KPMG WOMEN'S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

June 24, 2021

Xiyu Lin

Atlanta Athletic Club

Quick Quotes

THE MODERATOR: It's good to see you after a nice 69 to start the KPMG Women's PGA. You closed well with two birdies on your back nine. Excuse me, three birdies. Tell us how you feel you played today.

XIYU LIN: I think I didn't have my best game, but I managed to have a really good score, but I'm really proud of myself. Getting to this week, this is another course I never played before. I mean, because we just had another major two weeks ago, and these two courses are completely different to each other. I mean, during the practice round, it didn't seem as hard, but today every hole I was so nervous when I'm hitting a drive.

I didn't hit lots of good drives today, but I had lots of really good recovery shots, and my putting has been performing really well today. So I think that helps a lot.

Yeah, overall, I think with the ball striking I have today, I'm very happy with my score.

Q. Can you give us one or two of your better saves out there?

XIYU LIN: I had -- on the 14, I got a really unlucky bounce that my ball stayed right on the lip of the bunker. So I have to chip it out, and then for that green, it's not really like -- it's a little hard to attack the pin. So my third shot only goes to like 25 feet from the hole, but I somehow made that putt. Yeah, that's a really good par since I was already 1-over there.

I would say lots of times today -- my course management is really well. So when I hit some bad shots, I still manage to get it on the green. I'm having lots of those 60-footers, 70-footers, and I all two-putted. So I think all of them is pretty good.

Q. What do you feel you need to do tomorrow better with just ball striking?

XIYU LIN: The ball striking was good, but just I think like with the fairway firming up, the driver starts to release, and then the line is slightly different off the tee right now for me. Especially today we had a lot of side wind, and I think the tricky part of this course is the tree on the left and bunker on the right. So you don't really know where you want to finish, where you want to miss it.

So I think if I can have my brain more ready for that tomorrow, like hit a little more fairway, I probably have an even better chance.

Q. You talked about how different Olympic is to this week. Which do you prefer? Which style?

XIYU LIN: I love them both. Even though they're different on the fairway, one thing is the green rolls so pure. Both courses are in great condition, like this fairway is so pure even though a couple days ago it was a little wet. I love putting on really fast, pure greens because like you know if you're going to make a putt when it's like two yards from the hole because you can see it's online or not. So I really love putting on these greens.

Q. What was your Olympic experience like four years ago?

XIYU LIN: It's same stressful. I was just joking with my playing partner today, I said, to the last round of the U.S. Open, I'm still confused where should I hit off the tee? And a little bit similar here. I think, even though the rough is not as long here, still you have so much more benefit if you hit the fairways. I honestly learned that today.

So I think that will be my biggest goal tomorrow or something I want to improve here.

Q. What did qualifying for the Olympics in 2016 mean to you?

XIYU LIN: I think it was big for sure, but I was a little too young, so the last experience as Olympian, I think I should have enjoyed it more than I did. I think after 2016 I had a little bounce in my career, like almost lost my Tour card and stuff. It would be great if I can qualify this year, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to make sure I enjoy every bit of it this time, yeah.

Q. What was the most fun part about the last Olympics for you outside of the golf?

XIYU LIN: Most fun part? I went to watch Usain Bolt run the 100-meter that night.

Q. Did he win?

XIYU LIN: Yeah, of course. I think like his -- that was the only game besides golf I went. And also another thing I remember is I never really stayed in the athletes village, even though I played the Asian Games before, but last time we were in the athletes village, and I managed to use only five pins to get like 35 from other countries. So I have my lanyard like full of pins. That's the best souvenir I ever got for myself.

Q. Is there anything that's going to be maybe not so much fun in Tokyo just because of all the restrictions of movement and where you can stay? Feels like you miss kind of the rest of the Olympic experience except for golf.

XIYU LIN: I guess this year, of course, is going to be a completely different situation. You just never know because the COVID is still the pandemic, but I felt like Olympic is Olympic. If I somehow manage to even win a medal, then I'll be like there's not many people can do that.

I feel like Olympics is every four years, and every athlete is how many the most that can play. I will cherish any time I can go there.

Q. What would be the difference in China for you bringing a medal, an Olympic medal or winning an LPGA Tour event?

XIYU LIN: I don't know. Maybe ask Shanshan the best. She won that bronze medal. Obviously, Shanshan is -- she's been the leader of China woman's golf, and she's also been my idol. I'm probably just following her steps. It would be cool if I could catch up my idol.

Q. You mentioned you putted well today. Was there anything different in your technique that you changed?

XIYU LIN: No, I think I've been putting it pretty good recently. Just keep the same routine and just trust the line. I mean, that's pretty much it. The green is so pure. It doesn't really have some bad breaks. So I just tell myself to stay patient, and it's going to fall in.

Q. You talked about Shanshan being your idol. When you got on Tour and got to know her personally, how would you describe your relationship and what it was like getting to know your idol?

XIYU LIN: Actually, I know Shanshan since the first day I started playing golf because her dad is the one took me to the driving range. So I know her when she was 17, and she know me when I was 8. It's so nice to have a big sister like her because, obviously, when I joined the TOUR, she's already been out here, and it's a major winner already.

She's always so open for anything, like I can ask any questions, and she always gave the best advice.

This year, it's especially funny. I had to talk to her after L.A., like since for -- since she went back to China, and then that's the point I started to play well in Singapore. So she told me some secrets, but I'm not going to tell you guys. She's definitely so great to have her out here, experience on and off the course, knowing all the good restaurants, knowing where to go.

Q. She talked yesterday about the amazing growth of junior golf in China. What role do you think the Olympics played in that?

XIYU LIN: Well, I think like Chinese treat Olympics very differently to any -- I mean, they probably don't really understand the LPGA Tour or the PGA TOUR, but they definitely know if you can win a medal or if you can represent China to play Olympics, then you're a great athlete. I think, while the junior golf right now is definitely growing into a really good directions, not just seeing a professional doing really well and also seeing the kids have more opportunities to go to the great college in the states or somewhere else in the world by using golf as another additional skills.

So I think it's definitely like very nice to see lots of kids started playing, and also with the improvement of the facilities and the coaching and the resourcing. You don't really have to move like how family moved to the states to be able to play junior golf, like we have our Tour, and then seeing them doing well there, can even get in touch with the coaches when you're still in China and then come to the college here.

All this, like it's very nice to see.