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KRAFT NABISCO CHAMPIONSHIPApril 3, 2014Angel YinRANCHO MIRAGE, CALIFORNIA KELLY THESIER: Good afternoon, everyone. We'd like to welcome in 15‑year‑old amateur Angel Yin into the interview room. First off, Angel, congratulations. A great 4‑under par round today, sitting up there near the top of the leaderboard. You have to feel pretty good about that round you were able to put together today. ANGEL YIN: Yeah, thank you. KELLY THESIER: What were the keys to you playing so well today? What was really working well in your game? ANGEL YIN: I think it was the approach shots and my putting. I was staying calm and making my strokes. I wasn't too fast and just staying in my tempo. KELLY THESIER: Last year you got into this event by qualifying through the junior qualifying events. This year you got a sponsor invite. But last year you made the cut at the event, finishing tied for 55th. What is it about this golf course that seems to suit your game and how have you been able to play so well out here? ANGEL YIN: I think this course suits me really well just because the greens. I really like the greens here, so my putting really is better than any other course I play. KELLY THESIER: For all of these media members that might not know you very well, tell us a little about your game? What are the strengths of your game? ANGEL YIN: I hit it really far. My short game is better than my other game, but putting is my weak point. But here I can actually make my weak point kind of my strength too. KELLY THESIER: I know you played with Katherine Kirk today. How did you two feed off of each other today? ANGEL YIN: It was just really a huge honor to play with her, because I watch her on TV every day, every LPGA event. Also the day before I was playing with her, I was eating lunch with her, and she said hi to me, I got too nervous to say hi back, so I looked away. But she was really nice. She was really nice. Q. Last year you qualified on Tuesday and played here on Tuesday. This year you've known you were going to play for a little while. Does it feel a little different coming in this year than it did last year? ANGEL YIN: Yeah. I don't feel tired as last year, because last year I was really tired. I can see the course better because I get to play a few practice rounds and get to know the course better. Q. Last year when you teed off on Thursday, had you seen the golf course? Did you get to play a practice round between Tuesday and Thursday? ANGEL YIN: Yeah, I was able to play a few practice rounds, 9 and 9. 9 in the afternoon after I finished my first round at the KFC Junior Challenge early morning. Q. Does it feel not easier, it's never easy out here, but does it feel more comfortable? ANGEL YIN: Yeah, it feels more comfortable. Q. Can you talk about your decision to try to qualify for the U.S. Open a few years ago at 13 and what made you decide to enter the field? And how playing in that tournament helped prepare you for the Kraft? ANGEL YIN: Playing the U.S. Open, you mean playing in the U.S. Open qualifier? Q. Yeah. What made you sign up for that at such a young age? ANGEL YIN: It was hosted at my home course Industry Hills, and I just felt like I should try it out to see what's up with the older kids. I don't know, play against them. Q. Were you surprised that you made it? ANGEL YIN: Yeah, I was really surprised. I didn't know I could play that well. Q. So what did you learn from playing at Blackwolf Run about yourself and about your game? ANGEL YIN: That off the tee I was still a bit rough going left and right. I couldn't hit it on the fairway. So I started to fix my swing more to make it more accurate, straight, precise, and now that's helped me a lot. Q. How far do you hit it off the tee now? ANGEL YIN: 270, yeah. Q. Doing well here last year and this year, do you think you kind of rise to the occasion or does the big stage not even faze you, you play your own game? ANGEL YIN: I just play my own game. Q. Again, kind of following up on what Larry said, this year, knowing you were going to play, what changed in your approach to preparing for this? ANGEL YIN: Last year I didn't think I was going to play because the week before I was playing at a junior tournament Longbow and I had missed the cut and it was just terrible. I wasn't playing well, so I just came here to take the experience and learn. But I got in, so it was pretty exciting. Q. Lastly, two bogeys today, but you followed them both up with birdies. How are you able to put those behind you so quickly? ANGEL YIN: When I made bogeys, I didn't really notice I was making bogeys. I just maybe I made a mistake, but my coach always taught me to think positive, so I think that helps me a lot. Q. You live in Arcadia? ANGEL YIN: Yeah. Q. And you go to Arcadia High School? ANGEL YIN: Yeah. Q. What year are you in there? ANGEL YIN: 2017 graduation year. Q. That makes you a what? ANGEL YIN: Freshman this year. Q. You're a freshman. Did I hear your mom is your caddie? ANGEL YIN: Yeah. Q. What is her name? ANGEL YIN: Michelle. Q. Getting off to a fast start like this, what is your mindset to try to do well for the next three rounds? ANGEL YIN: Just shooting even is my goal. Yeah, I don't know. I really don't know. I'm not thinking too far ahead. Q. Angel, you talked about being nervous just saying hi to Katherine. Do those same nerves carry over to the first tee or does it not faze you to play in an event like this with so many different pros? ANGEL YIN: Not saying hi, it was pretty bad, but on the tee I wasn't as nervous. I maybe felt more comfortable. But she's really nice, so I think I felt more comfortable because of that. Q. Do you play on your high school golf team? ANGEL YIN: No. Q. When you go back to school after playing in a major championship, what kind of reception do you get and what kind do you expect? ANGEL YIN: Nothing much, just going back, the same. I don't know. I really don't talk about golf with my friends, which is really surprising, right? Is that surprising? I don't know. KELLY THESIER: Little bit. Maybe a little bit. ANGEL YIN: Okay. I just try not to talk about golf. Q. You didn't just play here last year, you made the cut? ANGEL YIN: Yeah. Q. Were you surprised that you made the cut last year? I mean, you say you didn't play well coming in, but you played pretty well for 72 holes. ANGEL YIN: Yeah, I was pretty surprised I made the cut. I didn't know I was going to make it, but I made it. Q. What changed between the previous week and making the cut here? I mean, that is a pretty big deal not playing well in a junior tournament and then making a cut in a major? ANGEL YIN: I don't know. Just when I missed the cut in the junior tournament, I just needed to stay more low key, and just one step at a time. Not thinking too far ahead, but just focusing on my own game. Q. You said earlier that Katherine made you so nervous you couldn't respond to her. Is there a player in the field, that I imagine a top player might make you even more nervous. Is there someone you wanted to meet this week that you've been embarrassed to approach? ANGEL YIN: Michelle Wie, yeah. If she sat next to me and said hi to me, I'd probably run. Yeah. Q. How long have you been watching her play? ANGEL YIN: Ever since I started playing. No, that's too early. I don't know. I don't really remember, but I've watched her ever since she started playing on the PGA. Q. When did you start playing again? ANGEL YIN: 6. Q. Obviously, you talked about the solid round you had today. You haven't played this course much. Did you get some practice rounds in this week or were you just relying on what you remember from last year of the course? ANGEL YIN: I definitely had a few practice rounds in to know the course better. The last time I played here was last year. It's been quite a while, so I want to refresh my memory this week. Q. What did you take away from a couple of those practice rounds that you were able to use today? ANGEL YIN: Better course management, where to lay up the ball so I don't meet trouble. Q. You went through the qualifying process and Monday qualified for the Kia and played last week. So you've been playing at the highest level of competition more continuously I would think than you have before. Has that helped you feel you can play your best this week? ANGEL YIN: Yeah, last week was the first time I played a tournament in like two weeks, I think. I got really nervous. The first hole I picked up the ball on the fringe and got penalized, which is pretty bad. I was just a bit more nervous. This week I wasn't as nervous like today. Q. Do you think having played last week and going through the qualifying and being qualified has helped you be less nervous this week? ANGEL YIN: Yeah. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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