After clinching the 2017 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and tallying six LPGA Tour wins, Danielle Kang’s career seemed poised for consistent greatness. But life, as she’ll be the first to admit, isn’t always fair. Her 2024 season?

She called it the “worst.” That’s not what we say, she said it herself in her recent Instagram post, where she toasted the end of the year with a cigar, captioning, “Cheers to finally wrapping up the worst season of my career ❤️‍🩹 2025 I’m coming for you 😘.”

Well, we feel bad that she feels that way, but we can’t deny that she did see many setbacks this year. Being a professional golfer has its demands and challenges. 

Her best finish in a full-field event? T-51 at the U.S. Women’s Open. A far cry from her former dominance, she finished the year ranked 144th in the Race to the CME Globe, missing out on key events like the CME Tour Championship. To add a little salt to the wound, her ex-boyfriend, Maverick McNealy, snagged his first PGA Tour win at the 2024 RSM Classic, pocketing a cool $1.36 million. Meanwhile, Kang might have to head to Q-Series or rely on a top-40 career money list exemption to improve her status for 2025.

McNealy and Kang started dating back in 2019. At that time, Kang was a dominant force on the LPGA Tour, while McNealy was a rookie PGA Tour pro finding his way. They split quietly in 2021, but seeing an ex succeed while struggling yourself? That stings. Yet Kang isn’t wallowing. Her post clearly shows she’s gearing up to come back stronger.

And it’s not just her determination that stands out—it’s the support from her fans. Her comment section overflowed with encouragement as soon as she shared those candid moments.

Fans show their unwavering support for Kang

“2025 will be the best season for you my idol, Danielle Kang,” a fan wrote, sharing their optimism. Another cheered her resilience, adding, “Don’t worry, Danielle, the main thing is you’re healthy and you can only go up ⬆ in 2025! No matter what, we still love 💕 you!”

It’s been a rough couple of years for Kang, but her fans haven’t lost faith. And why would they? She was once one of the best on the LPGA Tour, even reaching No. 5 in the world rankings. Her toughness was put to the test in 2022 when she played in the U.S. Women’s Open with a tumor on her spine. However, that didn’t stop the champion.

After a brief hiatus, she made a strong return in late August that year, shaking off the rust and finishing tied-17th at the CP Women’s Open in Canada. With three top-10 finishes under her belt, she moved forward into the next year, but alas! 2023 proved to be another winless season.

Though her results in 2023 and 2024 didn’t match her past success, her fans never wavered. They’ve always been there, especially knowing how strong she remained mentally and physically, through her demanding moments. Even if they couldn’t be with her in person, the fans took her side.

As one fan mentioned, “Wish I was celebrating in your misery, DK! Wishing good things for you in 2025! ❤” Others kept things simple and sweet, with one saying, “Have wonderful winter holidays and start fresh next year ❤ Fighting!”

Kang may not have had the season she wanted, but she’s got something just as important: unwavering support from those who believe in her. And with that kind of love behind her, 2025 might be her comeback year.