No Laying Up - Golf Podcast - 959: Yealimi Noh + LPGA Asian Swing Preview

Episode Date: February 20, 2025

Fresh off her win at the Founders Cup, Yealimi Noh joins Randy and Cody to recap the weekend battle with Jim Young Ko, her putting struggles and return to form over the past year, some recent equipment changes, her decision to skip college and turn pro and a ton more. Before our interview with Yealimi we preview the upcoming Asian Swing with some other news and notes from on tour. Special thanks to Titleist and Footjoy for their support of today's episode. If you enjoyed this episode, consider joining The Nest: No Laying Up’s community of avid golfers. Nest members help us maintain our light commercial interruptions (3 minutes of ads per 90 minutes of content) and receive access to exclusive content, discounts in the pro shop, and an annual member gift. It’s a $90 annual membership, and you can sign up or learn more at nolayingup.com/join Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Be the right club. Be the right club today. That's better than most. How about in? That is better than most. Better than most! Expect anything different? better than most expect anything different ladies and gentlemen welcome back into the no laying up golf podcast we have a great women's golf specific episode for you today my name is randy i'm joined as always by cody mcbride cody how are you very good randy how are you? Very good, Randy. How are you this morning? I'm good. I'm good. Thank you. Still cold and snowy out here in Denver, you know,

and I don't mind it. It's proper winter weather out here. Joining us as well, Jordan Perez. Jordan, how are you? Gentlemen, hello. I'm actually pretty cold in Florida. We've been getting these like on and off stints of hot and cold weather. It's been terrible for my allergies. I got a little sick at the end of last week, but other than that, things are good. And apologies to everyone for my poopy audio. My adapter for my microphone decided to poop out at the last second. Well, no worries there, Jordan. Cody, let's go ahead.

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at the bottom of your golf bag all winter long. Footjoy is obsessed with golf just like you and have been for over 100 years. Why trust your golf gear to anyone else? Start your season strong with the latest from Footjoy. See all the new spring drops at footjoy.com. Guys, we're on the precipice of the three week Asian swing occurring on the LPGA Tour. We'll get into that just a little bit. The highlight of this episode, we have an interview with Yalimi Ngo off of her win at

the Founders a couple weekends back. But before we get there, I think it's worth mentioning the Saudi International, the ladies Saudi took place last weekend and Gino Titecum won. If you were listening to our Sunday show, you would have heard me say that. But Cody, I think it's a big deal and I think it portends, perhaps portends well to this first Asian swing. Huge deal, big Gino, hot out of the gate here last year, of course, she was injured at this time. So he didn't really get to see her all the way until Chevron and she had an incredible season

there, but $4.5 million to start the year for Gino before she ends, heads home and tries to put together a good stretch at the Honda LPGA Thailand. I know you talked about this last Sunday, but looking pretty good. This is kind of what Patty T did last year, big. It's exactly the Patty T playbook. If Patty, of course, won the Saudi, went on to Thailand and won that event, Geno's looking to follow in her footsteps. JP, how excited are you for this LPGA Asian swing?

I mean, we get two of them. This is the first one. If you had to power rank this one or the one in the fall, which one are you taking? Oh, I might have to put the one in the fall a little bit above this one. I'm not going to lie. But nonetheless, still excited. I mean, listen, just as I thought I was getting my sleeping schedule back on track, the Asian Swing is around though. I'm super excited and this is a great week. I will say I like the Honda LPJ Thailand for the field a lot but tends to be kind of a birdie fest but like

last year it was a good moment for someone like Patty T to come back and emerge and I'd be interested to see if someone else does but it's hard to feel like anyone else, but Gino is kind of primed to win again. Yeah. No, that's a good point. Speaking of the field, Cody, this is going to be a limited field. The first event here in Thailand is a 72-woman field, but making their LPGA season debuts are Gino Titicum and Ronny Yin. So good news there.

And I also just want to point out the LPGA Thailand event has had a little string of like really good winners here. Of course, Patty T won it last year. The year before that was Lilia Vu. Erija Jatan Garn has won this event. I don't want a short shrift Nana Kurtz-Matson in 2022, but I'm excited because, gosh, I just think, I just hope Gina wins. Like, I want this to be a huge year. I think this would be a real kind of announcement of like, hey, I'm here and this is going to be a big year.

