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UL INTERNATIONAL CROWN

July 19, 2016

Chicago, Illinois

MOLLY GALLATIN: Good afternoon, everybody, and welcome. I'd like to thank Team China for coming here today. We're joined by Xi Yu Lynn, Shanshan Feng, then we have Simin Feng and Jing Yan. This is China's first appearance at the UL International Crown. They're also the youngest team in the field this week. Shanshan, I wanted to start with you. Having said that, not that you're old, but being the eldest woman on this team, are you excited to get a chance to lead this team?

SHANSHAN FENG: Well, of course. I feel sorry about being the oldest one, to actually make our average age to go up. But still, I'm really happy that I can be a part of our team.

I really need to thank my teammates because I wasn't the one actually to help our team to get in the Crown. They really moved up a lot to actually help our team to get in. I need to say thanks, and still thanks that she let me have the opportunity to play in this event.

I always dreamed about to play in match play events like representing our own country, because as an Asian we don't have any chance to play in Solheim Cups. I was always dreaming, oh, when can I play in match play? Now here I am, so I'm really happy about it.

MOLLY GALLATIN: How can you use your relative experience to overcome that and use it to your advantage, Simin?

SIMIN FENG: Well, first of all, the three of us had prepared for Asian Games before together, so we had that kind of team bonding experience. Also being over here playing the U.S. Amateur and then all those events kind of helped with --

MOLLY GALLATIN: Xi Yu, how have you prepared for this event? How will you prepare standing on that first tee with a chance to represent your country?

XI YU LIN: Yeah, I haven't played in match play for very long time, maybe four, five years, so I feel really excited about this week because it's a whole different type of tournament. Yeah, obviously we're playing against Korea at the first round, but this is match play, and anything is going to happen. We're going to try our best, and like to be honest, we have nothing to lose. We have the least pressure.

MOLLY GALLATIN: Jing, against Korea, how important will it be for you guys in your opinion to get off to a fast start?

JING YAN: Yeah, definitely. They're seen as one of the favorites in this competition, so if we were able to upset them or even get a point up there on the board, that would be definitely working in our favor, and it would give us a lot of momentum going forward into the next couple of matches, and hopefully if we were able to do well, that would give us a lot of confidence going forward.

Q. You're in a situation where you don't have a team captain, so how have you gelled together, and who has been the de facto leader of the team?
SHANSHAN FENG: I don't think we do have a leader. I think it's a good chance when you do have a leader, you listen to one voice. Of course it might be easier, but it's also good that we can use four brains together, all work together and discuss together, because four brains is always better than one, so I think everybody can tell our own opinions, and then we decide everything like from everybody. I think it's great.

JING YAN: Yeah, we have been deciding a lot of stuff together and working together on strategy and stuff, but Shanshan definitely has a lot of experience --

SHANSHAN FENG: Well, because I'm old. (Laughter.)

JING YAN: And you're wise. We've been looking to her for a lot of that stuff.

SIMIN FENG: Yeah, we also started a group chat that helped get everybody's idea in.

Q. When did you start that? How early did you start the group chat?
SHANSHAN FENG: Like three, four weeks ago. I just wanted to start talking about like maybe pairings and stuff because we're all new to this kind of event, so we wanted to be well-prepared. It's easier for us to bring our "A" games.

MOLLY GALLATIN: It was a fight at the end for your team to qualify. You are the eighth seed in pool play. When did you start really watching and paying attention and starting to I guess be self-driven to get that final seed?

JING YAN: For me it was pretty early on in the year because we were -- especially during the ANA, where the Swedish team were doing really well, and it was really kind of a struggle there to get into the Crown for a bit. I've always wanted to play this event, and we've been looking forward to it for two years now because, like Shanshan said, we don't have a lot of opportunities at team events or match play, being part of China and Asian countries.

Especially growing up when they had the Lexus Cup where it was Asia versus International, that really inspired a lot of Asian golfers growing up. It would be cool to be able to have that effect.

MOLLY GALLATIN: In your opinion, who is the team to beat?

