THE LPGA DRIVE ON CHAMPIONSHIP

January 26, 2024

Xiyu Lin

Bradenton Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. I'm here with Janet after her second round at the LPGA Drive On Championship. Really solid round today, tied for third. How did you feel out there?

XIYU LIN: I feel good. It was a rough start today. Nothing was really working, but I kind of set a goal this year to myself, it's like never really get annoyed by what happens. So I think I manage it really well out there.

Then my caddie did a good job too. He keep pushing me. He's like come on, you're going to keep dancing until it rains. Then finally on the back nine the putts really started to drop, and it was a really nice back nine. I'm really proud of myself.

Q. As you should be. Those three bogeys back to back to back, especially with it being cut day and the pressures as well. You kind of mentioned this, what were you telling yourself to keep yourself going?

XIYU LIN: It was just like poor shots, like make it -- like the Donald Ross course, that's what it is. Sometimes, even if you're on the green, if you're on the wrong spot, you really have no chance. That's pretty much what happened that couple holes.

So I just tell myself I just need to somehow get it closer to the hole. I was having several putts from outside of 20 yards. On these kind of greens, it's impossible to try to two-putt every single time. I just told myself I didn't do a whole lot wrong. Then I'm like hoping the wind kind of dies a little bit. Then I can hit the yardage a little better. And I did on the back nine.

Q. And you were just talking with your caddie there as well about having 19 putts on your front nine and then 9 on your back nine. That's an incredible stat to have. You did pull out your putter very much, it sounds like. Just talk through that, maybe anything you noticed with your putting today, especially on your back nine.

XIYU LIN: I just keep everything simple. I don't want to overthink this green because sometimes you can get a little trapped by the grain or the slopes and the stuff. Like I told myself, I've been living in Florida long enough that I should know this green, and I should just trust my instincts.

Then that's pretty much what I did at the back nine, which worked really well.

Q. Then another kind of maybe random question. Ronnie, is she still renting from you?

XIYU LIN: Yes, she is.

Q. And maybe after her success last year, has there been any change in maybe her staying there?

XIYU LIN: Obviously the rent went up a little bit, but it's a fair amount, I reckon.

I have to give her credit, she's the best -- she's so good at paying rent. It's like every January -- I mean, every 1st of the month, she wouldn't pay me later than noon. So I'm just like, especially in the winter, I have two months I have no income. Then that's my only income. So I kind of love to see that little message pop up every 1st of the month.