GolfPlayerMania

Think golf is a game purely for men? Think again! 

Yani Tseng is proof that what men can do well, women can do better. The spunky Asian is a newbie whirlwind tearing up the green in the LPGA Tour, and, from 2004 to 2006, was ranked as the top amateur in Taiwan. To date, she has posted 3 wins in the LPGA Tour, one of which is the LPGA Championship. She holds the prestigious title of being the first player from Taiwan to win the coveted title, and, at 19 years old, also holds the title as the youngest player to win the LPGA Championship. Those, on top of being the second youngest to win an LPGA major.

The amazing thing about Tseng is that she only turned professional last year, in January! She immediately competed in the Ladies Asian Golf Tour, and then went on to win the DLF Women’s Indian Open. After only one year on the circuit, she was named LPGA Rookie of the Year for 2008. She is also the winner of the 2008 McDonald’s LPGA Tour! Her famous photo, clutching her trophy while sitting beside Ronald McDonald who is holding a giant pack of French fries, is one of the most well-known in her career.

Today, Tseng has reached the US $1 million hallmark when she earned a big piece of the purse during the LPGA State Farm Classic, where she finished second. After only one year on the tour, she has already earned more than a $1 million, and all these things in her rookie year!

For such an amateur, Tseng is a fearsome player. Her career is studded with victories, with 4 wins in the U.S and 15 victories in the international circuit. This doesn't come as a surprise to those who know Tseng, though. She started playing golf at the age of 6. Her parents, Tony Kao and Ernie Huang, were eager to help their little girl go far in her dream. Kao became her first golf coach in Taiwan, while Huang has been her U.S. host and mentor ever since 2001. All her hard work and dedication paid off when she qualified for the Tour on her first attempt to join.

Tseng credits her success to the qualities that she always brings on the green every time she plays: Commitment, Attitude, Enthusiasm and Power. She believes that, without these things, she would not be where she is. This just goes to show that everything can only be taken as far as you’re willing to travel for it, and that every challenge is as hard as you’re willing to work for it.