Golf Wasn’t Always Her Go-To Choice, Women’s PGA Championship Winner Ruoning Yin Reveals Ahead of Teeing Off at Pebble Beach

Just a handful of days ago at the Baltusrol Golf Club, Ruoning Yin trumped several golfing heavyweights to claim her maiden major title. This week, the 20-year-old has the chance to script history yet again at the landmark Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Ahead of the 78th US Women’s Open, Yin touched upon a great number of things, including her love and passion for a completely different sport. It turns out that golf wasn’t always the first choice for the trailblazing LPGA star! Let’s jump in to find out more.

Ruoning Yin reflects on her second love after golf

Last month, Ruoning Yin joined Shanshan Feng as the only women from China to win a major. Yin’s victory at the 2023 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship was also her second-ever win on the LPGA Tour. She even received a congratulatory message from none other than Steph Curry regarding her incredible feat!

For Yin, who is a Golden State Warriors fan, it couldn’t get any better than this. In fact, the young golfer not only looks up to the 2-time NBA MVP but also harbors a great love for the game of basketball, as evidenced by her pre-tournament press conference on Monday.

“I did a lot, like running and swimming, basketball,” told Yin about the activities she used to indulge in as a kid. “But mostly basketball.” Even when she started to pursue golf full-time, the World No.5 did not abandon her other favorite sport. “I think I spent more time on basketball than golf. I can probably play basketball for two hours and go to practice my golf game for an hour,” she confessed at the presser.

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Yin further revealed that she continues to indulge in basketball from time to time, sharing that she had last played a round with her mother and fellow LPGA compatriot, Xiyu “Janet” Lin.

Steph Curry’s message for Women’s PGA Championship winner Ruoning Yin

Ruoning Yin’s maiden major win couldn’t have been more special. After all, the turf of her victory was the historic Baltusrol Golf Club, a venue that has seen the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Mickey Wright, and Phil Mickelson accomplish stunning golfing feats.

After Yin’s win, the staff at her sponsor Callaway Sport had a big surprise in store for her: a video of Steph Curry congratulating her!  “I can watch that video over and over again. It’s just amazing,” told the golfer further divulged on Monday. Yin, who turned pro at the age of 17, further divulged that she idolized the 4-time NBA champion for his calm nature.

As for her next big goal, the Chinese pro is currently eyeing a victory at the impending US Women’s Open. The coveted major will be taking place at Pebble Beach in California from July 6-9 and boasts a stacked 156-player field this year.

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How do you think Ruoning Yin will fare at the US Women’s Open? Let us know in the comments below.