I just love this game so much

Yani Tseng never lost hope.

For more than a decade, the five-time major champion and long-time world number one has battled a dramatic loss of form, an agonising loss of fitness and a seemingly insurmountable loss of confidence on the greens.

But Yani never lost hope.

At Royal Porthcawl on Friday, a second-round 73 ensured Yani made her first cut in an LPGA Tour event since 2018, her first at a major since 2017.

It is little wonder, therefore, that she could barely stop smiling as she arrived for a post-round interview.

“It's an amazing feeling,” said the 36-year-old, who won the AIG Women’s Open in 2010 and 2011. “My heart's still pumping a little bit now and I just feel very grateful.

“I didn't give up and I really want to be here. I'm just very happy now. When I call my mum I'm probably going to start crying.”

The mental challenge of golf is familiar to many. Players of all levels, from the most successful professionals to total beginners, can understand just how maddening the game can be.

Yet very few can have endured the level of frustration Yani has experienced in the past decade.

From 2008 to 2012 she enjoyed one of the most dominant spells in the sport’s history, culminating in a 109-week stint as world number one, the second-longest stretch of all time.

Aged 23 and with five major titles already secured, Tseng had the world at her feet. She was even named in Time Magazine's list of the world’s 100 most influential people in 2012.

And then came struggle. Years and years of struggle.

Yani’s performances dipped alarmingly and she lost a chunk of what should have been her peak years to a back injury and multiple hip surgeries.

The most debilitating issue of all, however, was her putting. There are golfers who dare not even mention the dreaded ‘yips’ – where a player essentially suffers an involuntary loss of control over their movements on short putts.

Tseng, who is more than prepared to show vulnerability, openly admits to having suffered from the yips for several years. Last year, after missing the cut at the AIG Women’s Open, her coach Brady Riggs convinced her to make the most radical of changes, a switch to a left-handed putter.

Suddenly, Yani saw a light at the end of the tunnel.

At Royal Porthcawl, she has emerged from the shadows.

“I think I can play the weekend because of that putting,” she said. “It’s definitely a gamechanger. You never know - try everything you can and the left putter is the one thing I tried and it gave me hope.”

Ah yes, there’s that word hope again.

At the US Women’s Open in June, Tseng spoke about wanting to inspire younger players with her tenacity and refusal to quit.

Following up on the subject at Porthcawl, she said: “I give myself hope, so I hope I can give others hope too.

“You never know what's going to happen. Maybe the success is right in front of you. And I was looking for that every day. I work hard and I do the best I can.

“I feel like it doesn't matter how things turn out, but I give 100 per cent and I'm not regretting anything.

"It is hard – I have been really struggling for the last 10 years, but every time I fell down I just feel like I love this game more. I feel like I want a challenge.

“I know I have nothing to prove myself, but I just love this game so much.

“I want to be there, I want to inspire the younger generation and to tell them if I can do it, they can do it.

“And I want to show how much fun this game is and to give back and to make their dreams come true. Because I feel like the people around us, the team, you guys, you made my dream come true and I want to help others to have their dream come true too.”

It remains to be seen what comes next for Yani, but this week has already provided considerable joy to a player of extraordinary resilience. One who simply refused to give up.

"I feel like playing the weekend is going to give me so much confidence," said Tseng.

“So I can't wait to go out and play golf tomorrow (Saturday), to see how free I can be and to see what I can do.

“I'm proud of myself - I still feel passionate about this game and I want to see the best version of myself and play well again."

Yani Tseng never lost hope. But she now has more than ever.