LPGA Star explains why she takes breaks between major championships

Jul 9, 2026, 9:42 PM CUT

CHASKA, MN - JUNE 26: Ruoning Yin hits a tee shot on hole 2 during round 2 of the LPGA, Golf Damen KPMG Women s PGA, Golf Herren Championship on June 26, 2026, at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, MN. Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire GOLF: JUN 26 LPGA KPMG Womens PGA Championship EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon20260626028

Five-time LPGA winner Ruoning Yin has taken a unique approach to majors. Rather than playing every event, Yin has chosen to skip tournaments between major championships to stay mentally and physically fresh.

Yin is currently competing in the Amundi Evian Championship, where she revealed the exhaustion of playing a major and how she tackles it.

“Yeah, 100%. I think I just found that playing major is exhausting. Yeah, after U.S. Open I was... I got sick a little bit, and then after KPMG my brain just didn't work,” said Yin.

Yin explained that the toll of playing majors has shaped her scheduling decisions going forward.

“I just think that playing major you have to be really smart and then no matter physically or mentally, just going to be tired. So that's the reason why I don't -- I'm not planning on playing any tournaments between that,” Yin added, speaking with ASAP Sports at Evian-les-Bains on Thursday.

260305 -- LINGSHUI, March 5, 2026 -- Yin Ruoning of China plays a shot during the first round of the Blue Bay LPGA golf tournament in Lingshui, south China s Hainan Province, March 5, 2026. SPCHINA-HAINAN-LINGSHUI-GOLF-BLUE BAY LPGA CN YangxGuanyu PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxCHN

Yin pointed out at the Kroger Queen City Championship that she would only focus on the upcoming majors. She did exactly that.

Since the Kroger Queen City Championship, the 23-year-old has featured only at majors. Before the U.S Women’s Open, she skipped out on the ShopRite LPGA Classic.

Similarly, before the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, she again made time for extra preparation.

“On preparation, I think just I can focus more on the course," said Yin. "Yeah, before KPMG I watched highlights in 2019 to learn the course, and then for the Evian course, I played here -- this is my third time here, so I kind of know the course so I can prepare well.”

Leading up to the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Yin did not feature at the Meijer LPGA Classic.

Moreover, the World No. 6 on the Rolex Rankings will likely opt out of the Women’s Scottish Open that sits right ahead of the AIG Women’s Open later this month, as part of her new approach.

Yin believes the extra recovery time allows her to arrive mentally refreshed and better prepared for the LPGA's biggest events, a strategy she plans to continue throughout the season.

The selective schedule has also produced encouraging results, with Yin consistently contending when she has teed it up this season.

Ruoning Yin’s run of form

Although Ruoning Yin has not secured a win this season, she has put in some commendable performances.

Yin came agonizingly close to winning the Mizuho Americas Open in May. She finished four strokes off Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul and ended up as a runner-up, as recorded on the LPGA website.

At the Chevron Championship, Yin fell short of World No.1 Nelly Korda by five strokes and secured a T2 finish alongside 26-year-old Patty Tavatanakit.

Yin continued her good momentum into the Kroger Queen City Championship, where she came 4th. Following that, it was another top-10 finish at the US Women’s Open.

It was a disappointing result at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, the major she won in 2023.

With another strong start at the Evian Championship, Yin now has an opportunity to show that her decision to prioritize recovery between majors can translate into success on the LPGA's biggest stages.

What are your thoughts on Yin’s approach to majors? Share them in the comments.

Written by

Avishek Sarkar

Edited by

Rudra Dubey