FM CHAMPIONSHIP

August 30, 2026

Ruoning Yin

TPC Boston

Press Conference

MATT JESUS: All right, very pleased to be joined by the 2026 winner of the FM Championship, Ronni Yin. Ronni, you told me earlier this year you were really hungry for a win and you felt one coming. You finally got that win. How does the emotions feel right now?

RUONING YIN: I was really emotional when I was on the 18 green and just felt like all the hard work paid off, and just really happy how I grinded out there today.

MATT JESUS: Going against two really tough competitors in Hyo Joo and Sei Young is it a little more rewarding knowing you got kind of the best of them today?

RUONING YIN: Yeah, I mean, today, like I said at the ceremony, I felt like this is the longest 18 hole I ever played because they're just so good and they don't really make mistakes.

Just I said it yesterday, like if I play my game I think I have a chance to win. And then, yeah, I think I did pretty good job out there.

MATT JESUS: You had a couple runner-up finishes. I know you've told us you were a little down on yourself, more than you should be. Was there any advice someone gave you to change your tone and now helped you get to this spot?

RUONING YIN: Yeah, 100 percent. I think I'm just lucky to have like everyone around me just very supportive.

Early in the year, I think it was after Singapore because we have charter to Blue Bay, after the round me and Dave went to hot pot place and he just goes, can I talk to you? I was like, yeah.

He goes, I think you are too harsh on yourself and you don't look happy on the course. And then we just had a deep talk, and then after that I think I got bad a little bit until I had a couple time runner-up again and I was just like, you know, finish second place feels suck and I don't like it because I'm super competitive; just don't like to finish second place.

I was talking to my friend the other day, she goes, second place means you're capable to win and you're the first one to the next breakthrough. I think that, yeah, that got me straight into the heart. Since that, I think I change my mindset a little bit.

MATT JESUS: How awesome is it to such a great support system and friend in Dave?

RUONING YIN: I just -- I mean, you just know they're there no matter what happen. I think I got it write down on my yardage book, they love you no matter what.

Just have that support feels you're not by yourself on the course. You have so many people behind you got your back. It's just amazing.

MATT JESUS: Open up to media.

Q. Congratulations. How do you plan on celebrating this win?

RUONING YIN: Well, my flight is at 12:00 a.m. today back to China, so I'll -- back home and celebrate with my friend and my family, yeah.

Q. Anything until midnight? Will you celebrate at the airport?

RUONING YIN: I think we got some Chinese player wait for me, and we just going to go to a restaurant and just have a nice dinner. Because we're all on the same flight. So nice dinner. Maybe some drinks. I don't know.

Q. Can you tell me after the great drive on 18, was there any decision whether you were going to go -- I don't know how many yards you had in on 18, was there any decision considering your closest pursuer was in trouble and you had a one-shot lead?

RUONING YIN: I think I got 204 to the flag and then it's downwind off the right a little bit. I think just perfect 5-iron for me.

My caddie, Dave, told me to go left a little bit. I said, why don't we just go for it? I hit a really good 5-iron and, yeah, worked out pretty well.

Q. Yeah. And as soon as you hit it did you kind of know that was it, that it was over?

RUONING YIN: Yeah, I hit it pretty solid. Because before the shot I was telling myself, just have a good tempo, a good swing, and just execute it.

Yeah, once I hit the shot he was like, that's perfect, yeah.

Q. Ronni, you came to the U.S. and were in Q-II 2021; you were just a nugget. When you look back at the last five seasons, everything you've accomplished, did you dream this big, that you would have six wins in five seasons at such a young age?

RUONING YIN: Not at all. Not really. Because when I just got on the Tour my goal for myself just gave myself three years to get used to this environment, and then we'll see after three years.

But I have accomplished a lot of things right now and this is my sixth win. Yeah, I just feel like five years goes by so quickly and then it's just time flies.

Right now I got my sixth and I'm waiting for I think seven, eight, nine, ten is coming.

Q. I know it's not been the easiest road the last couple of seasons. You've been close several times. Is there anything that you've continually told yourself through 2025 and into 2026 that lifted you to this moment?

RUONING YIN: I think I have quite a few times that I was really close but just keep missing by one or by two.

Then I always harsh on myself. I think I'm doing all the right things; why I'm not winning? Of course in this case you will doubt yourself. I doubt myself if I can win on this Tour again.

