Yani Tseng Bio
Yani Tseng is a Taiwanese professional golfer who plays on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour. She is the youngest player ever, male or female, to win five major championships, an achievement she reached at the age of 22 years and six months. She held the number 1 position in the Women’s World Golf Rankings for 109 consecutive weeks between 2011 and 2013. Tseng turned professional in January 2007 and quickly became one of the most decorated players of her generation.
Early Life and Background
Yani Tseng was born on 23 January 1989 in Guishan Township, Taoyuan County, Taiwan. Her father, Mao Hsin Tseng, and her mother, Yu-Yun Yang, supported her early interest in the game of golf. She first came to international attention as a junior when she won the Callaway Junior World Golf Championships in the girls 13–14 age group in 2002.
From 2004 to 2006, Tseng was the top-ranked amateur golfer in Taiwan. Her amateur career peaked when she won the 2004 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links, defeating Michelle Wie in the final by a margin of 1 up. She also captured the North and South Women’s Amateur Golf Championship in 2005, establishing herself as one of the top young amateurs in the world before turning professional.
Path to LPGA Tour
Tseng turned professional in January 2007 and began competing on the Ladies Asian Golf Tour. That year she won the DLF Women’s Indian Open and also captured a CN Canadian Women’s Tour event at Vancouver Golf Club. Her strong early results drew attention from scouts and officials on the larger tours.
In the fall of 2007, Tseng entered the LPGA Qualifying Tournament and finished sixth in the final stage. That result earned her full playing privileges on the LPGA Tour for 2008. By the middle of her rookie season, she had already announced herself as a star, becoming the first player from Taiwan to win an LPGA major championship.
Yani Tseng Career
Early Career (2007–2008)
During her rookie season on the LPGA Tour in 2008, Tseng claimed her first tour victory at the LPGA Championship in June. The win made her the first player from Taiwan to win an LPGA major and, at age 19, the youngest player to win the LPGA Championship. She was also the second-youngest player to win an LPGA major at that time. Her play that year earned her the LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year award.
In March 2009, Tseng became the fastest player in LPGA history to reach the $2 million mark in career earnings, doing so in 32 events over one year, one month, and 13 days. The previous record had been held by Paula Creamer, who reached the mark in one year, four months, and 15 days in 2006.
Major Championship Breakthrough (2010–2011)
On 4 April 2010, Tseng won the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the first major of the LPGA season, by one stroke. On 1 August 2010, she added the Women’s British Open, also by one stroke, and became the youngest woman in the modern era to win three major championships. In September 2010, she was offered a five-year sponsorship deal from a Chinese company worth NT$1 billion (about US$25 million), which she declined because it would have required her to switch her citizenship from the Republic of China to China.
In January 2011, Tseng defended her title at the Taifong Ladies Open on the LPGA of Taiwan Tour. Within the next few weeks she won the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open and the ANZ RACV Ladies Masters, events co-sponsored by the ALPG Tour and the Ladies European Tour. Those wins lifted her to number 1 in the Women’s World Golf Rankings. In June 2011, she won the LPGA State Farm Classic over Cristie Kerr by three strokes, and two weeks later she won the LPGA Championship, becoming at 22 years and five months the youngest player to win four LPGA majors. The following month she defended her Women’s British Open title, becoming the first defending champion to win the Women’s British Open as a major. With five major titles, she became the youngest player, male or female, to win five major championships.
2012 Season and After
Tseng opened the 2012 LPGA Tour by winning three of the first five events: the Honda LPGA Thailand, the RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup, and the Kia Classic. The Kia Classic victory in March 2012 remains her most recent LPGA win. Later in 2012 her form fell sharply, and by the end of 2013 she had dropped from fourth to 38th on the official LPGA money list and from first to 34th in the Women’s World Golf Rankings. Her results declined further in 2014, when she finished 54th on the money list and 83rd in the world. After several strong major finishes between 2010 and early 2012, she has missed the cut or finished no higher than T13 in subsequent majors.
Notable Events and Milestones
Tseng was named LPGA Tour Player of the Year in both 2010 and 2011, won the LPGA Vare Trophy in 2011, and was the LPGA Tour Money Winner in 2011. She was also named GWAA Female Player of the Year in 2010 and 2011. She earned 27 points under the LPGA points system, the total required for the World Golf Hall of Fame, through her tour victories, major wins, and awards. Her professional career totals include 28 professional wins across multiple tours.
Yani Tseng Career Wins
Across her career, Yani Tseng has recorded 28 professional wins spanning several tours. On the LPGA Tour alone, she has earned 15 victories. She has also won 7 times on the Ladies European Tour, 3 times on the Ladies Asian Golf Tour, 3 times on the WPGA Tour of Australasia, and 5 times in other events. Of those 15 LPGA Tour wins, five came in major championships.
LPGA Tour Highlights
Her first LPGA Tour victory came at the 2008 LPGA Championship, which she won at age 19 to become the youngest winner of that event. Her most recent LPGA Tour win was the 2012 Kia Classic. Her major wins include the 2008 LPGA Championship, the 2010 Kraft Nabisco Championship, the 2010 Women’s British Open, the 2011 LPGA Championship, and the 2011 Women’s British Open. With five majors, she became the youngest player in history, male or female, to reach that total.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond her LPGA success, Tseng has posted multiple victories on the Ladies European Tour, the Ladies Asian Golf Tour, the WPGA Tour of Australasia, and the Taiwan LPGA Tour. In 2007, she won the DLF Women’s Indian Open on the Ladies Asian Golf Tour. In 2025, she was named the Taiwan LPGA Tour Order of Merit winner, reflecting her continued presence in professional golf.
Yani Tseng Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Yani Tseng’s father is Mao Hsin Tseng and her mother is Yu-Yun Yang. Her parents supported her early development in golf, and she rose to prominence as a junior in Taiwan before competing on the international amateur circuit. Her family background is rooted in Taiwan, and she has represented Chinese Taipei at events such as the 2006 Asian Games in Doha.
Personal Life
Tseng resides in a residential community at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Orlando, Florida. In April 2009, she purchased a house in that community from former LPGA player Annika Sörenstam. She has lived in the United States while competing on the LPGA Tour, and her primary residence remains in Orlando.
2025 Season Performance
Tseng was named the Taiwan LPGA Tour Order of Merit winner in 2025, signaling a continued presence in professional golf on her home tour. While her LPGA Tour results have not produced a win since the 2012 Kia Classic, she has remained active across multiple tours. Her 2025 campaign reflects her experience and longevity in the sport, and the Order of Merit honor confirms her competitive standing within Taiwanese women’s golf.