COGNIZANT FOUNDERS CUP

May 11, 2024

Xiyu Lin

Upper Montclair Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, here with Xiyu Lin after her third round here at the Cognizant Founders Cup. Just a great round. One bogey on the card. What was working so well for you today?

XIYU LIN: I think this week I've been trying to put my mind in the better place. I've been trying to calm myself a little more and not paying too much attention on other things.

Just each of the shot and I think it's been working really well for me. I feel like this season so far I haven't been able to put everything together into a low score or low tournament.

I think this week I'm doing much better. So I was very patient out there.

Q. What is it about this golf course that maybe you like and are able to take advantage of? What are some of the challenges out there?

XIYU LIN: This golf course, I think the first of all challenge for me is hit the ball in the fairway. I've been struggling with my driver I can tell you from last season, so I've been working on it really hard. But then I think that's the one challenge.

The good thing is I think on this course there is always a safer side. Like even you miss the fairway, there is one side always better than the other, like have a better chance to save par.

So I kept that in mind and just tried to play really smart. So miss on the right places, I think that helps a lot.

Q. We're about halfway through the season, almost halfway through. Two top 10 finishes for you this season so far. What's been working and what are you still trying to work out?

XIYU LIN: I think like this year it's been very different. Like a lot has happened off the course for me, and then I've been trying to balance it out.

But I mean, actually playing tournament it's more enjoyable for me. Feel like out there I'm very just having my own time and having the little walk with myself.

And then I think my game overall not like on a hot streak yet, but it's been still very consistent. Like I said, I just need to work on little things or even mentally to put them together.

I think every part of my game is actually better than last year, like I said last year. I just struggle with driver.

Q. For you, I know engagement is obviously a big thing. How much does that change your mindset about golf? You said it's been such an interesting, different feeling year.

XIYU LIN: I think it's been a big change. I feel like I have to put a lot more efforts in when I'm not playing to do things.

So it used to be only golf, and now like, I mean, I still practice enough time, but then the other time I'll be thinking or planning or dealing with furnitures and stuff, and also learning how to be a wife.

And I think those are the things that I found more challenging than golf game. Golf game, I know what I need to do, but I don't know exactly what the future life is going to be and I'm building on it.

It brings me excitement while also a little bit of anxiety, so I think that's part of it.

But I think I can -- I'm learning how to balance it out. With the support that my fiancé have. He's out here with me yesterday and today. Like he just like really supportive, so I think it is just going to go smoother.

But it's been changing, and changing can be little painful. I think it's going towards a really good direction for me.

Q. I know it's really lonely out here. Do you feel even more comfortable on the golf course having somebody outside the ropes to cheer you on? Having him here particularly, do you feel more comfortable?

XIYU LIN: Yeah, well, have someone to look for out of the rope is a good feeling, whether it's him or like I have some friend here and there will come watch.

Yeah, normally when I travel by myself it can get a little lonely. Right now, I think how many Chinese player on tour, it's a greater number than before.

And then I just like -- like this week I grabbed dinner with Liqi and then the off week I had dinner with Mary.

And then talking to them, it's like seeing their passions of getting on tour and it just always like motivated me a lot.

Q. Just last one: We're obviously here at the Founders Cup celebrating our Founders, and couple Pioneers Pat and Beth who are out on the porch. Can you speak on the Founders and what they've done for the game of golf, especially women's golf, and particularly for you what maybe Shanshan has done for you growing up watching her play the game?

XIYU LIN: Yeah, I mean, Pat and Beth is a little before my time, but when Mardie Lunn was caddieing for me I heard enough about our legendary player, not just those two, but also like Laura Davies and Juli Inkster and all of them.

I mean, to knowing their story first make me feel really grateful what we have today. Compared to before, like it's like day and nights.

So I really appreciate everything they have done to the game, even probably I only even know very little about it. More of an example would be Shanshan like you say. My first day of playing golf is watching Shanshan hit.

To right now, I feel like even though this year and a half where she retire and it's like -- she's still the first person I go to when you have a problem. She's still my mentor.

And then like we just still very, very close. It's kind of crazy I thought when she retire she will be kind of like leaving us but she still stay in the industry very closely and like her knowledge and experience is still very valuable for me.

So I'm glad that I have someone like her able to talk to all the time. Our friendship is, you know, beyond golf. We talk about golf but we talk about her kids too and her husband, too.

It's just great. It's like a relationship growing from golf but go beyond golf.