Angel Yin said she is “feeling great” and ready to represent the United States in the Solheim Cup this weekend.
“I would never jeopardize America,” Yin told reporters on Wednesday at Bernardus Golf in Cromvoirt, Netherlands.
Yin, 27, lost 35 pounds this summer while battling a stomach illness. She returned to the LPGA Tour for the FM Championship at TPC Boston late last month, missing the cut with rounds of 81 and 76 and leading to speculation about her fitness for the Solheim Cup.
“It wasn’t ideal. It’s not a score you really bring out and you go, wow, that’s the person that’s going to be — you know, helping America bring home the Cup,” Yin said of her performance in Boston.
“I’ve been working hard, I’ve been trying everything I can, because this is the biggest event in women’s golf and to be able to do it in this scale — we know this is going to be a big deal because this is the 20th Solheim Cup.”
The U.S. team brought along an alternate, former World No. 1 Lilia Vu, for the biennial competition against Team Europe that begins on Friday.
Yin, who had to withdraw from the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in late June, has three top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour this season but none since a T9 at the Mizuho Americas Open from May 7-10.
She was asked about the state of her game on Wednesday.
“I guess everybody has different opinions,” Yin said. “I personally think it’s not bad. Every day it’s getting better. So, yeah, I guess it’s like art, right? Everybody has a different opinion. But results just is the only thing that matters, right?
Yin said she felt ready to go in whatever role Team USA captain Angela Stanford chooses.
“So I had, like, honest talks with myself in the mirror and with my team, and obviously with Angela because she’s the only other person, other than my family, that I’ve updated throughout all of this,” Yin said.
“So, you know, I think that we are pretty — we have a clear idea of what it is, and so, yeah, we all agreed on this. And she wanted me here. Because we asked her — well, I didn’t ask her. I had my caddie ask her, Do you want me here? And if she said no, I wouldn’t be here. But she said yes.
“So I think with belief like that and confidence from her to back me, why wouldn’t I show up? The end.”
That wasn’t the end of the conversation, however, as reporters asked several follow-up questions about how much she can contribute this weekend.
“It’s a tough decision because you don’t want to jeopardize the team. I can say and be confident as much as I want, but ultimately it’s up to the captain because she needs to be responsible for the 11 of us. Well, more because, you know, there’s a whole country behind her. But I guess it’s just more tough for her and I just need to do my part,” Yin said.
“And then I just need to wait for her call, and whatever she does and whatever she says will, in my opinion, be the best decision because we trust her, and she’s been leading us great.”