Well, I think, yeah, it is going to be a big year either way. I mean, it's one of those things where she's always so consistent. She's so good. It's just if are the wins actually going to follow and again, the way that she started the year, obviously really, really good spot for her. You know, I think it'll be very interesting because this is the second. I mean, it's not. I wish these were bigger field events. I think that the people on the LPGA Tour, the women, like, so if you are, I'm trying to think like 60 or maybe 70 below and you have a full LPGA Tour card and you're not getting

into these events, you're going to play one golf tournament before the end of March. I know it's it is kind of crazy. Incredible how this worked out. And I understand that part of that is because the Fur Hill Saree Pok Championship is postponed or canceled or whatever verbiage that we're going to go with it. So that obviously would be the first normal full field event once we come back from this first Asian swing here. But you know, it's not a lot going on and I feel really bad. Now, does this contend to the top end? Yeah, sure it does. But it puts us back into this discussion, the same thing that we have on the men's side of signature events and kind of these limited field events. How do they shake out?

Now, what I do like the most about this early one is that we have the Asian majors right there, the HSBC Women's World Championship. And I want to shout that event out and not getting too far ahead of Thailand. But I think it's the first time this year that we're really seeing like purse increases come into play. Last year, they played for $1.8 million total purse. This year, it's all the way up to 2.4. The Blue Bay LPGA event the following week in China, that's also up from 2.2 to 2.5. So there's a lot of things that we're going to talk about probably later on this year. And definitely that

we've talked about in the past of things that the LPGA tour can improve on, but it's nice to see some of these purse increases continue to take effect. Yeah, I would just say for folks here in the United States, it's a great opportunity for some prime time golf. Golf Channel will have live coverage of this event each night, starting Wednesday night here in the States. So if you're listening to this, hopefully you caught it last night, but 10 PM to 3 AM Eastern, a little better TV window for me out here in mountain time zone, but it is nice, midweek.

Don't really have a show I'm watching right now. It's great. I just love turning on golf late at night. I know. A couple notes on the field, Nellie Korda is not in this event. Cody, I'm hoping she'll be over for the Singapore event. But now that I say that, I don't know. Last year, did she skip this entire Asian swing? I should have looked this up before we started recording. But I

can report Nellie is not in this Thailand event. Lydia Ko is not in the event, but you have Lilia Vu, you have Ronny Yin and Gino Titicum, like I said, good friend LC is over there, Ayaka Fruway, Jin Young Ko. So it's Yuka Sasso, Patty Tavataneket. It is a really good field. So I'm excited. We should have, I think, that the upside of, you know, kind of such a limited good field. So I'm excited. We should have, I think that the upside of, you know, kind of such a limited event field is fingers crossed it produces a really good leaderboard come the weekend. So we shall see.

Good call out there. Big Nellie, she skipped all of the Asian swing last year as well. She ended up taking I think eight weeks off in a row before she really got her season going. And that's when she got her season going That's when the streak started the first year of the savory puck championship So we'll see what happens there, but I don't know it's a lot of money You would think that people would want to travel but I understand it's it's a lot of travel Yeah, Jordan anything else to keep an eye on or anything else got your interest with anything, the Asian swing or the LPGA at large? I just want to call out a couple of amateurs that will be in the field this week at the

Honda LPGA Thailand. Junior Pimpisa Rubong of Thailand, it looked like they had a national qualifier that ultimately came out to sponsor this convention. I don't know exactly how it worked, but there was a qualifying type event to get it. She beat out pros to get a spot. So that was really cool. And then amateur Gianna Clemente will also be playing this week. I don't think she's played in Asia before, so I'm interested to see how she does this week as well. That's an interesting one. Is she just going over for the one week? Is she she must be I wonder if she has some relationship with Wanda? Yeah.

Perhaps. Interesting. Yeah, I would love if Gianna had a big week. She's she's somebody. How old is she now, Jordan? I always lose track because it's like a name that I've heard now for like three or four years and she's probably still what like 17 18. She's 16. Oh, god. Okay.? She's 16. Oh God, okay. All right, yeah.

So, well there you go. I think she's like 14, so I get it. Yeah, there you go on the Honda LPGA. We won't spend a ton of time there. I hope folks enjoy that. As Cody said, the week after is gonna be the HSBC from Singapore, which yes, is kind of the crown jewel in this part of the world. And then wrapping up the Asian swing is the Blue

Bay LPGA event. And that's going to be from China. So three events, then they come home, they have what one, two off weeks, and then we get out to Arizona for the Ford Championship and some West Coast golf for the ladies. So, Cody, I think having said all that, let's turn our attention and Jordan, too. I don't mean to exclude you there, but we have an awesome interview with Yalini. No, like I said, she captured her first career LPGA win a couple of weeks ago at the Founders. We caught her late last week before she was taken off for Thailand. She's gonna be in the field this week.

