By Tim Maitland
World number two Yani Tseng will unleash a new "grip it and rip it" approach when she makes her debut at the HSBC Women's Champions in Singapore in the first week of March (5th to 8th).
The 20-year-old from Taiwan says the new approach, which can only enhance her reputation for being as entertaining to watch as John "Wild Thing" Daly, has been suggested by her coaches Dave and Ron Stockton to prevent her from wearing herself down through her sophomore season on the LPGA.
"I'm going to try not to stand on the tee and worry about everything. You don't have to worry about everything… you can just see what happens!" said Tseng, who blasted her way to the top of the women's game by making a Major – the McDonald's LPGA Championship – the first win of her LPGA career last June.
"I really tried so hard last year and it took so much time. I was very surprised because I'm not usually a slow player. This year I'm going to take less time and just enjoy the golf, even if I miss a putt, I'll try not to care and just enjoy the game, do my job and do what I have to do. Easy to say! It's always easy to say," she added.
Tseng, a familiar face in Singapore and a friend of many of the Lion City's top amateurs, rose to the heady heights of being Lorena Ochoa's chief rival by adding nine top-ten finishes – seven of those being in the "podium" positions – to her LPGA Championship win. To avoid over-thinking or pressing too hard to repeat the success of her Rookie of the Year campaign, this season, together with her coaches, Yani has decided not to set herself any goals or targets for the year. Instead they have chosen only one simple aim.
"We decided "just make birdies", just make as many as you can. I just want to make birdies. I want to be a birdie machine!" laughs the young woman who led the LPGA with 388 birdies in 2008.
"When I told my friends they said "you're already a birdie machine!" I hope every year I can do that."
The goal to stay goalless all year is unusual on the LPGA where players will often keep a target for their world ranking, or in some cases, the number of victories. Tseng has worked with the Stocktons on her psychology in the hope of avoiding the mental fatigue that crept over her later in the year.
"They told me a lot of mental things so I'm ready for this year. I won't let myself down with my brain. The last three months of last year, even though I hit it good, I felt my brain was a little bit tired. This year I want to play better than I did in the last three months. I don't want to keep going down; I want to go up!" she declared with more of the laughter that signifies how relaxed she is at the start of her year.
"Last year I felt like I kept going down… now I want to go up!"
Interestingly when asked to list the things she worked on during the off-season, Tseng listed "speaking" first, far before getting used to her new Adams clubs.
"I didn't speak very good English and some of my sentences… I needed to make them better. I hope I can speak to the media more and tell them how I think. Of course when I speak Chinese it's easier, so I've been writing down some of the things I want to say and I've been practicing them," revealing that improving her English was actually part of the Stockton's scheme to help her stay more relaxed this year.
"That was my coaches' idea. Sometimes I was worrying about the press conferences or interviews, because I don't speak a lot of English. And I do feel it has taken some pressure off me, because now I don't care. I can just play golf. I don't worry that I have to talk to anybody."
Not that it means Yani has become antisocial. When talking about her HSBC Women's Champions debut, the first thing she looks forward to is the chance to play with one of her mates from Singapore.
"I'll be able to play with one of my friends, because one of them will qualify and we can compete together," said Tseng before she discovered that 15-year-old Joey Poh had won the local qualifier.
"I always look forward to going back to Singapore, because I played SICC (Singapore Island Country Club Junior Championships) many, many times in Singapore. It's like my, how would you say in English?"
A second home?
"Exactly! It's like my second home! Always!"
Yani Tseng
Q: You seem happy and relaxed and comfortable…
Yes, it's because I feel I've done a lot of work during the off season, the last two months, and I'm very happy with it. So I'm happy to be back playing. It's exciting to see my friends and everyone.
Q: What did you work on this winter?
I worked on speech. (Laughs). I worked on talking to the media. I worked on my short game, but the biggest part was mental. I had a little trouble with my irons towards the end of last year so I worked on that a lot with my coach Dave Stockton and (his brother) Ronnie. They told me a lot of mental things so I'm ready for this year. I won't let myself down with my brain. The last three months of last year, even though I hit it good, I felt my brain was a little bit tired. This year I want to play better than I did in the last three months (of last year). I don't want to keep going down; I want to go up (laughs). Last year I felt like I kept going down… now I want to go up (laughs).
Q: It's funny how many really good players are driven by feeling they aren't good enough. Even Padraig Harrington said he was driven by that feeling.
Yeah, cos three Majors isn't good enough! (Laughs). That's what my friends all say; "you're good enough". Sometimes I just need to trust myself and go for it.
Q: The first thing you said you worked on was speech and talking to the media. Why?
I didn't speak very good English and some of my sentences; I needed to make them better. I hope I can speak to the media more and tell them how I think. Of course when I speak Chinese it's easier, so I've been writing down some of the things I want to say and I've been practicing them.
Q: And that takes some of the pressure away doesn't it?
Yeah that's right. That was my coaches' idea. Sometimes I was worrying about the press conferences or interviews, because I don't speak a lot of English. And I do feel it has taken some pressure off me, because now I don't care. I can just play golf. I don't worry that I have to talk to anybody.
Q: You seem very comfortable now.
I'm way better than last year. Every time after a press conference I still ask some people if I did good. I'm always happy if I get some advice. If I do something wrong I would like people to tell me because that way I can learn. I'm still learning.
Q: The mental work you did, was that mainly to stop yourself trying too hard this year?
Yes. I really tried so hard last year and it took so much time. I was very surprised because I'm not usually a slow player. This year I'm going to take less time and just enjoy the golf, even if I miss a putt, I'll try not to care and just enjoy the game, do my job, do what I have to do. Easy to say! It's always easy to say (laughs).
