China’s Carl Yuan Yechun thinks he may have unlocked the secret to finding more success on the PGA Tour after finishing tied-fifth for his second top-10 of the season at the Valspar Championship in Florida on Sunday.
Yuan, who turned 27 on Thursday, chipped in twice en route to a closing 3-under 68 at Innisbrook Resort’s Copperhead Course to finish on 8-under 276, four shots behind winner Peter Malnati of the United States, who claimed a two-stroke victory over compatriot Cameron Young following a final-round 67.
South Korea’s Lee Kyoung-hoon was a further stroke back in a share of ninth after a 69 for his second top-10 finish in three starts, but the two-time PGA Tour winner was kicking himself after making two bogeys over his closing three holes.
“It was challenging and definitely played tough. I really hung in there, just trying to commit shot by shot. Didn’t really let one bad shot or one poor result take my mind off it, just keep trusting it, committing it. Fortunately enough, I had a couple of chip-ins and that was very exciting,” said Yuan, who is projected to rise to 74th place on the FedExCup points list.
The rising Chinese star chipped in from 35 yards (32 meters) for eagle on the par-5 fifth hole and then holed another chip from 56 feet (17 meters) on the eighth for birdie to notch a second top-five result after a tied-fourth place at the Sony Open in Hawaii in January. His strong week ended a lackluster run of form which saw him miss four cuts in six starts in between his two high finishes.
Yuan had his wife Cathy to thank for some timely advice on his birthday to simply have “fun” on the course and not be consumed with the mechanics of his swing. As one of the more flamboyant golfers on the tour who often produces a funky follow-through action with his finish, he took the advice to heart.
“Like my wife said, you just got to have fun. If she’d seen me out there not looking like I’m having fun, she’s going to be annoyed,” said Yuan. “I did a good job of just keeping myself entertained, just really having fun. Not making golf swings, just hitting golf shots. It’s a really challenging course already and people are going to make mistakes. I just make sure I don’t spiral down on mistakes.”
Yuan, who is seeking a maiden PGA Tour title, conceded his confidence was at a low ebb following his lack of success despite starting the season strongly in Hawaii, but thinks the solution is to simply swing more freely.
“You see pretty much everybody go on the range, work on stuff, you see coaches out here. It’s constant for a player to strive to be a better golfer in general, so definitely on the technical side we all want to be more consistent, but it may not work for everybody. Probably, particularly for me, that when I try to be too technical, like it just really takes my mind down a bad route,” he said.
“So, I just hit shot after shot, making different golf swings, I mean, if I want to hit a 50-yard hook, I’m going to hit one here. There’s no swing on the range a coach is really going to teach you to hit a 50-yard hook, but that’s how I like playing golf. I think that’s where my talent is in this game. I got to make sure I don’t take myself out of that.”
An emotional Malnati snapped an eight-year winless streak to capture his second PGA Tour title in front of his family after surviving some nerves and a tough finishing stretch at Innisbrook.
“I was so nervous. I can’t describe it, it’s so cool. You wonder if you’re ever going to do it again. It’s hard. In the eight years since my last win, you look at the level of talent out here and the guys who are 20 years old coming out, they are just so good. To have this moment, it feels amazing,” said Malnati, 36.
Locked in a battle with Young, Malnati drilled a 5-iron to 6 feet on the par-3 17th for birdie to break out of a tie, and he closed with a par for a 4-under 67 to win by two and earn his first trip to the Masters.
“I remember telling my caddie I needed to make a 2,” Malnati said. “That was really fun in that moment to just step up, not overthink it, just a full 5-iron at the TV tower, go. And to watch that ball fly was a really cool feeling.”
Malnati tapped in for par on the final hole for only his second PGA Tour victory. Young made it easier on him by taking bogey on the final hole for a 68. Young now has seven runner-up finishes without a win.