She just has a great personality. I really enjoyed chatting with her and I hope other people do too, Cody. Yeah, absolutely. Great personality, incredible story. The highs of high level junior golf to turning professional and having immediate success out on the big tour before really, I mean, life kind of caught up to

her and she talked very openly about it. I think there's a lot that people are going to learn not only about her being like, Oh yeah, I remember that person and obviously whole circle coming back and winning the founders. So it was a great story. She's a great, a great person. It's still blows my mind how young she actually is, but so much career still ahead of her. So I'm happy that she finally put all the pieces together and is in a great spot and hopefully adjust some big goals for this year because you know, who knows? I know, I know. She seems like she could join, she could really make a leap and join kind of that upper, upper

tier of LPGA players. We shall see. Well, Jordan, Cody, thank you very much. We'll get out of the way here. I hope everybody enjoys our conversation with Yalini No. And we will see everybody again in a couple of weeks for another LPGA episode. This is a treat, fresh off a win a couple of weeks ago at the founders.

It is Yalimi No. Yalimi, congratulations. What does it feel like days after winning? Has it sunk in? Walk me through everything that happened since that last putt dropped. Yeah, well, thank you for having me. And yeah, the last two days have been super exciting and also very tiring. Like all the, it's all hitting me now. Like them, all that energy

I spent over the weekend is just, is hitting me. So I've been taking some days to rest, but really celebrate with friends and family. And it's been awesome. Well, and you earned this victory. You posted a bogey free final round 68. You out-dueled Jin Young-co, one of the best players in the world. What was going through your mind Sunday and certainly down the stretch Sunday? I mean, were you nervous?

Talk to me about kind of how you handled the moment and anything you learned about yourself. Yeah, I was a little nervous on 18 and stuff. I surprised myself by being more calm and relaxed. I think all my past experiences all led up to that day and just really helped me get through the round. I mean, I was in contention just a few months ago in Japan and I think I really learned from my mistakes that week.

And this week was just very confident in my game and myself and my attitude and everything that led up to Sunday. So it was awesome. I thankfully have a really great caddy, Tyler, and he keeps me really loose. And we have a lot of fun on the golf course, so it was really chill and it was great. Was it almost helpful? It was kind of a, we joke a lot of fun on the golf course. So it was really chill and it was great.

Was it almost helpful? It was kind of a, we joke a lot about, you know, when stroke play turns into a match play type situation, but you and Jen Young were kind of out in front. Was that almost more helpful knowing exactly like, hey, this is my competition right here, or does that make it more nerve wracking? Talk to me about just the dynamic of you two

kind of being separated from the rest of the field. Yeah, I personally thought it was a lot better just being your competition right in front of you and not having to worry about, oh, like, what if someone from behind like comes up? Because then you got to keep checking the leaderboard and that just causes more stress. So I think it was great for it to just be Jin Young and me. And the two some final two some was great too. So that really helped me I think stay focused in our little, you know, pairing and not focus on everyone, anyone else behind us or, or yeah. Did you and Jin Young, did you guys chat much? What was that day like? Or did you kind of

keep yourself and you know, you got business to attend to? Yeah, I mean, a little bit on Sunday, we were more concentrated on ourselves. On Saturday, we talked a little bit. We were still talking on Sunday, just she lives in Dallas as well. And so we were just talking about Dallas and just chill things.

She was great. Well, that's awesome. Post-round, I believe on the green, I want to read a quote of yours. You said, this means so much to me. I worked really hard the past few years and went through a lot of struggles. This means so much to me. I told myself 2025 is going to be my year. So this is the best way to start it. And I want to compliment you. It's absolutely the best way to start your season. But I was wondering if we could kind of go into, I mean, I don't want to like dredge up bad feelings and bad memories. Can you talk about the struggles? Because at least statistically, you know, I was going through your world ranking page

and I noticed in 2021, I believe it was like August of 2021, you were up to 29th in the Rolex world rankings. And then about two years later, that ranking had fallen to 295th in the world. So obviously there was something going on with your golf game. Can you just talk to us what that was and what that experience was like fighting your golf game like that? Yeah, I mean, really getting down to the specifics there,

