With the LPGA back in the U.S. for the first time since January, a number of the tour’s stars have returned including Rose Zhang. It’s finals week at Stanford, yet Zhang isn’t playing like someone who balanced practice rounds at the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship with term papers and exams.
As No. 1 Lilia Vu clawed her way back to play the weekend, another breakout star from 2023, defending champion Ruoning Yin, finds herself in familiar territory.
Here are five things to know from the early action at Palos Verdes Golf Club, where the legendary Seri Pak plays host to the next generation.
Yin hasn’t had the best start to 2024 but still sounded confident coming into Palos Verdes, where she won her first LPGA title last year. Her second-round 65 included a front-nine 31 (her second nine of the day).
“The front nine the fairway is wide open and I can smoke it whenever I want,” she explained. “Plus, today’s pin position is quite easy for attack. I can be aggressive.”
Yin credited her caddie, veteran David Jones, for repeatedly reminding her to stay patient.