SHANSHAN FENG: Everybody. I mean, at the end, there's only going to be one winner, right? For us we have to play match play with Korea, Taiwan, Australia, and if we make it to the final, then we'll play singles. But I mean, for us, we got in as the last spot, actually. We have nothing to lose. We're trying to beat everybody in every match. That's our mindset right now.

MOLLY GALLATIN: Xi Yu, what does Team China need to do to win this tournament?

XI YU LIN: Well, I think just -- I don't know.

SHANSHAN FENG: No, I think, like you said, our strength is actually they're all very young. I think young players are actually more aggressive, so being aggressive is a good thing in match play, I think. Sorry I'm being old, so maybe I'm not as aggressive, but also it's a good match. You know, one aggressive player and the other partner is not as aggressive, is more safer.

I think we pair up, we're going to have great pairings -- what was the question again? Sorry.

MOLLY GALLATIN: What does Team China have to do to win this tournament?

SHANSHAN FENG: Eat well, sleep well, stick on our routine, and maybe take the other teams out for dinner and then maybe put something in their dinner. Maybe not. I'm just joking, you know. I'm just joking. But yeah, eat well, sleep well, be fresh every day. I think that's what we're going to do.

Q. What are your thoughts on the course conditions and the setup here this week?
SIMIN FENG: Well, definitely the course is in great condition right now, and then I heard they're even using the grain mowers to mow the fairway. That's pretty impressive. Yeah, and then the greens are really great, so I'm really looking forward to it.

SHANSHAN FENG: I mean, this course is set up for a lot of birdies. That's what I think. I only played the back nine today. Even though it did play a little bit longer. But I think because the fairways and greens are in great shape, so we didn't have much wind today, but if the wind picks up, it might be a little bit tougher.

But I would say it's going to be a birdie challenge. Everybody is going to go for birdies, especially for match play. I think it's a great course for it, and I really enjoyed it.

Q. Were there any holes that you guys played today that seemed to be a particular challenge that are going to seem tougher than the others?
JING YAN: There are a couple where you have to cut across the fairway, and there's quite a tight landing spot, either to carry or have a hazard after it. Definitely those are the holes that if you can get it on the fairway you have a better opportunity to win the hole, and that's -- we have three or four of those, so that's going to be a challenge.

Q. You guys have a first practice run today; how do you feel about playing with your teammates? Was it more fun or do you get more ideas about this game?
JING YAN: We had so much fun today.

SHANSHAN FENG: Well, I mean, what we tried today -- other than the first round, we already decided what our pairings should be. But other than that, for the next three -- at least two match plays, we're not sure about it. So what we tried was we teamed up with each other, like for every three holes, and then we found out actually it doesn't matter how we're paired up, we're actually pretty tight. The game was pretty tight. That maybe gave us more ideas about what we should -- how we should get paired for the next two rounds, and I'm really happy because my teammates are all doing very well, so I don't have much pressure.

I just hope we can enjoy the weekend.

JING YAN: We never have an opportunity to play together as a team, and to be able to do that -- I haven't played in a team event in like four years or six years.

SHANSHAN FENG: Or ever for me.

JING YAN: It's so much fun to be able to play out there today with these girls. That's part of the important part of this tournament is to get the national spirit going and the camaraderie, everyone having fun, and yeah, that's really cool.

SIMIN FENG: Yeah, three of us actually played, me, Jing and Xi Yu actually played the Queen Sirikit Cup down in India. We played a team event. That's my last team event ever.

MOLLY GALLATIN: Have you guys thought about what it's going to be like on the first tee hearing your national anthem? Do you think you'll get emotional?

SHANSHAN FENG: Well, for me, I've never had that experience before, but I'm guessing I might be able to hit it 50 yards longer. Maybe if I get real excited. And then maybe they'll need to take me to drug testing, but it doesn't matter.

JING YAN: Hopefully people at home would be pretty excited to hear the national anthem being played, as well.

MOLLY GALLATIN: Thank you, guys, for coming in.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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UL INTERNATIONAL CROWN

July 19, 2016

Shanshan Feng

Lin Yuxin

Jing Yan

Simin Feng