HANWHA LIFEPLUS INTERNATIONAL CROWN

May 2, 2023

Xiyu Lin

Ruoning Yin

Yu Liu

Ruixin Liu

Harding Park

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome back inside the online media center at the Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown. Welcome, Team China. I'm going to start off with Xiyu over there. Back on the LPGA Tour schedule for the first time since 2018, what's it like to represent China and be among friends here At The International Crown?

XIYU LIN: I was lucky enough to play the 2016 International Crown, and at the moment it was -- I remember it was a very unique experience because for me as a golfer, I normally just play by myself, and even we play like the Asian games or the Olympics, it would still be just a stroke play, so you still kind of play just by yourself.

It's the first time we really have teammates. I think that year we had a really good time, and it's a very different feeling to me.

This year when I realized we're going to make it to this event, I was very excited, and of course now we have even a better team, I think. Everyone is in good shape, so I'm really looking forward to this week.

Q. Yu, this is also another time that you get to compete at The International Crown competition. What's it like for you to be back in this kind of event alongside your friends just like Janet?

YU LIU: I just felt like whenever I get to represent my country and compete for my country, there's really nothing like it, especially when you get to play alongside three of your fellow teammates from China. It's just a very unique format that I never really got to experience. I'm really looking forward to the week.

Q. Ruixin, what was it like when this event was put back on the schedule for this year? Was this something that you had circled as coming and representing your country at?

RUIXIN LIU: Yeah, well, initially I wasn't targeted to be on the team, so for me I have to -- that was one of my goals, and I'm really happy I'm here today.

It would be an honor for me to represent my country, you know, flags everywhere, and I'm very happy and excited to play.

Q. Ruoning, you are coming into this event, already have won on the LPGA Tour. You and Janet had a great week -- a lot of you had a great week last week at Wilshire. Where do you think the confidence level is with you going into this event as well as your team?

RUONING YIN: I mean, I'm pretty confident, especially Janet finished second last week, and Yu finished second in Hawai'i. I think we're in a really good spot right now. We're confident.

Q. Janet and Yu, you're both played the three courses along the Merced Mile, Olympic Club, Lake Merced, and here. Could you thank those three courses?

XIYU LIN: Well, I would say the course -- I only played nine holes today, but it does remind me a lot similar to Lake Merced and Olympic Club because it's very typical, like narrow fairways and firm greens, and then tree lined a little bit; kind of need to shape the driver a little bit.

I guess when I look at the last time they had the PGA Champ or even talking about the Olympic Club, because it's a major setup, so the whole moment is different.

I would say here they definitely made it a little bit easier, at least by the look of it, than when men played or when we were playing the U.S. Women's Open at Olympic Club, because I think they tried to make the tournament more exciting.

So I think the rough is long but not at as crazy level. And same the green is firm, but it's not rolling like super fast.

I mean, the team events like the whole momentum is going to be different. We're going to be definitely more aggressive, and I think this course is kind of set up that way, too, which is very different.

But it's similar, I would say. Weather is similar, like the wind directions and the rain, the damp a little bit. I would definitely take a lot of the previous experience in, yeah.

YU LIU: I just really enjoy playing this area. I feel like Lake Merced is one of my favorite stop on Tour ever since my rookie year in 2018. I would say this course compared to Lake Merced, it's bigger. It's sort of more of a championship golf course, especially having hosted the 2020 PGA Championship.

I watched actually the coverage a little bit back then. I just feel like the fairways are quite -- it's quite wide, but I know they left a lot of rough. They made the fairways narrower by leaving rough, but you won't get into too much trouble if you hit errant tee shots.

I think I felt like distance would be a good advantage out here, especially the par-5s, being able to reach the par-5s and score the par-5s are probably the key out here this week.

Q. Do you want to rank them one, two, three?

YU LIU: We'll see after this week. If we do well, then definitely No. 1. But I would say Lake Merced, at the moment, it's No. 1 in my heart, yes.

Q. Ruoning, can you explain why you picked No. 30 this week?

RUONING YIN: No. 30, I love Stephen Curry, and we're playing in San Fran. Yeah, that's why I chose 30.

Q. With a did your love of Steph Curry come from?

RUONING YIN: Everything. I think he's underrated since he was in high school and in college, but he just keeps fighting the doubters. Yeah, that's why I love him.

