KPMG WOMEN'S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

June 19, 2024

Ruoning Yin

Sahalee Country Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon everyone, joined by defending KPMG Women's PGA champion, Ronni Yin. How has the week been so far?

RUONING YIN: My week has been very good. Very productive. I did a lot of the work with my coaches, so I'm ready.

Q. That's great. What did you think of the golf course so far?

RUONING YIN: It's I think very challenging course. It's really tight for the tee shot.

It's I think a classic ball striking course.

Q. How is the wrist?

RUONING YIN: Playable. (Smiling.) Playable.

Q. Is it better?

RUONING YIN: It's getting better every day, slowly. But I can play.

Q. Do you feel pain every time you hit a shot?

RUONING YIN: Yeah, a little bit.

Q. We know you won a couple years -- I guess last year. Wow, feels like a lot longer ago. Won at Palos Verdes. Does that golf course remind you of this vibe?

RUONING YIN: Oh, this course is a lot tighter than PV and Baltusrol, so I think it's quite different.

It really needs you to put the ball on the fairway.

Q. Where do you see the ability to score at this golf course? Is it the approach shot? Is it the tee shots? Putting?

RUONING YIN: I think the tee shot is most important part. If you can just put the ball on the fairway you will have good chance to hit approach shot.

Q. Par-5s I know are going to be a big deal here. What's your strategy for some of the par-5s, including the 18th hole in particular?

RUONING YIN: 18 hole I think it depends on the tee, tee box. If they move up I might have a chance to approach by two.

But I think it's very clearly layup or go-for-it hole.

Q. I know we play a lot of different kinds of golf courses every year on the LPGA Tour. There is really not many that are this narrow, except maybe Founders Cup, but even then it seems wide compared to here. How do you prepare yourself for this kind of test when it's this tight?

RUONING YIN: My swing feels good right now. I think if you worry about too much you're just going to screw yourself up.

So I try to not think about how tough the tee shot is. Just swing my swing and I'll be good.

Q. This one obviously was huge for you last year. How has your life changed since you became a major champion?

RUONING YIN: Definitely gave me a lot of confidence, and my banking account looks good. (Laughter.) Yeah.

And I think just that major win just gave me like made me believe myself that I'm able to play on this tour; I'm capable to compete with all the best player in the world.

So it's good.

Q. How much of a difference do you think there is between how you carried yourself heading into KPMG last year and into this week as a defending champion? Maybe more swag or anything else different?

RUONING YIN: Well, I think it's kind of the same but it's not the same. Because last year into this tournament I have very low expectations just because that was my fourth major of my career. So I just told myself, okay, just learn some experience and we go from there.

This week, just because my wrist is not 100% ready, so like I said, I'm just going to swing my swing and don't think about anything else.

Q. What did you learn from that experience when you had that mindset from last year? What did you learn from last year?

RUONING YIN: You mean from last year's victory? I think for majors, if you play in a major, you definitely have to be patient. Because last year my putting wasn't too good, but I just keep telling myself, you have to be patient in a major, and if you lose your patient everything is going to go down.

I think that's the biggest part I learned.

Q. So in connection with that, if you think about the last five, four holes at Baltusrol, what was the process that made the difference for you? What was the mental process and the attitude that helped you get the win?

RUONING YIN: Because I'm a leaderboard person. I will check the leaderboard pretty often and so I know exactly where I am.

I know exactly what I need to do to win that trophy. So last four, five holes, I just tried to make as many birdies as I can.

That's my process. (Smiling.)

Q. That's your work this year, too, no? So you were talking about the changes in your bank account. Are you still renting or are you a landlord now?

RUONING YIN: I'm still renting but I just bought a house two weeks ago, so, yeah.

Q. In Orlando?

RUONING YIN: No, in Dallas.

Q. Oh. What made you settle on Dallas?

RUONING YIN: Just travel-wise. It's more central and it's easy to go -- easy to travel and I have direct flight to Shanghai so it's good. It's make my life easier.

Q. I wanted to ask about the champion's dinner and how you went about figuring out the menu and what you enjoyed about it.

RUONING YIN: I love it. I absolutely love it. I had sushi and steaks and ice cream for dessert. I hope everyone enjoyed it. And I heard Nelly said the ice cream was good and everybody loved the dessert.

It's ice cream, yeah, from bay area. DK helped me to pick the dessert, so it's pretty good.

Q. DK, Danielle?

RUONING YIN: Yeah.

Q. So how many shots you think we're going to have from behind or around the trees here this week? Did you get to practice those?

RUONING YIN: I hope zero for me. (Smiling.)

Q. Did you practice any just in case?

RUONING YIN: I practice couple shots, just couple low running one.

Q. Obviously the last event to qualify for the Olympics. Looking like you're going to represent China. How much of an honor is that and how excited are you to go to Paris and represent your country?

RUONING YIN: I don't think words can express how I feel about that, because play Olympic and representing my country has always been my dream. 2008 Olympic is held in Beijing and I was watching on TV. I was like, it's going to be super cool to represent my own country at some point in the future.

I'm glad that I can make that happen this year.