digest, where she opened up about her struggles with golf. Reflecting on her journey, she admitted, “I didn’t love golf; I was just really good at it.” She explained that her desire to spend time with her older brother, Alex, motivated her to practice with him, and what she truly enjoyed was winning. However, Kang soon recognized that this focus on winning created pressure; if she didn’t win, she felt disappointed.
Kang has often discussed how golf demands a lot from her, contributing to her struggles. Despite these challenges, she acknowledges the significant role golf plays in her life, stating, “I get to do something so cool: play golf for a living.”
Danielle Kang proves that by celebrating little wins in her career. Kang’s outing at the Blue Bay LPGA in China became particularly memorable as she finally made a cut at a tournament this year. After scoring 4 over-par, she played the weekend at the Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course, marking a significant achievement that prompted her to celebrate.
She celebrated with the talented Angel Yin, who brought a cake for the occasion. Kang shared the moment on Instagram, posting a photo with a frosting-coated knife and the caption, “when your sis gets you the ‘congrats you finally made the cut’ cake.” Ultimately, Danielle Kang finished T68 with a score of 10 over par at the event.
The post ‘Life Isn’t as Bad..’: Struggling LPGA Pro Shares Emotional 12-Word Message Amid Major Career Slump appeared first on EssentiallySports.
