EF L2 Yani Tseng

Yani started playing golf when she was very young, thanks to her enthusiastic parents who are both golfers. Her father gave her a set of golf clubs when she was only five years old. At 13 years old, she told him she wanted to take up golf as an occupation. Just one year later, Yani won the Callaway Junior World Golf Championships and went on to become the top amateur player in Taiwan. She finally started playing in professional tournaments when she was 18 years old, and then her career really took off.

Brittany Lang, who came second to Yani at the Women's British Open in 2011, calls her "unbelievable."  She says Yani is "so mentally strong and she's so aggressive and confident. She's just got it all. It's pretty cool to watch." But Yani was not always so confident, especially off the golf course. When she first left her home to start playing in international tournaments, she didn't speak English very well.

Multiple Choice

How did Yani's enthusiastic parents encourage Yani?

• Giving her gulf clubs when she was 5.

• Giving her golf lessons when she was 5.

• Giving her swimming lessons when she was 5.

Multiple Choice

What does Brittany Lang think of Yani?

• She's aggressive and confident.

• She's not confident.

• She struggles to communicate.

Multiple Choice

When did Yani's career begin to really take off?

• When she started playing pro tournaments at 18 years old

• When her parents gave her golf clubs

• When she told her parents she wanted to take up golf as an occupation

Because she was shy about her English, Yani had a reputation² as a very quiet person. Yani's coach, Gary Gilchrist, says that studying English has helped Yani change this. "She worked so hard to improve her English," said Gilchrist. "Now her confidence is a 9 on a scale of 10."

 

Today, Yani is well known for her big smile and sense of humor. She loves to chat and joke with reporters, fans, and other golfers. Once, before a tournament near her home in Florida, Yani invited a number of golfers and golf reporters to her place for a dinner party. Halfway the party, she decided to dress up as Harry Potter, and even gave a speech wearing round spectacles.
Yani is also an inspiration to people trying to pick up English. Her advice to English learners: "Keep talking. I'm not afraid to be talking to other people, no matter what I say. I'm learning from the way [I talk] to you, and the vocabulary, I use it for the next time [I talk]." 

Multiple Choice

What was Yani's reputation when she first began her career as an international golfer?

• A quiet person

• Having a big smile and a sense of humor

• Having parties and dressing up like Harry Potter

Multiple Choice

At a party, what did Yani do?

• Make a speech in English

• Spill her drink

• Having parties and dressing up like Harry Potter

Multiple Choice

What is least important to Yani?

• Inspiring people to learn English

• Inspiring women to play golf

• Inspiring people to read Harry Potter