DIO IMPLANT LA OPEN

April 2, 2023

Ruoning Yin

Palos Verdes Golf Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right, as you can see behind me, and in front of me in the Zoom, welcome inside the online and real-life media center at the DIO Implant LA Open.

I am pleased to be joined by the second Rolex first-time winner of the year, Ruoning Yin.

We just left the green. Got you through the photos, got you through everything. As you reflect upon the last 18 holes how are you feeling as an official LPGA Tour winner?

RUONING YIN: Feels amazing. I dreamt about this for so many times and it finally came true today.

Q. It wasn't easy.

RUONING YIN: Wasn't easy at all.

Q. Walk me through some of the challenges.

RUONING YIN: Well, I made a birdie on 2, which is good. But after that I just made three bogeys in a row. Just some small mistake out there.

And after 5 I just told myself, can't make one more bogey. I just switch a ball, and, yeah, four birdies in a row.

Q. Overall your thoughts as you started getting the momentum back in this round?

RUONING YIN: Like I said yesterday, I can definitely make birdies out there and I just play my game and do my things.

Q. Down there with WowWow TV you said, yesterday I said I want nervous, but I was so nervous on that back nine. What was going through your mind on the last nine holes?

RUONING YIN: I started think about if I'm going to win or not a little bit. But after 10 and 13, I made two bogey out there and I said, no, you can't think about that no more.

I just focused on how can I make birdie, and, yeah.

Q. Talking about 13. On 14 you hit a shot that bounces off a tree and ends up in the fairway. You go onto make birdie. How big a bounce was that for you in the scheme of being able to come through and win the tournament?

RUONING YIN: Actually I kind of feel it can bounce back and my caddie just told me, yeah, just make birdie here. It's good number for me. It's like 107 and just very soft pitching wedge out there, yeah.

Q. For the second straight day you had a stretch on the front nine where you made some bogeys. How were you able to bounce back? Did you talk to yourself? Talk to your caddie? How do you get your game back on track after that?

RUONING YIN: I just switch ball and just told myself you cannot make bogey. You got to make some birdies to get on track, yeah.

Q. Throughout the round you were hitting at some places you probably didn't want to hit it, but putting was solid. Talk about the putting today and this week and how important that was for you in winning the tournament.

RUONING YIN: I mean, I just got to trust my line here. I think before first round I talk to my coach, said I don't know, should I trust the line or trust myself? And my coach just told me, you spend like five minutes on the green, read the line, and putt on the line. You got to trust it or you're just wasting time, yeah.

Q. The 10th hole, hit the tree. How do you pull yourself together and salvage the rest of the putts for that hole?

RUONING YIN: I mean, for my game, I have a goal that cannot make three-putts, cannot make double bogey. After I hit the tree I said, let's just make bogey here. Don't even think about make par, yeah.

Q. Last question: I'm going to reiterate a bit what you said. You mentioned you weren't nervous, but you're 20 years old. How about the night before? You know your own record better than anyone. You're on the cusp of victory. I think the second youngest to claim a tournament win. The night before did you sleep like a baby or were you tossing and turning? Take us through the steps of what happened before bedtime.

RUONING YIN: I slept very well actually. This morning I just look up my Whoop app and it says I got 95% recovery. I said, oh, it's a good sign.

Q. Ask you about the word trust and how much your wins in China, you can go back and feel that as you're going through the round today knowing, hey, you can do it. Doesn't matter who you're playing, you just have to play well. How much does that come into play with how you did today?

RUONING YIN: I mean, during the round I heard a lot of Chinese fans rooting for me, which made me exciting. Yeah, like I said yesterday, if I'm going to win today it's going to be a big day for me and for China golf.

Q. But knowing that you have won there and several times, does that help you going into today as well, you know how to win?

RUONING YIN: Yeah, kind of. I think so.

Q. Yeah.

RUONING YIN: Yeah, just -- and I know it's a little bit different play on the LPGA Tour and the CLPGA Tour. I mean, Georgia is play great today. I think she didn't make one bogey, so bogey-free round, which is solid.

I think I just kind of get a little bit lucky. And, yeah, for sure definitely I play a lot of birdies there and also a lot of bogeys.

Q. Congratulations. Great win. You gave a great show on that 18th hole. What was going through your head on the 18th green when it came down to a potential playoff, a couple putts away? What was going through your head first of all?

RUONING YIN: I think it's definitely going to play a playoff, yeah, for sure, because Georgia made tons of putts today and I think she's in good shape.

I just didn't think about if she miss it.

Q. When your putt lips out, obviously you're not thinking par, you're thinking maybe playoff. The putt misses for Georgia. Now you just know you have a tap-in to make it for the win. You were so calm and then the roar came out. Where did that come from? Were you holding it and it came out or were you just like if I win I'm going to pump fist?

RUONING YIN: It just came out, yeah. I'm not calm I think because. My hands literally shaking.

Q. You look calm.

RUONING YIN: I got to look calm. (Smiling.) Yeah, but not calm at all.

Q. Congratulations.

RUONING YIN: Thank you.

Q. I know you mentioned earlier what this win means for you. What do you think this victory does for golf in China?

RUONING YIN: I mean, I can be the second Chinese player after Shanshan Feng, that means a lot. I think maybe I can push little more Chinese kids to play golf and push more people to like focus on China golf.

Yeah, which is good.

Q. Who have been your biggest supporters this week and throughout your career? Can you speak about them?

RUONING YIN: Biggest supporter is definitely my dad and mom. Even my mom is not here, I know she's watching. But I just want to say I love you guys.

Q. And one last one. How are you going to celebrate? Anything special in Los Angeles?

RUONING YIN: Probably not. I fly tonight, so back to Orlando. Maybe get some good food and sleep.

Yeah.

Q. I'll wrap it up on 18 green with you say Ruixin Lu and Xiyu Lin come out and gave you one of the biggest hugs I think I've seen in a while. What did it mean to kind of have them there to see you win on 18 as well as your family?

RUONING YIN: I mean, me and Xiyu was pretty close and we hang out a lot. I'm actually renting her house right now. She's my host. Just shoutout to Xiyu. I got my first one and now it's your turn.

Q. What does it mean to have the support of the other Chinese players out here when you're still so young and doing what you're doing?

RUONING YIN: That means a lot. I think for me, it's my first tour win and I think it's kind of motivation for them, too.

Q. Not only that, but you have basically secured your spot on the Chinese team for the 2023 International Crown. We basically talked about it already yesterday, but what does it mean to continuously represent your country now on that team stage?

RUONING YIN: Like I said yesterday, it's great honor to represent your own country. It's going to be fun to play with Xiyu or some other Chinese player, yeah.

Q. I know we won't see you in Hawaii. Next event you have on your radar is going to be The Chevron Championship.

RUONING YIN: Yes.

Q. The first major of the year. How do you plan to carry this momentum over into the first major of the year in Houston?

RUONING YIN: I think right now I know I'm capable to win on this tour, and I'm not just going to set my goal at making the cut. I'm going to think about win every tournament, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you for joining us and great job today.

RUONING YIN: Thank you.