GAINBRIDGE LPGA

February 27, 2021

Angel Yin

Lake Nona Golf & Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Angel, let's talk about this back nine here. You really got things going after the par on No. 10.

ANGEL YIN: I did after I saw you. (Laughing.) Yeah, I just played well.

Q. What was going so right there? Let's talk about the first couple birdies. What was going so well with your game?

ANGEL YIN: I would say my putts started going in. It wasn't like I was reading putts bad, but all my putts yesterday and the day before just kind of missed a little bit, including the front nine.

And then on the back nine just started rolling in, and then with that momentum I was able to hit it closer and just things just started happening. I didn't really know what happened. I kind of blacked out. And then I woke up with my bogey, and then was like, okay, let me make another birdie to finish.

Q. You're telling my you blacked out during the eagle on 14?

ANGEL YIN: Yeah, and then I don't know what happened until the bogey on 17.

Q. What happened there on the drivable No. 14 today?

ANGEL YIN: Well, I hit my 3-wood. I cut it in there because I felt like 3-wood would've been a little long because it was getting really hot in the day.

And then we were in between hybrid m but that would've been putting it close to being short, and the best option was to just cut a 3-wood in there. That's what I did. Did it perfectly.

I was so hyped about that shot. Sean was like, Don't hurt your arm patting yourself on the back. I was so happy I made that putt, so just cherry on top.

Q. Then it was birdie, birdie, bogey. You said you kind of woke up with the bogey there. Did you realize just the momentum that you had rolling on that back nine?

ANGEL YIN: Not really. I was in a lot of pain from the sun that's hitting my skin. I think I was a little dehydrated. I was playing well and kind of kept going with the flow. I didn't think too much of it, and then the bogey and I was like, okay, I need to drink some water. My skin is burning up.

Q. What did it feel like to be able to close with a birdie on 18?

ANGEL YIN: Feels good. Didn't really -- I mean, even if I made par I think it would've been okay. I know I played decent. I didn't know exactly where I was. I just kept playing. I know it's okay to make a bogey and we got tomorrow, so just save a few more birdies.

Q. The conditions were right today, you going low and showing that. For you what does this do for the confidence level after a back nine like that?

ANGEL YIN: It's definitely a huge boost. Last year I spent most of the season once we restarted in a lot of pain with my left shoulder. I saw my doctor in Orlando and he's been able to fix that.

But even though like sometimes -- it's my third day. When I hit a shot it still hurts, especially driver. And to shoot 7-under it just feels really good because I wasn't able to do that in a while. Even though I knew where my game was, the pain was overshadowing everything.

Q. When you say it hurts to hit driver, drive is one of the strongest clubs in your bag.

ANGEL YIN: So if you look at the stats last year I was really low in driving distance. It was just because I really couldn't hit. I think my 7-iron, which usually carries around 155, went sometimes go 145. It was like a big impact on me mentally to think about I'm hitting it so short.

Like when I have a distance and I'm using the full 6-iron I go a club lower because I just physically couldn't hit it that hard.

Now when I'm hitting it I still have a little bit of pain, but to think about what I was doing last year with painkillers, I think it was a little bit crazy. I shouldn't have done that. It wasn't very smart. Kind of taught me a lot.

Q. I was going to say, just mentally when you're having to rethink all of the decisions and everything you already know in the bag, have you come into 2021 with more of a clear head?

ANGEL YIN: Definitely clearer. I'm calmer, because can't do a lot. Just think about using like all of the course instead of all taking my line that's more aggressive, playing more conservative, because I just know my weaknesses now, where my strengths are.

Q. You were one of a couple that are able to go super low. What do you think it will take for you to be on top of leaderboard by the end of day tomorrow?

ANGEL YIN: Just keep doing what I have been doing. If it goes in, it goes in. If it doesn't, it's okay too. (Laughing.)

Q. What was the specific shoulder injury?

ANGEL YIN: A lot of nerves. We don't know -- like I can't tell you like it's a dislocated rib. It's not something like that. It's a lot of things factored together to create a lot of nerve pain. At the worst point it was hard for me to open a water bottle. I couldn't drive with my left hand.

I didn't realize I do a lot of things daily light stuff with my left arm. I just have to use everything with my right. I write with my right, but I didn't know I use -- other than writing everything else is left.

Q. When did that start? Was there a specific thing that you did that set it off?

ANGEL YIN: It started really Toledo. Started getting tight, and at the British last year it just was in so much pain. So basically when the season restarted I was just in a lot of pain, yeah.

Q. Where are you at now? Would you say you're back to 100%?

ANGEL YIN: Oh, no, no. I would say I have 50% of may strength back in my left arm. Yeah, which is good, because I think (indiscernible). It was really sad.

Q. You're telling us you hit 7-under today with 50%?

ANGEL YIN: Well, because I already have distance so I didn't need to go all out. I definitely hit it further than last year, which was great. It's helpful. Makes the course a little easier.

Q. (Indiscernible.)

ANGEL YIN: Just with my doctor just TENS machine and treatment. Just slowly. I didn't really start golfing until a month before this tournament. Yeah, so I started really golfing shortly like into the off season. Did that make any sense? I don't think it made any sense. That didn't make think sense. Just a little bit before this event started, a month probably.

Q. So has the injury impacted the way you're getting ready for the 2021 season? Have you changed some of your practice methods?

ANGEL YIN: I definitely changed my swing. So I talked to someone else and I was like I think this injury saved my career. I learned how to hit a cut which I didn't really know how to do. I noticed that my swing wasn't right. I was always a swinger and I became a hitter out of nowhere. I think that is what really causes harm on my left shoulder.

So I changed my swing, worked on it nonstop for two weeks back I was back in L.A. and worked out a little bit, and I think it's good.

I changed up my clubs a little bit. So I did -- I changed everything mostly. My clubs are changed.

Q. Wow.

ANGEL YIN: Yeah.

Q. So how do you feel now? You're entering this season.because of this injury you become almost a new kind of player.

ANGEL YIN: Yeah, I would say I'm more like when I was younger, back to when I was younger playing style and swing. Going backwards in life.

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