but no, I think it's great. I mean, I wouldn't have been in this position without those struggles. That's, I mean, you know what they say, all those bad times and experiences make you who you are. And it really is true. I've learned so much over the last two years. I mean, I think I started off my career very young

and in a good way, like very positive. I did well in my first few years years contended almost one a few times, but yeah, and then those two years hit and everything kind of fell apart for me. It's like golf was my whole world as it is for any professional and it just feels like when you're not doing your best or even your average, it feels like your world's falling apart. And it was really tough. A lot of lessons. I recently, I mean, last year and this past off season, I got to spend a lot more time with my coach of like 12 plus years.

He's one of my first coaches and I've always been with him. Didn't see him much in 2022 and 23. Hence the downfall there maybe maybe but I'm also just really adjusting to tour life. I mean, I was so young I was 17 when I first turned pro. I'm still one of the younger ones but it was a lot of adjusting a lot of those pressures expect expectations really caught up to me and I think just managing those have gotten me to a spot where I am now. And I mean, I'm still learning, but yeah, those rough years experiencing that, this win just made it so much better.

It was like all worth it. And I can't even remember the hard times. That's a good spot to be. But I know nobody likes talking about this stuff, but while you were in it, did you feel like you were in it? Like, did it feel like you're searching, you don't know what's going on? Because obviously, you're a professional athlete. I'm sure you're putting in the time, you're doing everything right. And there was just like something wasn't there. Yeah, I mean, no, I think it's great

talking about it. I mean, because everyone goes through it at some point in their career. And I look at it as thankfully it was earlier in my career. So, you know, I was able to overcome it and I know that now in the future if something like that ever happens again, like I know I'm able to overcome it and get through it. But yeah, I mean, it was kind of it's kind of crazy to say I put way more work into into my game then than I am now. Like now I'm in a good position where I feel comfortable.

And I mean, I've obviously gotten my confidence back, but those rough years, I was working like overtime, like too much, just doing too much and not getting any reward. And it was so frustrating. It's just like, what more can I do? And how can I get better? But, you know, I think it was just a matter of time.

And it's just, it's a really long process, regaining your confidence. But when you have it back, I think now it's going to be a little more stable and I'll keep it longer. But yeah, I mean, it's just a journey. And what part of your game specifically was the initial, was it the putting? Talk to me about. Okay. All right. I had the yips.

I just got it like, you know, everyone's like, I've always like, I struggled with my putting. No, it was hardcore, like the yips. I had the putting yips and my ball striking wasn't as good as it normally was too. I mean, I feel like putting is, is obviously such a big part of the game. And if you're not putting well, if you're not making those three footers, I mean, no matter how well you hit it, like nothing is really going to work out, you know, so you're missing those. I mean, you're not going to hit 18 greens all the time. You're not making those up and down putts, not making those saves with the

short putting. I mean, it was mainly the short putting for me. So that's when I switched to the broomstick and that has completely changed my game too. I want to ask you about that, but as somebody that has gone through, I mean, I don't mean to compare my situation to yours, but I've had the putting ips and it is awful because it's, it's, you, you just know that every hole is going to end with, you know, me having to make in all likelihood the short putt. And so I can only imagine, you know, what I felt, I don't want to put words in your mouth, but like you then start pressing in every other area of your game to kind of quote unquote, make up for it. But But it's like at the end of the day, no, it's you're always going to have these

short putts pretty much every hole. It was that kind of your experience as well. Yeah, I'd say so. And also on top of that, it's like it's pretty embarrassing missing like three footers too. So it's like it's just so bad. I mean mentally it gets you. Yeah, and then it's just like really I did all this and then I can't even make like a three footer.

Yeah, it's a lot to take in. But for sure, it's like you try it and then you start trying to hit it closer. I mean, I wasn't making the short puts, but you know, I didn't want to like keep three putting or something. So it's like you put more pressure on your ball striking to get to get it closer. So you have less mistakes, but it's not like that doesn't help either. I mean, that doesn't work the way you want it to either. So it's just, yeah, the putting is the glue. I mean, it's so important. Well, your stroke looks amazing now, and obviously you're making tons of putts.

