Is Yani Tseng on Her Way Back?

No, I'm not jumping to conclusions here. I know we need to see more before we can be sure of anything...

But perhaps Yani Tsengs IS finally getting her groove back. It's not so much the T2 finish this past weekend in Taiwan -- Yani always seems to play well there, and she did miss the cut in Australia just a week ago -- but some of the things she told the folks at Focus Taiwan caught my attention.

She admitted she was "just fricking nervous out there." She also said "I think just at least I back into the circle. Hopefully take into next week." Those responses don't sound like she's as down on herself as she has been recently. I find that encouraging.

According to the article, she's training with David Donatucci, who trains Michelle Wie and Stacy Lewis, and her psychology coach is apparently just trying to get her to get out of her own way. (Perhaps he should also talk to Stacy Lewis? She seems to be having the same problem.)

In fact, I think that's why I'm encouraged. It's beginning to sound as if Yani's problems are just the normal problems that golfers face rather than the darkness she's talked about over the last couple of years. She managed to put four decent rounds together on a course she likes -- granted, we need to see her play well more often before we can say she's back, but everybody has to start somewhere. And she's starting to talk about good things in her game, as opposed to being all doom and gloom.

Being relaxed enough to admit she's nervous sounds like a big step forward to me. Believing that she may finally be "back in the circle" sounds like another big step. She won't be playing in the HSBC Women's Champions this week -- she's not qualified -- but having some time to think about how well she played this week may be more beneficial to her right now.

Perhaps I speak more from hope than anything. But I know women's golf is better when Yani is a factor to be reckoned with. Until she proves me wrong, I'm going to assume last week was a positive sign.