TAIWANESE WORLD NO. 1 GOLFER YANI TSENG ON CNN’S ‘LIVING GOLF’: “I STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.”

This month on CNN’s LIVING GOLF, host Shane O’Donoghue interviews Taiwan's world number one Yani Tseng. At just 22 she goes into next month's Women's US Open on the verge of a career grand-slam.

This LIVING GOLF interview with Yani Tseng airs Jun 4 at 1430, 2300, Jun 5 at 0630, 1130 and 1530 HKT. For more golf news and program details, visit www.cnn.com/golf.

Courtesy from CNN’s LIVING GOLF AND SHANE O’DONOGHUE.




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SHANE O'DONOGHUE, ‘LIVING GOLF’ HOST: Welcome back to LIVING GOLF. We've now flown down from Maryland to the heat of Orlando, Florida, and the exclusive Lake Nona Club.
It's the home of a woman who could create her own piece of history.

O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): World number one Yani Tseng. At just 22, she only needs next month's US Open for a career grand slam.

Today, she's warming up with a slightly easier match.

O'DONOGHUE (on camera): How good was that?

YANI TSENG, TAIWAN, WORLD NUMBER ONE: I think you hit through Ian's house.

O'DONOGHUE: That's Ian Poulter's house, is it?

TSENG: Yes.

O'DONOGHUE: So, I'm in his back garden, am I?

TSENG: I think so. But you get some more again.

O'DONOGHUE: Yes, I hit a provisional.

TSENG: Yes, that's fine.

O'DONOGHUE: I just don't want to lose money.

TSENG: Five dollars.

O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): By the age of 12, she had the swing of a potential champion, and an idol in Annika Sorenstam, who was to become a mentor.

TSENG: She helped me a lot. When I was young, I looked at her, and I said, "Oh, one day I want to play with her."

O'DONOGHUE: In fact, Yani actually bought Annika's old house here at Lake Nona and is finding it helps to be surrounded by many of the world's top players.

TSENG: They're so friendly, so nice. And then sometimes we're on the range, if I have any questions, I just ask.

O'DONOGHUE (on camera): Yes? And who do you talk to mainly, or who do you -- ?

TSENG: Ian -- Ian and Justin Rose and Trevor Immelman, yes.

O'DONOGHUE: Good guys.

And who was the golfer in the family? Was it your dad? Or how did you get actually started?

TSENG: My dad and my mom.

O'DONOGHUE: Both of them played?

TSENG: Yes. My dad was a club champion. My mom, she used to be a caddie, like 10 years, so it was really cool, my whole family, they love golf, and they'd bring me to the golf course, and I just love it.

Go up. That's a good shot.

O'DONOGHUE: It's all right, yes.

O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): Yani's always been one tough competitor. At the age of 14, she won the US Amateur Public Links, beating Michelle Wie by one hole. As a pro, she won the first of her three majors in a playoff.
Then, for her two majors last year, she needed putts on the final green to win by one shot.

GARY GILCHRIST, YANI'S COACH: You know, she's had some tough putts, but I saw her hold that same kind of putt when she was 14 against Michelle Wie at the Public Links.

O'DONOGHUE (on camera): Yes.

GILCHRIST: And that same putt keeps coming back, and she keeps making it.

The club isn't matching your body turning into the ball. You see?

I think one of the best things that ever happened, she bought Annika's house, because she can look at the trophy case every night and say, hey, you know what, this will be a great goal, I can fill that case.

And Annika is a person that you can learn so much from. She's gone through it all. And I think one thing is to be number one in the world, and the next challenge is to stay number one in the world. And one person that can help her do that is Annika.

O'DONOGHUE: The Asian dominance on the LPGA tour, can you see that continuing and getting even bigger in the years to come?

TSENG: I think so, because I think they work very hard, the family puts lots of pressure on the kids, and then we always feel our -- lots of pressure and feel -- pay attention to every shot, every tournament. If we're, like, out of top ten, we're going to cry and then the family's going to be mad. It was really tough.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Open.

TSENG: Open.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pencil.

TSENG: Pencil.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Atom.

TSENG: Atom.

O'DONOGHUE: When it comes to adjusting to life in America, learning the English language, obviously you're excellent at it now, but you've put in a lot of work into that, haven't you?

TSENG: Yes, I do, because I want to share my story. I want to let more people know my personality, it's not just inside a golf course. Like, I would like to talk -- really talk to the fans.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, do you remember what are the vowels?

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's OK.

O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): Yani first went to the US Open nine years ago as a very young spectator. She wasn't lacking in confidence even then.

TSENG: I just turned around to see my uncle, like he's my Sherpa, and he says -- he took me, and I tell him, "I think I can beat those players on the golf course." It's like, "I play better than her."

And then, he said, "No. Come on, you're kidding." And he was thinking, "You're only 13 years old, how can you beat them?"

And then I tell her, "How can I qualify for this tournament? I want to play."

O'DONOGHUE (on camera): So, going back to the US Open, as you say, it's on in a couple of weeks time in Colorado Springs. Your preparations, what are they going to be?

TSENG: I prepare really good. Just try to don't put too much pressure on me, because I know if I don't get it this year, I still have next year. I still have a long way to go.

O'DONOGHUE: But it's amazing to see the likes of Annika and then, Lorena, obviously, number one, number one. And they're retiring. Now, you're only 22, so how many more years do you think you'll be able to commit fully to golf.

TSENG: First, I want to come onto the course, I was thinking ten years. But now, it's like already four years, so I think I'll play another -- probably another ten years, and I would like to finish -- I would like to retire when I was on top, too.

O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): For now, we can only guess how much more Yani will have achieved by the time she does eventually leave the game.

O'DONOGHUE (on camera): This for the money. Oh!

O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): But it's a fair bet she'll come to be recognized as one of the outstanding figures of the women's game. And that in Colorado Springs for next month's US Open, she'll be just a little tougher on her opponents.

TSENG: Made it! Woohoo! That's a good putt.

O'DONOGHUE: That was great.

TSENG: Thank you, yes.

O'DONOGHUE: Thank you so much.

TSENG: Thank you.

O'DONOGHUE: Fantastic.

TSENG: Thanks. Good birdie there.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'DONOGHUE: Yani Tseng, an amazing talent and still only 22.

Well, that's it for this edition of LIVING GOLF. It promises to be a great month ahead. Don't forget, you can find all our programs and our interviews on our website. And if you want to keep tabs on what we're up to, you can follow me on Twitter.

Next month, we'll be looking ahead to the Open at historic Royal St.
Georges. But until then, from Orlando Florida, it's good-bye.

Hey,

I read an article in our local Golf magazine that aside from Golf

Yani is a very skilled pool ( billiard ) player.

And she said playing pool helps improves her putting skill

How is she so good when the others have been sporadic in success (other than Annika and Ochoa)?

Thank you for the post, it was a good read

IS it just me or is Yani sporting a Muffin-Top this year??? That girl has put on a lot of weight!!!!

she is simply amazing

I wonder whats her secret?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yani_Tseng

http://tsengyani.com/

http://www.sportstranscripts.com/PDF/Y.%20Tseng%206.17.08.pdf

Another question ( I hope she doesn't get mad ) is

Is she a lesbian?

accdg to my Taiwanese buddy she is...

or is it just a Tomboyish trait?

One Heck of a remarkable player and extremely nice to talk to.
Fitted her a driver a few years ago in Sunshine G.C. and she hits it a mile.