I'm more curious, did the long putter come first or has it always been a lab putter that's that's been long? When I first switched to the room stick, my coach, who's actually always used lab for like, since it came out. And like, I remember seeing that I think it was like the original DF one, I was like, what is that? Like, but he's had it for so long. And then he kind of just made me like a makeshift broom stick just added like a bunch of shafts. And it was just, it was in his bullseye potter.

Like it was just this crazy little thing, but it ended up being so good. I tried belly putting with it first, just for like a training aid. And then obviously I can't do that. But then I just started stroking it like the broomstick. And then it works so well. And my, my yips like over the ball were gone.

So, and then I reached out to lab and they created this broomstick for me. And then ever since then, it's like lab, lab golf. And it's really, it's a cheat code. Everybody that I've played with that putts with one, like the ball does not stop rolling end over end directly towards the hole. And you're like, wait a second here,

there's something going on. It's incredible. It is, it really is. Adam Bilyeu Yalimi, did you spend a lot of time, like, did you go crosshand? Did you go claw grip? How much did you try before eventually settling with a long putter? Yalimi Hildesman Yeah, I mean, I did everything I did, left hand low, claw, and I mean, not even just the grip, but I changed putters a bunch.

I even tried closing my eyes over the ball. I tried looking at the hole like Jordan did for those short ones. Yeah, I tried pretty much everything and I was like, nope. I know. God, I hate making you talk about it, but you talked about you've learned a lot about yourself as you reflect on the last couple years. I mean, talk about that it's gotta be, I mean, empowering, I think, to kind of work your way through this, to see a win on the other side here

to start 2025. Bragg on yourself a little bit. What are some of the lessons and what have you learned about yourself over the last couple of years? Yeah. I always knew I had some grit in me, but it really tested my patience the last few years. I never lost out that I could win on the LPGA. I feel like my experiences as a junior and amateur, all those wins, they don't just mean nothing.

Like they're confidence builders. Golf is golf on every stage, right? And so it's like, I know how to win in the junior stage. And it's like, in the end, it's the same, the same pressure, the same nervousness and excitement. So I always knew I could do it on the LPGA. I just, um, and I'd gotten close. I've had a couple of run-up finishes, but I am really proud of myself for getting through

the last few years. And I felt last year that I was really gaining my confidence back and being in contention a few times was like, Oh wow. Like I'm really, I'm really getting it back and getting into my old form and even a little bit better. And then to just start 2025 with the win, it's just, it's an amazing feeling and extra, extra rewarding after the hard times.

Yeah, especially you mentioned last year and your results. It's funny because people look at the news now and they're like, oh yeah, our most recent LPGA tour member, you know, and then they go back and do a little bit of research and like, oh my goodness, you completely fell off the face of the earth what's happened. But if you look at your 2024, you had a really good season, you know, you're top 10 in a major, you put yourself in contention and really like there's something happened in the summer, you took complete advantage of the fall and the the second

part of the Asian swing and really like set yourself up to to take on 2025. I agree I mean I was just so happy last year to have a good season and to just really not feel so tense over the ball anymore like I was thinking that this week going into the first day. I was expecting a little just nerves, you know, like we're shaking off the rust first tournament and I was excited and I was like, oh, I'm gonna be a little nervous on the first tee. But I wasn't I was like really calm and I just felt like, you know, this is just another round of golf and I think personally in my personal life. I've I just feel so much happier and that really translates into golf. I mean, happy person, happy golfer. I feel so much more comfortable.

I'm like, that's just another round of golf. I'm really able to take it not as seriously because the last year is golf. I mean, it's our job. It's life or death on the course. You put in so much work and I want it to all come back to me and see it in results. But now I'm just like, it's just golf. Let's just have fun. And Mike Hattie helps me so much with that too. And it's like now I'm just at tournaments feeling happy and just excited to play.

No more like, oh, like something going to go wrong, like something going to happen, bad hole or whatever. Now it's just like more chill. I think that's a very, I mean, it's, it's easy to kind of laugh about that, but I do think that's a very powerful place to get to. I mean, Cody, I'm thinking we, we had the chance to talk to Lily of VU about a year and a half ago. And of course she was pretty open about, you know,

the struggles that she went through with her game. And I feel like, Yalime, you know better than us, it's probably something that every professional golfer is going to encounter at least once in their career. And in a weird way, like you said, being able to have that early on and working through it, it's got to feel almost like a blessing in disguise. Were you able to lean on any of your fellow pros or did you have? Talk to me about the support system that was kind of helping you the last couple of years.

