Angel Yin, who was in China to attend the Buick LPGA Master’s tournament, took in some tennis. Yin observed that Andrey Rublev, the seventh-ranked player in the Shanghai Masters semifinals, “expressed himself well on the tennis court.”
“It’s not like he was completely emotionless,” said Yin who had found herself lying flat on the golf green.
After making bogey at the sixth hole in Shanghai on Sunday, Yin gave a self-talk as she walked up the next fairway.
She said: “I was very emotional during Solheim, and I did pretty well.”
The self-talk worked as Yin, a focused and engaged player, defeated World No. In a playoff, Lilia Vu won her first LPGA title in 159 starts. Vu won the playoff between Vu and her Solheim Cup teammate earlier this year at the Chevron Championship. It is Yin’s first professional win since the 2017 Omega Dubai Ladies Classic, which was held on the Ladies European Tour. In her third appearance with the U.S. Solheim cup Team in September, she went 2-1-0.
The winning putt by @angelyinlol pic.twitter.com/HbHLGoBW19
LPGA (@LPGA 15 October 2023
Vu said, “Today is Angel’s Day.” “I’m glad for her.”
Yin shot 68 to close at Qizhong Garden Golf Club, while Vu shot 70. The two tied at 14 under for the tournament. Five players were ahead by one shot.
Yin, 25, defeated Vu, a three-time champion and her Solheim Cup teammates, with a birdie at the first playoff hole. Yin is the 12th LPGA first-time champion this season. This is a record for the LPGA tour. She received $315,000 as a reward for her success.
(Photo by Zhe Ji/Getty Images) Angel Yin, of the United States, and her caddie react at the 18th hole during the final round in Shanghai Qizhong Garden Golf Club. This was on October 15, 2023. (Photo by Zhe J/Getty Images).
Yin reminded herself throughout the round that winning on the LPGA is not an easy task. She worked hard on letting her personality show inside the ropes.
“It is funny, because we have been discussing this a lot over the last few years,” said Yin. “I have been talking to Juli Inkster (former Solheim Captain) about it. I don’t feel much emotion when I play golf. She said, “No, this is not good.” I want you mad again.
“I started to play well after I got a lot more emotions. I began doing things again. It helped me to express myself and not to just be flat-lining. As a child, everyone told me to keep a poker face, show no emotion, and be stone-faced. That doesn’t fit me. “What I do to express myself is what fits me at the moment.”
