COGNIZANT FOUNDERS CUP

May 14, 2022

Angel Yin

Upper Montclair Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Angel Yin. Really solid 4-under 68 in these conditions. How much has this golf course changed from the first round to now?

ANGEL YIN: Are we live? Oh, okay, we're recording.

Well, the wind completely switched. I had morning, afternoon round, and then morning it was like predominant wind, which was completely switched, and then now it's like a complete opposite wind.

So the course plays a little bit different. On the holes that are a little bit harder with more into the wind are a little bit easier because could be low longer, so that's a bit nicer.

But it's been raining the last two days in the afternoon, so course does play a little longer. Green's not holding as much because it's skidding because of the moisture on the greens.

There is that into account. And it's like the same thing, you know, I made a bogey on 16. It's because it was so much moisture on the green. I didn't really calculate where I was going to land the ball right, so it did leave me a really lanky putt for par.

Keep that in mind if we have weather like this similar tomorrow.

Q. I know it's been kind of damp out there, but this is the first day we played in the rain. Just walk me through what it takes to kind of switch your mind out of that mode where you're playing in damp conditions to, I'm playing in the rain?

ANGEL YIN: I wouldn't say it was raining, raining, because similar to yesterday -- yesterday was quite damp still; today was quite damp. Just a bit more moisture like I said.

So you have to take into account -- like on 17 landed really good and just went straight over the green, so there is that. The ball is going to go a little bit further on the green to skid, so there is that.

Q. Still made five birdies out there. What was working so well out there?

ANGEL YIN: I actually left a lot out there. I hit it pretty good so gave myself a lot of looks. That was really good.

Actually left like at least four out there that I felt like I could have made; was quite short. But I think my opportunities was just because I was hitting it closer to the hole.

Q. How hard is it to adjust to the conditions once it starts raining with speed of the greens and how aggressive you can play it?

ANGEL YIN: Well, it takes about a hole, and then, you know, we're pros, so kind of have to adjust quick or else our score starts to fall.

Yeah, on the greens just kind of realize you have to hit it a little harder. You're kind of predicting that already, and then you're just kind of seeing how it's reacting and then clubbing up a little bit and seeing how much it clubs up.

So you kind of just carry that on throughout the round.

Q. Not to get into in the weeds, but you've battled in the past I would say year with some things. Last year if you look at middle of the season on, after the U.S. Women's Open, you had that stretch there and then fell off. How gratifying does it feel to get that -- get yourself back? You mentioned you played well at Wilshire couple weeks ago. What have you found that really got you out of the dumps there for a little bit?

ANGEL YIN: Well, so right after Portland I didn't make a cut until Wilshire. I went to Asia; played okay; it wasn't great.

Came back. You try to make it to the weekend, and it's just a bit different of a mindset. I had never really gone through such periods like that and I couldn't even hit the ball up in the air. It was just duck hooking left or sky right. I mean, it is just like a miss of 200 yards. I mean, it was just ridiculous.

I didn't really want to play anymore, so I'm really just grateful to be even up in the leaderboard and playing golf like how I used to play.

And actually even better in my opinion than before. And I owe that a lot to my friends, because towards the end of the season, off-season, I played a lot with them. They got me to like golf again, and just be more competitive and more fun.

And I did do a lot of changes. I switched up my clubs. They were lighter and now I made them to be heavier. So switching back to my old swing and just honestly, throughout all those changes I'm just really grateful to be here right now and playing decent golf.

Q. I would say better than decent. (Laughter.) Tell me about the mentality there. I saw you after Pelican last year. You just looked like you were so down on yourself. What switched mentally where you went, I'm Angel Yin; I know what I'm doing and I can play this game?

ANGEL YIN: Well, I wanted to quit. I was ready to like put my clubs away. I was debating on it, and then my friends just kept pushing me to play, play, play, play.

And then I liked it again, so there is that.

Q. Heading into tomorrow, going to be in contention, in the mix, last couple groups. What does that do for your confidence in general? What does that do for your confidence in the changes that you've made?

ANGEL YIN: Just go out and play golf really. Nothing really is going to change. I think I've gotten to that point, which is good, I guess.

I'm just really happy. Just really looking forward to playing more golf. Just playing another round, playing on the weekend.

Last group, first group, just playing on the weekend is really nice.

Q. And just final question: If you're going to be chasing a little bit tomorrow, is this a golf course you feel like you attack more or do you kind of lay back and wait for the field to come back to you?

ANGEL YIN: No, actually. It's like Wilshire and PV, just the stretch of golf courses; it really tests you. You are can't really challenge it.

You just kind of have to go with it. This course is tight. This course is hard. There is a lot of opportunities to make a lot of mistakes. It's out there to bite you when you fall down. Just have to be patient.

If the birdies come, they come. If they don't, they don't. Like today, hit it close, missed some putts, but you just have to keep hitting the shots and giving yourself opportunities.

It's a course like that. I think I'm just going to go out there and be patient and see what happens.

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