U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN

July 6, 2023

Xiyu Lin

Pebble Beach Golf Links

Flash Interview

Q. 4-under 68. Can you talk about the excitement of having a great opening round?

XIYU LIN: It was a really good round out there today. I feel like my game wasn't at the best; especially first couple holes I struggled get on the green, even from the fairway. But I saved some really, really good pars, so I think that take some pressure off my shoulder to have a solid start.

And then I just, again, keep telling myself to be patient, and then I hit a great shot on, was it 6 or 7? I make the birdie. Then hit another great putt on the 180th hole, I mean, my 9th hole.

So that kind of get me into the momentum and then make another couple birdie after the turn. And obviously like the bogey on the last hole was a little unfortunate. Like I definitely had a chance to go for bogey-free round. But like it's a major courses so you're going to make bogey, like I said.

So, yeah, I think overall, it's still a very solid day for me.

Q. What part of your game worked well? Five birdies today.

XIYU LIN: I think at the beginning putting definitely saved me. First hole I make a 15-footer for par, so that kind of got me going.

Even when I missed a green in the bunker in the rough, everywhere, kind of I chipped to like -- always chip to like three, four feet and would make that putt.

So like making those short putts really kind of boosting the confidence and making me feel more comfortable to attack when I needed to.

So I think at the beginning putting definitely saved me, and I would say overall I did pretty good. Like I see a shot and try to hit it and find it and hit it again. I feel like everything stayed very simple.

Q. Over the last couple months it's become standard that you're at or near the top of the leaderboard. What happened that got to you this position?

XIYU LIN: I don't know. I feel like when you're on a good run, you better just get something out of it. So like I said, you know, after the two missed cuts I regroup myself, set a new goal, like set a new game plan.

Obviously it's working, so I just wanted to keep it going and see what happened.

Q. Have there been any adjustments to your golf swing or anything that made it all click?

XIYU LIN: Yeah, I talked about like couple of times, we kind of go back to the basics. I was definitely trying too hard couple months ago. Like thinking, you know, I need extra skill to able to win the tournament. Apparently my brain is not really capable for those complicated swing thoughts, so my ball striking wasn't very good.

Then we kind of calm down and thought of last year was one of the best season I have, and all I did like whole year there was no swing changes. I kept things simple. Kind of remind myself what brings me here.

So I kind of go back working on the same thing, the thing that Tony been telling me five years, and go back to it. It's still hard.

Q. You said you didn't have your A game. What has got to the point where you can have an A minus or B Game and still be at the top?

XIYU LIN: I would say the A minus and the B it's more on the iron side. My short game today, it's very, very good. Like I think that's the key to play a major course. Like the course like when I tee off today it was a little bit drizzling and wind was kind of up and down and course plays longer lower temperature.

So it's impossible to hit all the greens so the ability of saving par, it's really important. So I think like the short game kind of get me staying where I am.

Q. What happened in the birdie game yesterday with Gemma and Ronni?

XIYU LIN: So yesterday we played nine holes, back nine, and Gemma and Ronni and I played together. Gemma just got up and say, you want to play a $5 birdie game? Yeah, sure. I end up lost $10 having four birdies.

Yeah, so she birdied like three in a row from second and then just kept going. She chip in, putting, I think she have probably like 11 putts overall.

So I think she tee off in the afternoon. I'll be looking at her score. She was in really good shape yesterday.

I kind of joked to her, maybe we found our best Dow partner for next year. I think best ball was 8-under or something on the back nine here which was crazy, so I think it was a good game.

I normally don't really do that, but I ended up loved it. I think we know each other pretty well and play together first round in KPMG, so I'm glad she set it up. It's a good little warmup for today.

Q. Seemed like everyone was just having a blast out there and just enjoying the views, being at Pebble. How does it feel to be playing a U.S. Women's Open here at Pebble Beach?

XIYU LIN: I remember before I came out here I went to see my club fitter and I said, I need tape for Pebble and he just like told me, just whatever holes you're at, just take 30 second to look up at the view and you will be very grateful where you are.

I think it's absolutely right. I feel like, you know, it's been amazing this couple of days to play here, walk in the town, I love this town. I love Monterrey, the valley. Everything is so nice here, so chill.

Just think of we're part of the history. It's really cool. So I think I kind of told myself no matter what, it's -- this is going to be a memorable week. It's going to be enjoyable week. So I will try to get the best out of myself but no matter what happened I always enjoyed it. Yeah, even today when there was some stressful shot coming up, I still feel just kind of tell myself like how grateful I am to be actually hitting a shot on this hole.

Fastscripts by ASAP Sports...