Yani Tseng hopes to rediscover ‘passion' at US Open after overcoming the yips
Tseng burst onto the scene in 2008 by winning the Women's PGA Championship and collected all five of her majors in a four-year spell which saw her reach the top of the world rankings in 2011 and 2012.
Three wins in the space of five weeks at the start of 2012 were her last to date on the LPGA however – she did win in her native Taiwan in 2014 – and Tseng's slow decline saw her slump outside the world's top 100 in 2017.
Tseng stepped away from the sport for almost two full years in 2019 due to a combination of a back injury and the Covid-19 pandemic, and when she worked hard to return felt that her putting woes meant she effectively needed to hole her approach shots to make up any ground on the competition.
5-time major champion Yani Tseng … is right-handed.
But the putting has been such a struggle lately that she's now putting left-handed. pic.twitter.com/Wo5zGrL2SP
— Sean Zak (@Sean_Zak) April 24, 2025
After missing the cut in all nine LPGA Tour starts in 2021 Tseng did not compete on the circuit in 2022 or 2023, but returned in April's Chevron Championship, where her switch from putting right-handed to left-handed became apparent.
'I was struggling with my short putts right-handed,' Tseng told the USGA website during a practice round at Erin Hills ahead of the 80th US Women's Open.
'I had the yips.'
Tseng began putting left-handed around six months ago and, using that technique, shot 70-71 in a 36-hole US Open qualifier at Arizona Country Club before claiming the only place in this week's field from a five-woman play-off.
'The passion never went away,' the 36-year-old added. 'The past few years I've been disappointed with my performance, but I love golf, I love competition, I love the people.
'I want to prove to myself that I can still be a player at this level. I want to see how far I can go.'
If you watched Yani Tseng dominate the women's game more than a decade ago, winning five majors along the way, the sight of her putting left-handed is nothing short of stunning! She had the yips, and the change is giving her hope. pic.twitter.com/hHhcGEklnW
— Beth Ann Nichols (@GolfweekNichols) April 25, 2025
As a past champion of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship and the AIG Women's Open, Tseng is eligible for those majors and plans to play them this year, at Fields Ranch East in Texas and Royal Porthcawl respectively.
She has been working with coach Kristine Reese from the Vision 54 programme run by Lynn Marriott and Pia Nilsson, who can count Annika Sorenstam and former Solheim Cup captain Suzann Pettersen among their pupils.
'What I need to focus is inside myself,' Tseng said. 'I need to focus on what I can control, like holding my finish.
'I need to believe in myself. Doubt is the most scary thing. The mechanical and the mental feed off each other.
'Just be yourself, be who you are. Keep looking into yourself and seeing the good things. I tried to be perfect all the time. That's not a way to live.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
12 hours ago
- BBC News
Thitikul edges into Women's PGA Championship lead
Women's PGA Championship first-round leaderboard:-4 J Thitikul (Tha); -3 M Lee (Aus); -2 R Takeda (Jpn); H Ryu (Kor), Y Noh (US), S Lee (Kor)Selected others: E N Korda (US), L Maguire (Ire), L Thompson (US), +1 G Hall (Eng); +3 L Ko (NZ); +4 M Rhodes (Eng) Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul shot a 68 to edge into an early lead at the Women's PGA number two Thitikul, 22, recovered from a double bogey at the fifth with six birdies to finish on four under par at the third of this year's five LPGA Minjee Lee was one shot further back after a rollercoaster three-under-par 69, which included seven birdies and four number one Nelly Korda is four off the pace as she went round in a par 72, which included two birdies and two Leona Maguire is also on level par, while England's Georgia Hall carded a 73. England's Mimi Rhodes, who has enjoyed three wins on the Ladies European Tour this season, was making her debut at a major and hit a four-over par 76. "I think my putter went really well today," said Thitikul, who is yet to win a major."In the front nine we had a lot of breeze going and more than the back nine, but [I made putts at] seven, eight, nine which boost the confidence up making the turn to the back nine."I really told myself just be patient and focused on the next shot, because [in the] majors you [are] going to miss anyway. What a way to bounce back. It's more important."The event is taking place at the Fields Ranch East course in Texas, with Lee and Korda citing the heat as a factor to contend with. "I just kept telling my caddie, can you give me another water, can you give me another water," Lee said."I don't think we could have enough [water] out there. It's really hot."Korda added: "It's hot; I'm still cooling down right now."I'm pretty happy with my first round in the conditions. It definitely takes a toll on you, the Texas heat."
The Independent
20 hours ago
- The Independent
Wyndham Clark breaks silence on Oakmont locker-room rage at US Open
Wyndham Clark has apologised for trashing the locker room at Oakmont Country Club after missing the cut at the US Open. Clark bogeyed the final hole of his second round and failed to make the weekend by a solitary stroke. He took out his fury in the historic clubhouse, with photos circulated on social media showing two lockers caved in. It is the second time this season the 2023 US Open champion has apologised for his behaviour, after throwing a club at a sponsor's sign following a wayward tee shot at the PGA Championship. 'I've had a lot of highs and lows in my career, especially this year some lows,' Clark said on Thursday, when asked about the incident at TPC River Highlands after his opening round. 'I made a mistake that I deeply regret. I'm very sorry for what happened. 'But I'd also like to move on, not only for myself but for Oakmont, for the USGA, and kind of focus on the rest of this year and things that come up,' he continued. 'I still want to try to make the Ryder Cup team. I still am on the outside looking in for the FedExCup. So I'm starting to move on and focus on those things.' The marshal closest to his thrown club at Quail Hollow last month said he was 'scared to death' by the incident, and Clark later apologised, writing at the time: 'I promise to better the way I handle my frustrations on the course going forward, and hope you all can forgive me in due time.' Clark has struggled for form ever since his sole major win two year ago, and the 31-year-old has fallen down the rankings having recorded only one top-10 finish so far this season. But he showed signs of recovery on Thursday, posting a six-under 64.
Reuters
21 hours ago
- Reuters
Wyndham Clark ‘very sorry' for damaging Oakmont lockers
June 19 - Wyndham Clark delivered an apology Thursday for damaging Oakmont Country Club lockers in anger last week at the U.S. Open. Clark missed the cut at the third major championship of the season, going 74-74 (8 over par) through two rounds. On Saturday, social media posts from golf podcaster Todd "Tron Carter" Schuster of "No Laying Up" showed photos he obtained from the Oakmont locker room. Two of the lockers' doors were seriously damaged, with Schuster connecting it to Clark. Oakmont officials later confirmed Clark's locker had received damage. Clark was asked about the incident Thursday at the Travelers Championship after he opened with a 6-under 64. "Yeah, I mean, I've had a lot of highs and lows in my career, especially this year some lows," Clark said. "I made a mistake that I deeply regret. I'm very sorry for what happened." "But I'd also like to move on, not only for myself but for Oakmont, for the USGA, and kind of focus on the rest of this year and things that come up. I still want to try to make the Ryder Cup team. I still am on the outside looking in for the FedEx Cup. So I'm starting to move on and focus on those things." Clark did not comment further on the matter. It was not known whether he had apologized directly to Oakmont. It was the second straight major where Clark, the 2023 U.S. Open champion, had to apologize for aggressive behavior. At the PGA Championship in May, following a poor drive, Clark threw his driver toward the back of the tee box. It crashed into signage with a volunteer standing mere feet away, and the head of the club snapped off. --Field Level Media
