Imago
silhouette golfer playing golf during beautiful sunset
Imago
silhouette golfer playing golf during beautiful sunset
The 2026 Kroger Queen City Championship lost one of its biggest names on Thursday when Danielle Kang withdrew during her first round at Maketewah Country Club. LPGA Media announced the exit, but no public reason was given at that time.
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“Danielle Kang has withdrawn from the Kroger Queen City Championship during her first round,” LPGA Media tweeted.
The public update was short and bare. It confirmed only the withdrawal during round one, not an injury, illness, or any other cause. That is why the moment feels unclear, not because of the rumor, but because of the silence around it.
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Danielle Kang withdrew from the event without any notice. The American pro, who has been a part of the LPGA Tour roster since 2012, has only played two events this season. Her last appearance was in the 2026 Riviera Maya Open at make, which saw her finish at T27.
This was not a small name slipping out quietly. Kang is a six-time LPGA winner and still one of the tour’s most familiar faces, so a mid-round withdrawal without a public explanation naturally stands out more than usual.
Danielle Kang has withdrawn from the the Kroger Queen City Championship during her first round. @LPGA | @QueenCityLPGA
— LPGA Media (@LPGAMedia) May 14, 2026
In 2024 and 2025, Kang was already competing in eight events by this time of the year. However, with fewer appearances this season and possibly her getting close to an age where most pros retire, she might be slowing down at the moment.
What remains unclear is why she could not continue after starting her round. However, after she struggled to keep up with the competition last season, she did hint at taking her time to find her way back to the top again.
Kang has suggested that she wants to keep competing in pursuit of more success on the fairway. And she is not planning to retire in 2026.
She posted a picture of herself with a caption, “Legit am the tortoise🐢 slowly but surely…(?) we’ll never know unless we keep going right? :)”
Her lighter schedule offers context, but not a confirmed reason for this withdrawal. So, when will Kang return to the course after withdrawing today?
Danielle Kang’s next planned outing on the LPGA Tour schedule
After playing just two tournaments in five months, Danielle Kang is certainly taking it “slowly” like a “tortoise.” However, the 33-year-old has had enough of the break, and now she might be ready to pick up the pace.
While it’s uncertain what her health condition is, Kang is already scheduled for another appearance in the upcoming weeks. After completing the 2026 Kroger Queen City Championship, she was confirmed for the field of the next LPGA Tour event, the ShopRite LPGA.
She is scheduled to be at Galloway, New Jersey, to play at the Bay Course in Seaview Hotel & Golf Club from May 29 to 31, 2026. The 54-hole tournament will give Kang the right platform to push to compete. And if she is able to get an impressive result out of it or maybe even break her four-year winless streak, then the plan to slow down will become a huge success.
Interestingly, she withdrew from the first round of the 2024 edition of the ShopRite LPGA as well. Hopefully, she returns to the course in the same event this year. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.
Written by
Edited by
Himanga Mahanta