I'm going to try not to stand on the tee and worry about everything. You don't have to worry about everything… you can just see what happens.
Q: And you're worked on your irons?
Well I got a new sponsor, I've changed to Adams. So I've been working on my new clubs. I changed my driver, three wood, everything. It's very good equipment.
Q: Everything you've been doing is to make you happier and more relaxed so you can last the year, so I'm guessing you haven't set any goals?
No. Not this year. If I have a goal I talk to my coach to see what they should be this year. We decided just make birdies, just make as many as you can. I just want to make birdies. I want to be a birdie machine. (Laughs). When I told my friends they said "you're already a birdie machine!" I hope every year I can do that. My Singapore friends gave me a shirt with "Yani" and "388" on the back because I made 388 birdies last year. At first I said "what's 388?" I was so happy. They're very kind to me.
Q: You haven't played Tanah Merah…
No, my friends have told me about.
Q: It's probably not a course when you can be a birdie machine on EVERY hole.
You have to play safe?
Q: Sometimes par is good.
I asked them (her Singapore friends) about the course. They told me the greens are quite big, I don't know because I haven't played it. They told me the tee boxes were all the way back and it plays very long. It's good for me, because I can be aggressive. But looking at the yardage book it looks like you have to play very smart, even if you are being aggressive. It seems there are a lot of slopes.
Q: Although the greens are big, all the slopes mean that the landing areas are actually quite small. You have to be quite patient. You can be patient can't you?
I'm working on it. (Laughs).
Q: What did the other players say about last year's event?
I saw Lorena shot what? 19 under? 20 under? I've asked my friends how the course is, and I've been there after the Lexus Cup I was at the press conference (for the HSBC Women's Champions at Tanah Merah) and I saw the course looked very nice; in good shape and good condition. I'm very excited about going there. On the plane you can see the course. It looks very difficult. I think it's a good course; a very good design.
Q: And because of your friends, every time you play in Singapore you want to play well for them?
Yes, of course. And this year I'll be able to play with one of my friends, because one of them will qualify and we can compete together. I always look forward to going back to Singapore, because I played SICC (SICC Junior Championships. SICC = Singapore Island Country Club) many, many times in Singapore. It's like my, how would you say in English?
Q: A second home?
Exactly! It's like my second home! Always!
Q: Can you imagine how it would feel if you were to win the HSBC Women's Champions?
It would feel really special, especially being in Singapore. It would be my first LPGA win in Asia and that would feel really special. I can't win another tournament (laughs). I've had a lot of top twos. I can't wait to win another championship. I'm ready for the day… the excitement of competing with the best players. Everybody will be there, so I'm looking forward to it.
Q: You're first LPGA win in Asia… is that really important to you?
It's very important; because I'm Asian. I'm Asian. I hope, I think everybody would cheer more for an Asian winner. I have a lot of friends in Singapore and it would be very special for me. If I win the HSBC it would be my third win in Singapore because I won two SICC junior tournaments (in 2001 and 2002).
Q: Is it strange going back as number two golfer in the world instead of "little Yani"?
Yeah. I don't believe I'm world number two because it's happened very fast and, I dunno, I just try to be myself. I don't care if I'm world number two or world number ten. It's no different. The rank is different but I don't change anything.
Q: We're all of us inside still the little child…
Yeah, like a little baby! (Laughs). Little Ruby!
Q: It's been very fast. Does it seem crazy sometimes?
Yeah. Because I almost gave up golf when I was… well not almost give up. I was tired of playing golf. When I played golf it wasn't for myself. It was for my family, for everyone else. At that time I felt tired, I was lazy in practice. My turning point was turning pro.
When I was young my idol was Annika Sorenstam. She's always been my role model. Because of her I decided I wanted to play the LPGA. I wanted to be world number one like her.
Q: And now she's gone!
Yes! I was so sad. After the Lexus Cup I cried so much. My friends were laughing at me. I was like "come on! You don't think it's sad?" They said "yeah, I'm sad, but we think you're funny." I cried a lot.
After the Lexus Cup I was very, very sad when I realized I would never play with her again.
Q: And you're friends laughed at you?
It was (Ji) Jiali! Only Jiali! (Laughs).
They were very sad too. When I was crying they just hugged me.
Q: Where you surprised…?
I was very surprised. I was very surprised I felt that sad. It's because last year was my rookie year and this year she's not here.
She was a very good competitor. And whenever I go to a course I would always look for Annika.
Q: Where you sad because Annika your role model had gone or because Annika your friend had gone.
I think it was both. Both.
Q: When you talked about being sick of golf was that the year before you turned pro?
That was 2006. When you are getting better and better you feel more and more pressure. I didn't enjoy it. Turning professional was my big turning point to feel like I was going to another step.
Q: I wonder if that was because you felt now you "owned" your golf and that before it was something you were "made" to do?
For my country, for… but now I own my golf. I practice for myself. Everything is for me.
Q: You elbow?
My right elbow? It's getting better. I don't need the strapping. I don't have to match the colours. I don't have to match it with my shirts! (Laughs) This last month I've taken a lot of rest and my elbow's getting a lot better.
Q: Where did you have treatment?
In America. They've done a really good job.
Q: Because you've been playing with pain since for how long?
The first pain was at Q School just over a year ago. I worked a lot before Q School and I felt a lot of pain. It was triceps tendonitis.
Q: Normally golfers injure the left arm…
That must mean my swing's wrong! (Laughs)
