Rising Chinese star keen to emulate countryman on PGA Tour

The talented Yuxin Lin is hoping to make a mark at the The American Express in La Quinta, California that tees off on Thursday as he seeks to maintain his learning curve in the game after joining the professional ranks last year. 

The 23-year-old left-hander from China emerged as one of Asia’s young golfers to watch after winning the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship twice in 2017 and 2019, which rewarded him with prized starts at the Masters Tournament and Open Championship.

Seeing compatriot Carl Yuan produce an eye-catching T4 finish at the Sony Open in Hawaii last weekend has also inspired Lin ahead of this week’s $8.4 million PGA Tour event featuring 21 players in the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking, including world no. 1 Scottie Scheffler, no. 5 Patrick Cantlay, no. 6 Xander Schauffele and 2023 US Open winner Wyndham Clark (no. 10).

The in-form Yuan is also in this week’s stellar field, and will be joined by Korean stars Sungjae Im, Joohyung ‘Tom’ Kim and 2021 event winner Si Woo Kim, and upcoming Japanese golfers Taiga Semikawa and Ryo Hisatsune, the PGA Tour said.
“The competition is way more intense out here … everyone here is one of the best in the world, so it's definitely more challenging. But it's also a very good opportunity in the same time for me, so I’m just excited to get this week going,” said the upcoming star.

Lin graduated from University of Florida last summer and gained status on the Korn Ferry Tour where he made nine starts, making four cuts including a best of T15 at the 2023 Compliance Solutions Championship. The American Express, the third tournament of the 2024 FedEx Cup Season, will be his sixth tour start and the first since finishing tied for 52nd at the Shriners Children’s Open in October.

“It’s been more like a learning experience for me being my first season out on tour (last year). It’s a little different than in college and I’m trying to get used to things, and trying to get better along the way. It was a very good experience and I've learned a lot,” he said.

“The most important thing is to try to play my game and stick to my game plan, and hopefully play some good golf and the results will take care of itself. I don’t like to set result goals, but more with my game as I want to make sure I'm on the right track and to keep improving.”

Like many other golf fans from China, Lin was rooting for Yuan in last week’s Sony Open where the latter fought his way into contention during the final round before finishing one shot behind a three-way playoff, won by Grayson Murray. No mainland Chinese player has won on the PGA Tour and Lin was hoping Yuan would break the run.

“I’ve known Carl for a long time and it's really fun to watch him on TV and he had a really good chance of winning last week. I was really happy for him and it kind of motivates me even more to come out here and try to play good golf,” said Lin.

The American Express field includes 156 professionals and 156 amateurs competing at PGA West’s Stadium Course (host course), the Nicklaus Tournament Course, and the La Quinta Country Club. No amateurs will be included after the 54-hole cut that will send the top 65 and ties into the money rounds.