Yani Tseng

Started playing golf at age 6. She credits her parents, Tony Kao (her first coach in Taiwan) and Ernie Huang (her U.S. host and mentor since 2001), as the individuals most influencing her career.
Had a well-decorated amateur career that included four wins in the U.S. and 15 international victories. As the top-ranked amateur in Taiwan from 2004-06. She won the 2003 Callaway Junior Golf Championship and finished runner-up in 2004. Won the 2004 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links at Golden Horseshoe Golf Club in Williamsburg, Va., with a 1-up victory over Michelle Wie. Was a semifinalist in that championship in 2005. Won the 2005 North & South Women's Amateur Championship by defeating Morgan Pressel in the final match and the 2005 Arizona Silver Belle Championship. Won the Asia Pacific Junior Championship in 2003-05.
Turned professional in January 2007 and competed on the Asian Golf Tour, where she won the DLF Women's Indian Open. Also competed on the CN Canadian Women's Tour, where she won the CN Canadian Women's Tour at Vancouver Golf Club and T-6th in the CN Canadian Women's Open. Finished sixth in the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament to earn exempt status for the 2008 LPGA season.
In 2008, secured the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Award at the ADT Championship -- the final event in which points could be earned -- defeating Na Yeon Choi by 267 points. Became a first-time winner in the McDonald's LPGA Championship, where she defeated Maria Hjorth in a four-hole, sudden-death playoff. She scored 64 in the second round of the Ginn Open and CN Canadian Women's Open, finishing third. Crossed the $1 million mark in season and career earnings with a runner-up finish in the LPGA State Farm Classic, where she lost to Ji Young Oh in a one-hole, sudden-death playoff.
In 2009, She won the LPGA Corning Classic, shooting a career-low 62 in the third round. Earned runner-up finishes in the MasterCard Classic, the Wegmans LPGA, and the Hana Bank-Kolon Championship and became the fastest in LPGA history to cross the $2 million mark in career earnings with a T-4th in the J Golf Phoenix LPGA International (32 events; 1 year, 1 month, 13 days). Her other top-10 finishes included a T-4th in the Navistar LPGA Classic, where she crossed the $1 million mark in season earnings, T-5th in the SBS Open at Turtle Bay and the Corona Championship, a T-6th in the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic, as well as a tie for seventh in the Honda LPGA Thailand and a T-8th in the Samsung World Championship, the Lorena Ochoa Invitational and the LPGA Tour Championship.
In 2010, they became the first player from Taiwan and the second-youngest player (Nancy Lopez, 1978) at 21 years of age to win the Rolex Player of the Year. She won two major championships, the Kraft Nabisco Championship and the Ricoh Women's British Open, and her second and third major championship victories. Also won the P&G NW Arkansas Championship, the fifth victory of her LPGA career, and was runner-up in the Mizuno Classic. Finished third in the season-opening Honda PTT LPGA Thailand and T-3rd in the HSBC Women's Champions, also T-5th in the Sybase Match Play Championship. Won the Handa Australian Women's Open on the Ladies European Tour. Named Female Player of the Year by the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA).
In 2011, became the youngest player to win consecutive Rolex Player of the Year Awards, clinching the honor with five events remaining on the 2011 schedule. She also won her first Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average, with a final average of 69.66. Won seven LPGA events, including two majors, and topped the LPGA Official Money List with $2,921,713. Also won four international events.
At 22 years, 6 months, and 8 days, Tseng became the youngest male or female player to win five majors after claiming the 2011 Ricoh Women's British Open. Won her first four starts worldwide in 2011: the Taifong Ladies Open on the LPGA of Taiwan Tour, the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open, the ANZ RACV Ladies Open on the Australian Ladies Professional Golf Tour, and the Honda LPGA Thailand. Also won the LPGA State Farm Classic and Walmart NW Arkansas Championship. Earned her 10th career LPGA victory, the LPGA HanaBank Championship, where she clinched Rolex Player of the Year honors. The next week, she won the inaugural Sunrise LPGA Championship in her native Chinese Taipei. Other top-10 finishes included second in the Kraft Nabisco Championship, third in the HSBC Women's Champions, T-5th in the Kia Classic and Sybase Match Play Championship, T-6th in the CME Group Titleholders, and seventh in the ShopRite LPGA Classic. Tseng was nominated for the 2011 Athlete of the Year by the United States Sports Academy.
2012 Notes: Played 24 events, made 21 cuts, and earned $1,430,159 (fourth on the money list). Had 11 top-10 finishes and eight top-five finishes, including three victories: Honda LPGA Thailand, RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup, and Kia Classic. Became the fastest player in LPGA history to cross the $8 million mark in career earnings when she recorded her second win of the season in the RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup. Named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in 2012.
2013 Notes: Made 17 cuts and finished 38th on the LPGA Tour money list. Had four top-10 finishes and two top-fives. Crossed the $9 million mark in career earnings with a runner-up finish in the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open and ranked first on Tour in eagles made with 13. She was No. 1 on the Rolex Rankings for over 100 consecutive weeks from 2011 to 2013.
2014 Notes: She was 54th on the money list with $303,127 and 57th in CME points with 18 cuts made in 24 starts. She was T-2nd in the Kingsmill Championship, three shots back of winner Lizette Salas. She ended a 22-month victory drought by winning the Taifong Ladies Open in February on the Taiwan LPGA Tour. She closed with a 2-under-par 70 to come from behind and win by two strokes.
2015 Notes: Made 17 cuts in 26 starts and ranked 21st on the money list, her best finish since 2012. Had three runner-up finishes, two strokes behind Amy Yang at the Honda LPGA Thailand, one behind Kris Tamulis at the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic, and one back of Lexi Thompson at the LPGA KEB-HanaBank Championship.
2016 Notes: She had a best finish of T-16th at the Reignwood LPGA Classic and made the cut 13 times in 25 starts.
2017 Notes: In 25 LPGA starts and made ten cuts, best finish T-11th at the Thornberry Creek LPGA.
2018 Notes: In 20 starts, made 7 cuts, best finish T-27th at the Meijer LPGA Classic.
2019 Notes: She hurt her back in the spring, which limited her play to 5 events, and she missed the cut in all of them. While on a medical extension, she returned home to Taiwan and enrolled in a 10-day meditation retreat. She didn't talk, use a cell phone or computer, make eye contact with anyone, or eat afternoon meals daily. She did play in 2020.
2021 Notes: Played in nine LPGA events, missed the cut in 8 of them, and withdrew from one event. Did not play in 2022 or '23.
2024 Notes: Played in eleven LPGA events and missed the cut in all of them.
2025 Notes: Played in seven LPGA events and missed the cut in all of them.
When she's not playing golf, Yani enjoys sports, such as shooting pool, watching movies, shopping, and hanging out with friends. Tseng works closely with Smith Train, an organization that helps provide surgery to children with cleft palates. During the 2013 offseason, I went on a 430-mile cycling caravan around Taiwan and stopped in villages to drop off Christmas presents to children. Also is the "Loving Heart Ambassador" for the Qlove Golf Charity Foundation. She donates $50 for every birdie she makes and $200 for every eagle she makes.