SHOPRITE LPGA CLASSIC PRESENTED BY ACER

September 28, 2021

Xiyu Lin

Seaview, A Dolce Hotel

Quick Quotes

Q. So nine weeks. Haven't played since the KPMG in June. What have you been doing?

XIYU LIN: Oh, my God. You don't want to know. I had two 21-days quarantine before and after the Olympics, and then, well I played the Olympics, and then three weeks of quarantine afterwards and then two weeks of training with Guangdong team, and then last week I finally play the national games.

Won both of gold medal for team and individual and then fly back.

Q. Nice. When you say the team, explain that to me.

XIYU LIN: So the national team -- national game have two formats, both individual, and the team is where you belongs. It's like each player belongs to a province, like states. So we will have four players, and then every day we play -- we will pick three best score for the team events.

Q. So like a college event?

XIYU LIN: Yeah, yeah, pretty much.

Q. What province did you play for?

XIYU LIN: Guangdong.

Q. Oh, you're from Guangdong?

XIYU LIN: Yeah.

Q. Did you play with Ruixin?

XIYU LIN: No, she missed -- our team was so strong so we have Shanahan, Yu Liu, have WeiWei who plays on Symetra, and Ruixin.

Q. Jang?

XIYU LIN: And also Ting Ting (phonetic) play in Japan, so she didn't qualify, so end up WeiWei and Ruixin played like a qualifier.

Q. Oh wow.

XIYU LIN: Because tried to be the fourth in the team, and Ruixin didn't -- I think she lost two shot, so she end up didn't get to compete.

Yeah.

Q. You beat that field by seven shots? That is a big deal.

XIYU LIN: Yeah. I mean, it's a tournament in China so I was setting the goal for two gold medals for sure, because this also could be my last national games. I don't know. I shouldn't really say that.

Because it's the first time they had the individual tournament as well. So, I mean, from the first day I was like, Yeah I'm going to win both of them.

Q. So that was your goal going into the week, was to do exactly what you accomplished?

XIYU LIN: Yeah.

Q. So when you go into a quarantine like that, are you in your room? Are you able to do anything?

XIYU LIN: So it's a little different than the real quarantine, which it's lucky, because before Olympic we were in the national team training base, which it's national team owned golf course.

So we were in our room, and then after several days of testing, then we were allowed to go out individually and practice for like two hours a day. So a little bit sun.

And then when we came back from the Olympic, kind of the same. Not in the golf course, but we were in like a bicycle training base, which they have gym, running field, they have everything. After first seven days stuck in a room, next 14 like we can go out to just have a little walk.

So, yeah, I mean, I haven't really done a real real quarantine. These two, it's already pretty crazy.

Q. You literally could not go out and spend three, four hours on the range when you were at the bicycle place?

XIYU LIN: No. After the Olympic, like I didn't touch club for 21 days.

Q. And still won by seven?

XIYU LIN: No, no, but then after that quarantine we have another two weeks of training. So, yeah, I got to the golf course and start to do some stuff.

Yeah, but, yeah, no touching club for 21 days. My 5-wood got rusty. (Laughter.) Yeah, I took my 5-wood out in the training, the golf course, and I'm like, oh, there is (indiscernible).

Q. A little different than what I remember.

XIYU LIN: Yeah, why does it have some rust on it?

Q. Did you putt in your room at all?

XIYU LIN: Nothing.

Q. Nothing. Not even putting?

XIYU LIN: Yeah.

Q. Wow.

XIYU LIN: Just some workout.

Q. Yeah?

XIYU LIN: Yeah.

Q. Did you just read? Watch TV?

XIYU LIN: Well, we have like the hours out, because like we have two men's and two women's competing in the golf tournament, which have nowhere to practice.

And plus we have -- how did you say? You know those horse riding team.

Q. Equestrian?

XIYU LIN: Yeah, because they have no field to practice, too, so we are the only two teams like don't know what to do. So we end up go to the running field and play like spikes ball and soccer and tennis, whatever, just kills time.

Yeah, so I just sweats a lot and run around.

Q. Did you find a new hobby?

XIYU LIN: I mean, spike ball is pretty fun. Yeah, we order the tools online and then start playing those game.

Q. Yeah?

XIYU LIN: Yeah.

Q. And then you just came right here from that tournament?

XIYU LIN: Yeah, Sunday night I got to JFK.

Q. So you came straight from Beijing to here?

XIYU LIN: No. We had the national game in Shaanxi, and then I flew home for the day, I mean, night, and then next day Guangzhou to Hong Kong and JFK.

Q. When are these games held? Every four years?

XIYU LIN: Every four years.

Q. So you think it's your last one?

XIYU LIN: Well, you know, I mean, I won the team gold medal eight years ago when they first had it, 2013, and then this time when they had the individual I won it again.

I felt like, you know, to me, right now in my career, my biggest goal is probably win on the LPGA because this year, I mean, I sacrifice a lot for this game. Well, I know for this -- it's because of the --

Q. Olympics too?

XIYU LIN: Yeah, Olympic, but also for the national game, I mean, I could have just go straight back to Scotland and start playing again. But, I mean, I sacrifice a lot.

And then, I mean, it's because of the pandemic, but I felt like you just never know like next four years, so I don't know. I mean, now my biggest goal is still winning on tour so I probably going to focus more over here.

Q. Okay. That makes sense.

XIYU LIN: Yeah, at least they have new events, new formats.

Q. Yeah.

XIYU LIN: Yeah. I feel like I win both gold medals, so what else I need.

Q. You won on an event like that, and despite all the 42 days of not swinging a club, do you feel like your game is as good as the seven-stroke victory that you showed?

XIYU LIN: I mean, my game was actually pretty bad, but somehow I got it around that course. But, I mean, that's another thing. I felt like as a player on tour I'm so much more experienced than any other player. I mean, both technical and mentally.

And like during that week we had rain delay, we have all kinds of weather. I just manage them better.

Q. Where was it held? At what course?

XIYU LIN: It's called Xi'an International Golf Club. There is only two golf course in that whole city.

Q. Really?

XIYU LIN: Yeah.

Q. What city was it?

XIYU LIN: Xi'an.

Q. Xi'an, just like the name of the course.

XIYU LIN: Yeah. And, yeah, so I just -- what was the question?

Q. You just were talking about how you were a little more technical and strong with all the rain delays and you managed it a little better.

XIYU LIN: So my game wasn't even at the top top, and then the conditions is really different. In China in general the greens are slower and then the grass type is different.

So coming over here, I do have a confidence that I can get used to it really quickly. But I do also know it's -- I mean, it's definitely way more competing here and it will still take some work to try to win on this tour.

Q. Yeah. You can do it though. You proved it to yourself, right?

XIYU LIN: Yeah, so I do come in with lots of confidence, but I also know I need lots of practice because I haven't seen my coach for like three months.

Q. Wow. When was the last time you saw him?

XIYU LIN: KPMG, yeah.

Q. What's his name?

XIYU LIN: Tony.

Q. What was the last name?

XIYU LIN: Sigler.