CROMVOIRT, Netherlands — Angel Yin is under the biggest microscope at the Solheim Cup, so she had a little fun with questions about her health and the state of her game.
“I’m feeling great. Thanks for asking,” Yin said laughing.
Yin was out for two months with a gastrointestinal issue and returned to the FM Championship two weeks ago where she shot 81-76 and missed the cut.
She’d already qualified for the Solheim Cup via points long before, so she wasn’t playing for a role on the team. Yin, who is making her fourth Solheim Cup appearance, is an important part of the U.S. team when healthy and when her game is up to par with her World No. 25 status.
Asked how her game is, Yin said: “I guess everyone has an opinion, but I personally think it’s not bad. It’s like art, right? Everybody has an opinion.”
The 27-year-old from Arcadia, Calif., has long been one of the most personable, fun players on the LPGA. But this is no laughing matter. The Solheim Cup is serious business and the U.S. hasn’t won in Europe since 2015 in Germany.
Lilia Vu is here as an alternate and she’s on site at Bernardus Golf Club in the event Yin can’t play. Vu, a former World No. 1, has missed the cut in her last eight straight LPGA starts.
Yin was more candid about conversations with Solheim Cup captain Angela Stanford than she’d been before Wednesday. If she thought her game wasn’t up to par she could’ve made the decision to not join the team in the Netherlands, and then Stanford would’ve instituted an alternate pick. In this case, it’s Vu. Stanford could’ve also tried to convince Yin to bow out if she thought Yin wasn’t healthy enough to play.
Maddie Meyer
The event is important to Yin and the Americans, and she did want to know if Stanford had doubts about her status.
“Playing in Des Moines when I was 18, this holds a huge place in my heart,” Yin said. “But obviously, I would never jeopardize America. I talked with myself in the mirror and my team and Angela. She’s the only other person other than my family that I updated throughout all of this.
“We all agreed on this. She wanted me here, because we asked her. Well, my caddie [Jesus Mozo] asked her. ‘Do you want her here?’ And she said ‘yes.’ With belief like that and confidence from her, it backed me.”
Teammates credited Yin with putting in the time on the range and course so far this week. The U.S. has practiced three straight days. Yin doesn’t have a lot to go on recently other than two competitive rounds in Boston and the work she’s put in since. She went back to Hacienda Heights in Southern California, where she’s plays often, even though she now lives in Florida.
On Wednesday, players battled wind and downpours.
“She played 18 holes. The rest of us only played nine,” Alison Lee said. “And we had a match.
“We had a little game today against me and Megan (Khang) against her and Yealimi [Noh]. Angel played amazing. We lost some money. I’m not gonna lie, I was very impressed. She’s working hard.”
Asked what she brings to the team room, Allisen Corpuz said: “She’s so much fun to be around. We’ve all kind of missed her the last few months. It’s been great to see her come back. I’m excited to see how she does this week. I think she’ll do great.”
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
