We would like to welcome the ANZ RACV Ladies Masters and newly crowned world number one, Yani Tseng. Yani congratulations on a great win.

Thank you.

You must be pleased. You said at the start of the year, your goal was to be number one. You can retire now.

I know, it’s so soon. It’s the first three tournaments. I wasn’t expecting that it would come so soon. I still have another 10 months to go, so I just need to be very patient and keep working hard, and I still have lots of things to learn too.

On the front nine, you didn’t play as well as you did yesterday, were you thinking of number one then?

Not really, but I did think about winning the tournament, but I think that’s like a hidden pressure. It’s there but I don’t want to think about it, I hung in there, was just really patient and I couldn’t make any putt until 12 holes, and I really think that’s the turning point for me.

What did you think when Stacey missed the short birdie putt at number eight?

Yeah, I think that was pretty big. That would’ve gotten us very close, but you know, I was still thinking on the par five, that we could still make a birdie here. We still had nine holes to go, I can take you on the par fives and then I just needed to get more putts to drop in.

Was today getting the number one, better than winning a major tournament, or not as good?

You know I think it’s really good. It feels good winning, it feels good getting number one. Before I was just like, ‘Oh I want to be number one’, like today was really calm, this is not true, this is so unreal, because when I was 12, I don’t know how to say how I feel. I feel very appreciative about everything and all the people that have been helping me through those years.

You got your only eagle of the tournament today. How many got away, how many could there have potentially been?

I think probably five. I have been waiting for an eagle all week, and then today it finally comes, especially after 15 holes. I hit a lot of good shots, but I just couldn’t make the putt drop in. And then today, I really done it, I saw the leader board and I was two or three shot in and I would be like, ‘Okay lets make this eagle’.

What does this tournament mean to you, you first came here six years ago. Obviously it has played a key role on the development of you as a player?

Yeah that’s for sure. I’m very appreciative of this opportunity to play this tournament since I was an amateur, even not as a good, like on top. And then they give me the opportunity. And I learnt a lot of experience here, and then play with the best golfers in the world, and then it feels good. The first time I came here, I told all my friends, and said one day I want my picture on Champion Drive, one day I’m going to have a picture up there.

 

What does this mean back in Taiwan?

Overwhelmed. I hope that I’m on the first page of the news! I think it will be huge. Yesterday I put it on the facebook that today I’m going to wear pink, and said even if you’re here or watching on the TV to wear pink. And I think it has really helped a lot.

How many facebook followers do you have?

I don’t think it’s many. Maybe 7000. I wish to get more.

It might increase after today.

Yeah, hopefully.

You dominated the par fives this week, was that the key for you?

Absolutely, for sure. Because when I went out on the practice round, I just told myself this par five, all par five, I can reach, and I just really need to shoot a par five as a par four, and then just play.

How many times did you sing on the golf course, whenever you feel a bit of doubt, you always hum some songs, how many times today?

Actually not that many times this week, I’ve been pretty, good this week. Just a couple of times in the past few days. And today, I felt some of the pressure, but I wasn’t really worried all too much.

How much do you want to hold onto this number one?

That is my goal, I don’t want to be there just for one week or two weeks, I want to be there longer. I even want to finish this year as number one too, so there will be lots of things to work too.

You refer to watching golf when you were 12, when did you start playing?

When I was five.

Is there something in your nickname Nini?

No meaning, just because my name is Yani, so it’s Nini. My English name is Ruby, that’s why Bob calls me Ruby.

Yani do you celebrate this tonight? What do you do tonight?

I don’t know, I’ll ask my mum. We just go out have a nice dinner, and a bottle of dinner.

You deserve it.

Yep, thanks.