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RR DONNELLEY LPGA FOUNDERS CUP

March 17, 2011

Yani Tseng

PHOENIX, ARIZONA

THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon, everybody. Welcome. Yani, welcome.
YANI TSENG: Thank you.
THE MODERATOR: You've been here a few days; right? You came in a little early.
YANI TSENG: Yeah. I've been here three days, to relax myself, to restart a little bit.
THE MODERATOR: Great. I notice you're wearing a new shirt, UNICEF. Tell us a little bit about your decision on who you were going to support with the charity this week.
YANI TSENG: Yeah. This is a charity I'm going to support, the UNICEF. Half is going to donate to Japan for the earthquake, and the other half is going to donate to the clean water to help the children to drink clean water and to help the body.
They get water from a very, very dirty river, and when I saw that on the YouTube, I was really, really sick. Sometimes we don't know what's in the fluid or what's in the water we drink, but when you see that they don't have any food, even clean water, but now we can try to help. Only a little money can save their life.
THE MODERATOR: Well, that's certainly in the spirit of this event. What made you decide to play this event? And tell us a little bit about your preparation for it.
YANI TSENG: Oh, it's just like a normal tournament. It's not about money. It's all about charity and foundation, and all the founders. And I think it's my honor to play this tournament. I'm really happy to be here. And then I saw one of the founders yesterday, Shirley Spork, and when I talked to her, she said she live in Palm Springs. They only have two golf courses there. And I was like, "wow," and then I saw her, I was really, really excited. I'm more appreciative that I'm here to play for them.
And they were very, very happy I'm here, too. So this is only a little thing I can support and treat it like a normal tournament, and I wish I can win this tournament to donate more money to the charity.
THE MODERATOR: That's great. And you're now the Rolex Ranking's No. 1. Has that kind of sunk in? And just for the record, there's no way you can lose that this week.
YANI TSENG: Happy to hear that. (Laughs).
THE MODERATOR: So how does it feel to be No. 1? Do you feel like you're comfortable with that position now?
YANI TSENG: Yeah. I feel very comfortable. Actually I don't feel any pressure. I really enjoy to stay on this stage to compete with all the best players in the world, and I'm still trying to improve my game, like all my parts and just keep improving, keep learning and practice.
THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. When you're on a roll like you've been this year, are you anxious to get out there and play again and not have gaps in the schedule?
YANI TSENG: Yeah, sometimes it's good to keep the rhythm. Last year after I win there was no tournament. So this year the schedule is better. We have like three, four weeks in a row and take a week off, and then you have more time to prepare the tournaments.
It's just more the quality. It's not just a week off and you play one week and week off. So I think this year I can -- my schedule will be more better than much better, too.

Q. I was really impressed to see at the end of last season that shortly after that you were sitting in a classroom getting ready to take three weeks of English emersion, and I was wondering how that was for you.
YANI TSENG: Yeah. I was very excited because when I was in Taiwan high school, and then I didn't go to school a lot. So I want to go back to school. And this is the only time in the whole season I can go back to school, and especially for English, because I would like to learn English. I would like to share my story to all the people, and I want them to know I can speak English so they can talk to me, don't be afraid to talk to me, because I'm very easy to get close to. And I think it helps a lot. And my English can improve and more people can more understand what I'm talking about. I hope I don't talk too much now.

Q. No, I actually followed your Pro Am group this morning, and everyone seemed to have a very good time. And that wouldn't have happened unless you were interacting with them.
YANI TSENG: Yeah. I always very enjoy to play in Pro Am. Sometimes I feel like I want to treat a tournament just like Pro Am because when I'm Pro Am, I'm really relaxed. I don't practice a lot, and I'm chatting with all the amateurs and look alive for them. I think it's very good to be part of this in that they are helping the tournament, and it only takes 9 holes, 18 holes to play with them. I'm enjoying, too. I don't feel this is part of the job. I just feel that I'm enjoying out there, and then sometimes it's fun to shout in the stage, too.

Q. Just what were your impressions of the course that you've seen so far?
YANI TSENG: Yeah. I played nine today. I played nine yesterday, and of course, some of the holes are pretty tough and then greens pretty firm. Even I had a short iron, and it's not going to stop that much.
And then I think the morning and afternoon is huge difference. And then I think it plays a little further here, too, so I need to calculate that a little bit, and just be patient. And some of the fairways were pretty narrow. You couldn't see the spot you were in. So I need to just kind of be patient, and I think driver is very important for this week.

Q. So coming off the four great wins early in the season, sitting at the top of the world now, can you think back to where you were six months, a year ago and where you are now, and can you describe your mental state now in terms of your sense of satisfaction with what you've accomplished?
YANI TSENG: Yeah. All the top five players have a chance to become No. 1 every week. It was very exciting for fans to watch, too. And it was very challenge for us because every week you have a chance to get on top, but how are you going to stay, you don't know because everybody was just working so hard.
It's very, very challenging now on the LPGA. And I just figured, well, finally it's my turn. Like last year I've been waiting, waiting, every tournament, I just couldn't get on top; and now finally this year I win the three tournaments and I become No. 1.
It feels like a dream come true for me from when I was 12. That's the first time I came to States, and at that time that's the first time I say I want to be on the LPGA to compete with the best golfers in the world.

Q. But you never think about all of this while you're playing; right? That's something you think about after you play?
YANI TSENG: Yeah, because I just focus on what can I do right now and after that it will come.

Q. Do you find it any easier to play in the present and really pay attention to what's going on on the golf course now that you have the sort of sense of satisfaction that you're the No. 1 player in the world? Does it make it any easier for you to concentrate?
YANI TSENG: No. I think it's about the same. I just feel a little more confidence right now, and then I know I can win tournaments. Like this week I came here, and I'm enjoying, and I walk on the golf course. I can see the golf course. I can see my shot, and just feel much more confidence right now.
THE MODERATOR: Any other questions? All right. Thank you very much.
YANI TSENG: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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