Yeah, for sure. I mean, the girls out on tour are so great. There's so many good mentors. I talked to a lot of players. I mean, Lilia too. I didn't, I wasn't close with her before. We haven't had much time to spend time together, but she was so inspiring. Like when I saw her go on the run, she did, I was like, wow, after the really, I mean, the same struggles. I mean, it was so inspiring. And every time I felt like I was, you know,

really down and stuff, I would see her too. She was like such a big inspiration. It was amazing to see that. And I mean, I lost my card in 2023 too. And which I, you know, personally, I was like, oh, that's never, I never thought that this would happen, but you know, it does. And you just never know that that's life.

And to be able to go through it and talk to other players that have been through the same things is so helpful. And to have the support system around me, like my parents who are with me like every single day, especially on the golf course and my coaches, their belief in me helped me so much because when I didn't believe in myself and when I had really down days,

they were always there to lift me up and support me. You've mentioned 2025, you want it to be your year. How does this win kind of shape maybe your goals or your expectations? Are you a goal oriented person? I don't know if you have any that you'd be willing to share, but how does winning your first start of the season

kind of reshape how you approach the rest of the year? Yeah, I mean, it's so exciting and it was so like crazy because every year I'm like the first tournament of the year. Like, you know, you're shaking off the rust. Like I'm like, I just want to do like good and like, you know, just have a good start, a good positive start to the year and then to win it was just amazing. I have a lot of goals this year too. I really want to have better finishes in all the majors. If I could contend

in a major, that would be the biggest goal of this year and that would be awesome. And hopefully another win. I'm going to Asia tomorrow for a three week stretch. So hopefully I ride the good wave there. And, but I'm also expecting the hard times too. I mean, maybe not the hard times, but the not as good days too, cause the year can't be perfect. I mean, I'm so happy with this start,

but I'm expecting the not so great days as well. And that's just gonna be how it is, but I hope the good outweighs the bad. I already has, but I'm excited for the year. I'm really excited to see where it takes me. Well, when you look at your golf game now, I mean, I don't wanna say like... Well, you tell me, what do you work on now?

Because I feel like you've kind of climbed the mountain of like, putting his back to almost like a place of normalcy. I would imagine where it's like, Hey, I can put the ball good. I can put the ball bad. I'm not yipping it though. So I I'm sure you're still constantly working on improving as a putter. What, what other aspects of the, of other aspects of your game do you really pinpoint as, not that you need to work on, but where is your attention when it comes to practice and kind of trying to get better

in certain areas? Yeah, definitely my ball striking. I actually just switched to almost all titleist clubs. At the end of last year, I was playing Callaway for like two or three years and I had just switched. And that was also crazy to win my first week with my brand new clubs. That was awesome.

That's crazy. Yeah, it was crazy. That's crazy. Oh, wait, new golf ball too? No, I've always used titleists. I actually used the 2019 ball. So, I mean, that's not new, but yeah, the new clubs was crazy. I mean, the driver I literally so I mean, that's not new. But yeah, the new clothes was crazy.

I mean, the driver I literally use for like three weeks maybe. And as soon as I hit it, I was like, this is awesome. Like, this is amazing. And then to put it into the week that also was like a little like, you know, it's the first week new club. Like, let's just like this to like have a good week and like start off right. But yeah, that was awesome. And just my ball striking, my swing has gotten so much more consistent. Again, seeing my coach more regularly

in 2022 and three, I wasn't able to see him in person as much being in Dallas and him being in California. But last off season, I spent more time in California, just seeing him more consistently. And my swing has just gotten to a really, really good place and I can just pinpoint, you know, like my tendencies and mistakes more easily and just having him on speed dial is so nice. And my coach, Eric Stone, he's awesome. I mean, he knows my swing better than anyone.

He made my swing. I mean, since I was seven when I first started golf. So yeah, that has really helped me. My ball striking has always been my strength in my game, but to really like upgrade it, get it to this place where it's never been before. And then also the new clubs have just been the best. What an endorsement. It's the worst poor titles company too.

I'm not even signed with titles actually. an endorsement. I think. Yeah. It's the worst title as company too. I'm not even signed with titles actually. I, yeah. I mean it's awesome about that. That's true. Yeah. That should change quickly. Yeah.

