It was exactly a month between her last round of competition at the AIG Women’s Open on August 20 and the start of Walmart NW Arkansas Championship Week, so Yeon Ryu took full advantage of the break. Her performance in the major championship was the first missed cut for Ryu this season.
“I feel like these days are like a midlife crisis for me, just about golf. I was just totally confused so I really had to take a really long break. A month off was really helpful to me, ”said Ryu, who won the 2017 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship. “AIG [Women’s Open] was a disaster for me and my swing was pretty far off. I couldn’t feel any of it.
“I didn’t touch my clubs for two weeks and then thought about what I really want and why I should keep playing golf. The free month was really a great time to think about a lot of things and what to do to compete with the best in the world. I really had to admit that this was a good time to learn about what I need to do to become a better golfer. “
Don’t worry, Ryu has no plans to buy a car or indulge in another expensive purchase. The six-time LPGA Tour winner and two-time major champion has set himself additional goals that provide plenty of motivation.
“I want to win the Grand Slam. That’s what I am for [still] must win AIG [Women’s Open], [Amundi] Evian and the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, so that’s my main goal, ”said Ryu. “Then if I can do it, I want it [2024] Also Olympia in Paris. I should win a lot of tournaments for that. If I can win the Grand Slam, it most likely means that I’m close to reaching the Olympic team, so I’ll choose these two as my goals.
“I still feel like I have that competitiveness in my heart and I just really love this game so I really want to do everything great again. This is my 14th year as a professional golfer so I hope I can play great all the time, but this is golf. They have ups and downs. “
Ryu, who will make her ninth start in Rogers, Ark., Has never missed a cut at this event and has never been outside the top 30 with four top 10 results, including her previous win at Pinnacle Golf Club.
“The reason I love this tournament so much is because the community is so supportive of this tournament,” said Ryu. “I’m really excited that the LPGA and this community are growing together. I’m really looking forward to seeing a lot of fans out here this week. The golf course is always in top shape and everything here helps me enjoy this game even more. “