Q. How do you all as a team feel the pool broke for you, given England's news of Georgia and Charley withdrawing this week and Linn Grant not being a part of Sweden?

RUONING YIN: We're just playing ourselves. We're just trying to perform the best this week. Yeah, that's it.

Q. Ruixin, you're the highest ranked player in the field. You've had a lot of success on the Epson Tour that hasn't necessarily translated to the LPGA. What does it mean for you to maybe cement that success on the Epson Tour in a big in stage like this, or to build confidence going back to the rest of the LPGA year?

RUIXIN LIU: Well, I feel like between the tours there's a few differences, but for me personally, I was undergoing some health issues and I withdraw from Hawai'i, and that was a big struggle even until now. I think I'm just trying to get myself back step by step.

This week I have teammates to rely on, and that will boost my confidence more. I think it's a good step towards the right direction hopefully.

Q. Could you explain a little bit more about the journey towards fixing those health issues?

RUIXIN LIU: Well, it was mainly allergies for me, and I was having some trouble breathing and chest pain. But I took my medicine, it didn't work great, so now we're switching to a different medicine. Hopefully things are looking better.

Q. How many years had this been going on for?

RUIXIN LIU: Four, five years. At least four years.

Q. Janet, I just want to know a little bit more about kind of this camaraderie that you guys have with each other, this friendship. Who would you say is kind of the one that keeps everyone smiling out there if the golf is getting a little bit too rough?

XIYU LIN: Myself.

Q. Why is that?

XIYU LIN: Well, I don't know. I'm pretty good at making a joke of myself, right? Well, I would say this couple of years, because first, I always travel by myself so I've been playing out here long enough, and I think recently I started to find a better balance in my golf and my life.

Then I kind of, I guess, as I'm getting more mature, I realize golf is not everything and golf doesn't define you as a person. I try to keep everything simple, everything happy, and then especially when I'm out here by myself it's really important to keep myself comfortable most of the time.

Even though there is always a little trouble here and there, I think I've started to learn how to get through it pretty quickly. I think I'm pretty good at it, and my caddie helps me a lot. He's really good at it, too.

Q. Ruixin, would you agree that Janet keeps everyone smiling?

RUIXIN LIU: I think she's the most outgoing one. She has the most experience out here, so maybe that's why she talks more than we do.

Q. Yu, you talked a little bit about the insight. I know you've only played nine holes here, but how do you think the strengths of your team will be put to use on this course starting on Thursday?

YU LIU: I feel like the strength will be we're pretty even. Like we don't really have a very obvious weakness throughout the game. I feel like we can take on any players out here.

Q. Ruoning, I think we have to dive a little deeper into this Steph Curry because we are very close to where they will be playing. I know there's a game tonight. I know we have the gala, but is that something that you'll be watching text notifications on your phone for?

RUONING YIN: Yes, definitely. When I played last week Sunday, I think they're against the Kings, and on hole 2 my caddie just asked me, hey, do you want me to tell you the score right now?

I thought he was saying the golf score. I was like, no. We're just having fun here. I just realized that he was talking about the Warriors score. I said, probably not, because if the Warriors lost I would probably cry on the golf course.

Yeah, I'll be watching tonight, and maybe if we get a chance I'll probably go to Thursday night to watch.

Q. So you would go on Thursday night?

RUONING YIN: Probably. I wish. I hope so.

Q. When did you start watching -- is basketball kind of one of your favorite sports to watch?

RUONING YIN: Yes. I think I'm nine years Curry fan. Yeah, so it's been a long time.

Q. For any one of the teammates, has she been talking about Steph Curry all week or is this the first time you're hearing about it?

RUIXIN LIU: For me it's the first time.

XIYU LIN: We went to a game in Orlando in the off-season -- maybe before the off-season. That night, somehow Magic beat Warriors by one point, and I never see her being so angry ever in my life.

That was the most I was like -- because I really love watching basketball, too, but I don't really pick a side. I'm an athlete, so I'm kind of supporting Curry, as well, but when I'm watching I don't really pick a side. I feel bad for her.

YU LIU: She better not go Thursday then.

XIYU LIN: On Friday you'll see. You can tell what's going on.