Conditions dominated the golfers' thinking in the third round.
Ko said: "Just playing in the wind in any sort of temperature makes it a lot tougher. I knew that today was going to be a little bit more of a grind.
"My game wasn't as sharp as the other days, but when the conditions are tough, you know, I think it's difficult.
"It affects everything when it's almost 20 miles per hour. It is tough to be over some of these putts, to be really stable."
World number three Ko had a brilliant start to the tournament, a 63 her best opening round since 2013.
Kang had a great chance to narrow Ko's third round lead on the 17th, when the Kiwi fluffed her tee shot on the par three.
Ko, chipping from the lower level of the green, produced a typically consummate recovery while the American - who won in Florida last week - botched a birdie chance.
And Ko produced another fine save on the last, after ending up in a back bunker.
"It's great to be back in contention," Ko said.
"I played really solid, really consistently, especially in the back half of my season last year.
"When you keep putting yourself there you feel like at one point it's going to fall…I just enjoy being out there, enjoy being in that position, and we'll have to see what happens at the end of tomorrow."
World number one Nelly Korda shot a third round 76 and is in a tie for 23rd, eleven shots adrift of Ko. World number two Jin Young Ko is not competing this week.