So just everything, pressure, expectations, just everything just comes at me. Yeah, I was not a happy person last year, but this year I think I learn a lot.

Yeah, the biggest thing I learn is that life comes from you, not at you. And also good things take time and just be patient about it.

Q. Last one from me. If I'm allowed to ask a third. People talk about not beating yourself up, not being so harsh on yourself. How hard is it to overcome that?

RUONING YIN: It is hard, because everyone around me, like my friends, Jeeno, she won multiple times this year. Just very hard to look at your friends, they're all winning but you're not. Just pretty tough.

But I think I got a little bit more mature right now and just I just keep telling myself it's coming, it's coming, and, yeah, that's it.

Q. On the 18th green when you lifted up the trophy, what emotion were you feeling?

RUONING YIN: Finally. (Smiling.)

I think I've been waiting for this trophy for so long, and after my first putt on 18 green I was pretty emotional.

By the time I lift the trophy up I was kind of calm down a little bit, but still I'm very proud of myself, proud of my team, and, yeah.

Q. And what advice would you give to a young girl who wants to be in your shoes one day?

RUONING YIN: I would say -- I would say just don't live in other people's expectations. Just walk your own path and be yourself and be happy.

Q. I have a question that I hope I can ask in Chinese if that's okay. Then my other question is that obviously you're a huge role model for a lot of young golfers, maybe especially young golfers in China. How do you look at yourself in this role? Obviously a lot of Chinese fans cheering for you in the crowds as well.

RUONING YIN: Yeah, I feel all the love from the Chinese fans today. I think it's good and bad I think because there is a lot of people see me as a role model and that motivates me but that also make me feel a little bit pressure.

Because I'm just -- I just really want to do a good job for all the younger golfers, and I just -- I don't want to be a bad influence, you know what I'm saying? Just I really try to be good and that sometimes maybe trying less is better.

But, again, I think just I feel super appreciative to all the fans out there cheering for me.

Q. Ronni, just looking at the future, where do you think you see yourself in ten years or where do you hope to be?

RUONING YIN: I'm not sure if I'm still playing in ten years, but I would like myself to have a little bit more -- have more trophies in my house, and major would be nice; grand slam would be great.

But more important I think if I can be a good influence for the next generation, yeah, that's one of my main goals.

Q. And then another question that I have is: The first person that you thanked when you won was your mom, so how does that relationship influence how you golf and how has her support shaped you?

RUONING YIN: I think my parents, they're very supportive. The love that they give me was unbelievable. I just felt like no matter I play good or not, they're always going to be there for me.

So, yeah, just unconditional love is just -- brings you different energy.

Q. Congratulations, Ronni. I'm wondering that stretch in 2024 when you won three times in five starts, you kind of talk about the expectations other people had of you for winning. Obviously you had such a great stretch there. But did that change your expectations I don't want to say think winning is easy, but you know what I mean? Did that change your own expectations?

RUONING YIN: Yes, 100 percent. I think 2024 I won three times. At that time I was like, I', just feeling like I'm one of the best players out there. But I didn't win last year and that made me feel like, am I still one of the best? I keep questioning myself.

But I think I've learn a lot this year in just -- I think I read an article the other day says some people, their life start at 40; some people their life start at 24.

But the life really starts when you don't live in other people's comments, don't live in other people's expectations. That's when your life starts.

I think that, yeah, I got tears in my eyes even I think about it. I'm just glad I see that article, yeah. I think that's something I learned.

Q. And how much has the work that you've done mentally, especially after not winning in 2025, how much has the work you've done off the course put you in this position today do you think?

RUONING YIN: A lot of work. (Smiling.)

But like I say, I just super grateful for all my team, team members, because they're the one was with me through all the ups and downs.

And my coach, especially Holton, he just keep telling me -- he's kind of like half coach, half psychologist for me. He just keep telling me, it's coming, it's coming. And also start at the beginning of the week he was telling me, I think you're super close and you just need to be a little bit more patient.

Those guys on my team just give me what I need when the time is right. Just they give me the right things, yeah.

Q. And what are the flights like when you're on a flight with your colleagues and friends back to China? What are those like, especially after a win?

RUONING YIN: I don't like midnight flight but I can go home, so that's a good thing. I think I'm going to take a good sleep on the plane, yeah.

Q. Well-deserved. Thank you.

RUONING YIN: Thank you.

MATT JESUS: Perfect, thank you, Ronni. Congratulations again.

RUONING YIN: Thank you.