Ruoning Yin has legacy on mind at US Women’s Open

Ruoning Yin's life changed on 25 June when she emerged from the pack to win the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, the 20-year-old's second LPGA victory and her first major title.

Yin, who grew up idolising Shanshan Feng, joined her as the only women from China to win a major. The setting for her victory was Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey, where the likes of Mickey Wright, Jack Nicklaus and Phil Mickelson have won major championships.

Breathing in all that history has helped inspire Yin to chase even more milestones.

"It feels amazing to be able to be a part of (history)," Yin said on Monday ahead of the US Women's Open this week at Pebble Beach Golf Links. "I think that's kind of motivation for me, like being legendary."

A follow-up question revealed that when defining "legendary," Yin has a number in mind.

"Good question," she said. "I guess at least five. Five majors."

That's not impossible for a player like Yin, still in the early days of her career. At age 18, she proved a mismatch for the China LPGA Tour, where she began her pro career by winning three straight events. After a quiet rookie year on the LPGA Tour in 2022, she won the DIO Implant LA Open this past April.

Yin, who goes by the nickname Ronni, played several sports as a child and had a preference for basketball before pivoting to golf fulltime. In basketball, Yin admired another modern-day legend – Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry.

When Yin won the Women's PGA Championship, the staff at her sponsor Callaway prepared a surprise for her: a video of Curry congratulating Yin on the triumph.

"I just click the link and I saw Stephen's face, and it was shocking," Yin said. "Like I can't put on words. I can watch that video over and over again. It's just amazing."

Yin said Curry is her favourite because "he's also a very calm person." That calmness is familiar to Yin, who's known for her stellar ball-striking but needed to do better at managing her way around a course in order to break through on the LPGA.

Her budding career still may branch off into any number of directions, but Yin has her eyes on the next prize. After all, another major champion will be crowned this Sunday.

"For me to being as a major champion is pretty exciting, but that's the past," she said. "I'm looking forward for the next one."