Randy, real quick. You talked about the rust and like the first tournament of the year and new clubs and everything else going on. You made three bogeys all week. Your last bogey was like round two. You went. Yeah. You went bogey free on the weekend when it was like probably the most pressure packed. I mean, that's not only an incredible stat,

but has to be an awesome feeling for you to be like, yeah, all of this work, everything that I put into, like there is no rust here. We're good to go. There's clearly things that you can continue to refine and make better, but what a spot to be. For sure. I mean, and I was like, wow, 36 holes, bogey free.

Like, this is like awesome. This is like the best like weekend ever of my life. And then there's Jin Young over there with like 95 holes, bogey free. I'm like, okay. So I knew she wasn't going to make any mistakes on Sunday either. And then the streak ended. But yeah, I mean, that's crazy. So I was like, you need to chill like 36 holes, nothing like I hope to keep it going, but, um, it's big for me.

The bogey free is big for me. So I was like, this is, this is great. I was just going to say, walk us through how you connected with Titleist and, and did you go down to the TPI Center and kind of go through their whole in-depth fitting process and also what driver and what irons did they put you in? Yeah, I went to TPI like, I think like end of December, I went on like to TPI and then I did a little San Diego golf trip, which was awesome.

But yeah, I have the GT2 driver, eight degree head, just has been so great. It was kind of weird the first few weeks that I was trying the driver out, the spin, my spin rate was really low, but the launch and everything, the numbers, carry distance were all great. And then putting out on the course, it was just so consistent, not much movement in the ball and more distance. And then I have the T100 irons P through six. And then I have the T150s five iron and then the T200 four iron.

Yeah. Nice. Yeah. I, as a low spin player myself, I'm waiting on the GT1 driver, I believe is being released later this summer. So I think that'll be the one I'm in. Hey, one thing I wanted to ask you about, you mentioned turning pro at the age of 17 and just adjusting to life on tour is one thing. You had success, you were named a Solheim Cup team.

A lot was coming your way at a young age while you were still in your teens, 20 years old. As you reflect back, is there anything, this is such a hard question, maybe it's a question like 20 years from now, but is there anything that you would do differently? Is there anything that you've, you know, with time was like, oh man, I, you know, I would change this? Hmm. oh man, I would change this. I don't know. When I was turning pro, I was committed to UCLA and then I did committed,

but I constantly think about what would have happened if I went to college, not even like four years, maybe like a year or two and then turn pro. I think about it and it's so hard to like say like, oh, I wish I went there, because then I don't know where I would be right now, because I turned pro at my prime golfing, or at the time, my prime start.

And I was very happy with my decision at the time. And I still am, I have no regrets for sure. But I do always wonder what would have it been like, not just for golf, but for other things like if I had went to college But you know, you never know and all the decisions that I've made all the choices I think have led me to Where I am right now, so I'm I can't say I'm I'm not too mad about it You know all those people that go to college they're eventually gonna catch up to you probably They're all turning pro like all my friends college, like my junior days are all turning

pro now. Like literally, I don't know. I think I know like one person that hasn't turned pro after college. Like they've all graduated and then they all come back to golf. And I'm like, wow. Like, and then I see that. Yeah, I see that. And then I'm like, Ooh, I got a head start. Like I got a little head start. But yeah, I mean, and golf is not easy. So this, this experience, this, this journey is, is going to take a while. I mean, everyone's different too, but I'm very happy with having that head start. I was, you know, Cody and I, we, we talk a lot about how much

young talent there is in the women's game. Speaking of, you know, every year it seems like these incredible amateurs turning pro. It just feels like women's golf is getting deeper and deeper. Yeah. And I was going through yesterday, like just age 24 or younger right now, you have yourself, Gino Titicum, Ronnie Yin, you know, Hey Ron Roo, Rose Zhang, Ayaka Fulwe is 24.

How much, I'm sure the last couple of years, how motivated are you to really join and be like, hey, no, I'm just as good as my peers here. How much of a motivation is their success for you? Oh yeah, huge. I mean, especially when I first turned pro and all the friends that I, either they were a little older, cause I think I was the youngest my class to turn pro.

And so I was still friends with the older girls and then all the peers, all like the girls that I played junior golf with, some of them were winning like their first year, their second year. And I was like, oh wow. I mean, I played with these girls like I know I can win. I know I can they did it I can do it. But then you know every year that went by that I didn't get a win.

