Ruoning Yin made a dramatic change to her 2025 schedule after a conversation with good friend Danielle Kang. The pair spent time together in the U.K. around the AIG Women’s British Open.
“She was like, ‘Ronni, don’t stress. Why are you stressing?’ I was like, ‘I’m not,'” recalled Yin last week to Golfweek at the Hanwha LifePlus International Crown. “And she’s like, ‘I can feel it, you know,’ and she said, ‘I can see you can achieve everything you want. So just enjoy the journey. Don’t get frustrated,’ and she said, ‘When you retire, I don’t want you to regret that you didn’t enjoy the whole thing.’ “
Yin, a major winner and former No. 1 who is a decade younger than Kang, took the conversation seriously and continued it after the British Open with her coach and caddie. The decision was made that she’d take the next two months off from the tour, skipping the next six events.
“I think that conversation changed my mind a little bit, because before I always think I’m still young and this is the age I should work hard,” said Yin. “But on the other side, I mean, 23, it’s a beautiful age. You have to enjoy your life as well. And golf, I think golf is part of my life. I love golf, but there’s there’s so much more outside of golf.”
Yin’s time away from the game included rock climbing, cycling and basketball and loads of time with family. When she returned to competition at the Buick LPGA Shanghai, good friend Jeeno Thitikul asked if she’d missed the tour.
“I was like, that’s a good question. Do I miss golf? And I was like, I’ll tell you later,” recalled Yin. “And after 18th hole, because, you know, there’s a lot of Chinese fans and everybody’s cheering my name. And I think, yes, I do miss this game and I do want to, you know, just come out to play and just enjoy the time on the course.”
At this week’s Maybank Championship in Malaysia, where Yin is defending, she trails leader Hye-Jin Choi (14 under) by five strokes. Australia’s Hannah Green, who recently won the International Crown with Team Australia, also holds a share of second at 9 under.
Lydia Ko and AIG winner Miyu Yamashita are among those in a share of fourth, six back.
After the Maybank, Yin will play in the LET’s Aramco China Championship in Shenzhen, followed by the China National Championships. Her season will conclude back in the U.S. Nov. 20-23 at the CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Florida.
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