Kang, The Saticoy Club represented Ventura County well at LPGA event in Somis

Danielle Kang let out a guttural sigh as she stepped towards the microphone, exclaiming, “So close!”

Six shots back entering the final day of the LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship, the hometown favorite put together a run at the title Sunday at The Saticoy Club in Somis.

Twice on the back nine, Kang stood over a putt that would have pulled her even with the leaders.

But the Westlake High just didn’t make enough putts to come all the way back to give Ventura County a local champion in its first LPGA tournament in 22 years.

“It's been really fun,” Kang said. “I know that I really tried.”

A 5-under 67 Sunday moved her to 13 under for 72 holes, which tied Kang for third with Paula Reto and Georgia Hall.

Jodi Ewart Shadoff of England shot 15-under to earn her first win on tour in 246 LPGA starts.

“I will never forget playing here,” Ewart Shadoff told the club’s members on the 18th green during the trophy ceremony.

Kang, the No. 14-ranked player in the world, had plenty of encouragement during her comeback.

“I thrive off the gallery, so I love when people cheer and come out and watch and have that momentum and that vibe,” Kang said. “So hopefully this encourages people to come out and know that it's really fun to watch. I had as much fun as other people did outside.”

She drew a large gallery that included her elementary and middle school teachers, a college coach, childhood friends and her mother, Grace Lee.

“It's just so incredible to play in front of all my friends,” Kang said. “I had a lot of fun. No matter what I do, they're proud of me, so it was just exciting to play today.”

A fair challenge 

Like Kang, The Saticoy Club represented Ventura County well before an international audience.

The 101-year-old club had never previously hosted a professional tournament.

Robert Nagelberg, the club’s general manager, was proud of how it performed in the spotlight.

“I think it's anyone who knows Somis in October, you couldn’t ask for better course conditions, better weather,” Nagelberg said. “The field kind of showed, as far as the scoring, that it was a fair challenge. And there was competition up until the end.”

Nagelberg said it was “apropos” that Ewart Shadoff, who set a course record with Thursday’s 64, won the first professional tournament at Saticoy.

“As a club that values golf is a tradition … that was pretty cool,” Nagelberg said.

Dave Tucker, who managed the tournament for Outlyr, the event management company that runs many LPGA events, gave the event a positive review.

“We were super thrilled and excited about the turnout,” said Tucker. “We had anticipated around a couple thousand (fans) per day, but we exceeded those expectations.

“So our attendance was high, I think the community was involved, as well as the engagement of the membership. All three of those facets really checked our boxes, so we’re thrilled.”

Kang “loved” her time back on the course that made her an honorary member as a teenager.

“I think Saticoy was just great,” Kang said. “They were unbelievable with their hospitality, the members, the volunteers, everyone around here. I’m biased though. They can't do anything wrong to me, so I loved it.”

The feeling is mutual. Nagelberg reinforced the club’s relationship with Kang during the tournament by extending the previous agreement between the player and the club.

Kang is, once again, an official member of the Saticoy Club.

The question now is when will she return in an official capacity?

Saticoy stepped forward to host MEDIHEAL because Lake Merced Golf Club, which had previously hosted the event, was being renovated.

The expectation is that the event returns to Daly City next year.

Although, now that it has proven it can host a professional tournament, The Saticoy Club may be interested in hosting future events.

“We hope we're asked to do it again,” Nagelberg said. “If someone asked my personal wish, (it would be to) do it again with the LPGA.

“If anyone knows this team, starting tonight we'll be itching to do it again, and do it better. … From ownership group to management to the whole team, it was probably a highlight of everybody’s career.

Kang asked the question in her post-tournament media availability,

“How many years are we coming back?” Kang asked. “We need to come back. We need to figure this out. I hope we come back and have this kind of crowd again.”

Hunting albatrosses 

Kang opened the final day at 8 under, six shots behind Ewart Shadoff, and immediately bogeyed the par-4 first hole.

But she earned the shot back with a birdie on the next hole and began attacking the course with her approach shots.

“I told (caddie Olly Brett), ‘I’m going to try and hunt everything down just by ball striking.’ ” Kang said. “That's what I tried to do today, hole-out from fairways. I tried to hole-out with wedges.

“I wasn't trying to do anything else but to try and make eagles from fairways, because it just hasn’t been my forte out here right now with the putting.”

After a birdie on the par-4 6th, Kang drilled her second shot on the par-5 8th a few feet from the cup.

Her short eagle putt, which was met with huge cheers from the gallery, pulled her within two shots of the lead.

“I was trying to hole-out and make an albatross,” Kang said.

After missing birdie putts on the 11th and 12th, Kang birdied the 13th and 14th to move within a stroke of the lead at 13-under par.

But she did leave an eagle putt short on 14 that would have pulled her even with the co-leaders.

“Unfortunately, I didn't really have my putting with me this week,” Kang said. “There was some really good golf being played out there today, and I'm a little bit bummed on the fact that I didn't give myself enough birdie chances coming in, but I did the best that I could.”

The performance was worth $96,320.

“I made some great up and downs, so I’m hoping that I made a little bit of cash because of those,” said Kang, as friends and family watched her media availability. “So that's good. I can buy my friends dinner.”

Joe Curley is a staff reporter for The Star. He can be reached at  joe.curley@vcstar.com. Follow him @vcsjoecurley on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Kang, The Saticoy Club represented Ventura County well at LPGA event