I was like, man, like when is when is it going to happen? Like I know I can do it. And I actually was talking to my dad literally a few days before we flew to Florida and I was like, like I feel, I feel great about my game and I feel so like positive about where it's, it's trending and I'm like, but like when am I gonna get my win? Like when, when is it gonna happen for me? Because you know, you can't rush, you can't push it, like it's your timing, it's all about timing right? Like it'll come to you, like you can't

find it, like it'll come, you can work for it and be ready when the opportunity comes but you know it's it's patience but yeah I mean all the all my peers that one definitely added to the fuel of motivation to get my win and now that I have my first win now I'm like but everyone there's more like I want more like I don't want to just stop here and yeah but it's great it's great to have my friends and girls my age be winning and then we all support everyone's so nice and like we all are so supportive of each other and I think it's very uplifting to be a part of. That's awesome. You mentioned you're heading to Asia. I'm curious. What's your favorite place to visit on tour? Ooh, on tour, probably Korea. I have not been to Thailand or Singapore in the last two years. So I'm actually really excited.

I remember a few weeks ago when I saw the flight time of 20 hours, I was like, I was like, wait a second, I don't remember this part. And then, but then I remember the mango sticky rice and all the fun stuff over there. And I was like, yay, I'm excited. What's your, a couple more just quick ones for you. What's your favorite part about being a professional golfer? My favorite part? You know, actually I realized this over the winter that my favorite part is definitely

being able to get on these amazing golf courses. When I was in San Diego, I was able to play Rancho Sinafé, the bridges, the farms. I went down just for my TPI session and then I was like, ''You know what? The weather is amazing here. There's amazing golf courses here. What if I just hit them up and be like, ''Hey, I'm in town.''

Because before when I'm home or yeah when I'm not like traveling I'm home right and I don't do my I'm not gonna go out and play somewhere else besides my home course like I'm just gonna stay home practice whatever but I know I was like you know this is off season a little golf trip and then it was so awesome everyone's so accommodating and I was like wow this is awesome I love being a professional golfer. And yeah, my friends were like, my friends were like, yeah, this is a nice perk. And I was like, you know, why am I just realizing this now?

It's been like five years. Like I could have gotten to play more courses, but yeah, plenty of time. That is a good question. Have you ever gone on like a buddy's golf trip or is that the first time? That was like the first time I went on. My boyfriend is a big golfer, so he's dragging me out to play. I usually don't because you know, when you're home, I'm like, I just want to chill. I don't even want to play golf. Like I just want to practice or whatever, but he drags me out and I'm like, you're lucky.

I got to play all these great courses. So what reminds me? Yeah. I mean, if you're chilling in Dallas, you have a week off, you're going to get your practice number. Like what else do you like to do? Oh my God. I, I'm a huge, huge foodie as a lot of my, a lot of my friends know I'm very big foodie. I I'm also, I also spend time in San Francisco and the buildings right now, and so much to do here. So many great restaurants. I love going out to eat, but I also love cooking.

I got into a cooking kick this last winter. I was doing a lot of cooking. I've always loved baking, so I'm very big on the making stuff. I was going to ask you, well, two things. One, talking about the buddies trip, Cody reminded me of, you know, after Lydia Ko won the women's open last year, she was like, yeah, my husband and I were going on this like couples trip to abandoned dunes. So you leave me, that's a place. I don't know if you've been to abandoned dunes or not, but yeah, put that on the list with you and your boyfriend, maybe call in a favor.

You know, they're pretty crowded, but maybe they can accommodate you. I was going to ask the flip side though of my last question. What's your least favorite part of being a professional golfer? The least favorite man. I would say it's kind of hard to say travel because there's so many good parts of being of traveling like, you know, getting to go to all these cool places, trying new foods and all but at some point, especially like halfway through the year, it gets it kind of hits you at some point where it's like this is too much like this is too much on

my body. Like I'm I hate I have to keep repacking. I want to get home. I just I'm not even unpacking. Like I know I have to leave in a few days. So that part is, is tough, but you know, nothing's perfect. Well, Cody, any, anything else or we'll, we'll let you leave me go. You'll leave me best of luck on the Asian swing. Of course. Enjoy, uh,

enjoy your time over there and also best of luck the rest of the year. I'm so excited. Just, I think women's golf, I'm excited where it is and you having won and you reestablishing yourself as truly one of the best players in the world, it just makes the sport that much better. So congratulations and look forward to watching you the rest of this season.

Thank you so much. Thanks for having me. This was awesome.