Kaylin Yost is following her heart and playing golf again. The Maryland native scored a 6-uner par in the Monday qualifier to earn a spot in this week’s Bank of Hope Founders Cup. Fast forward a few days, she 6-under and on the verge of making the cut in her first LPGA event.
Saturday’s round was not what she’d hoped, putts weren’t dropping, and her game just wasn’t there, but being paired with Juli Inkster was “quite an incredible experience.”
Yost had the pairing of a lifetime and is looking forward to the final round and a chance at redemption.
“Just like playing with a friend. Asked about my life. I felt comfortable. Unfortunately, my game didn't show that, but I'm excited. She just wished me good luck tomorrow. It'll be a round that I remember,” said Yost. “Really enjoyed playing with her and just soaking in everything on a Saturday, being into the weekend. Hopefully, tomorrow is all about redemption and moving up the leaderboard.”
It’s the eighth day of golf for Yost from the qualifier to practice rounds and tournament play it’s a long week and catching up with her, but she’s ready to fight for it tomorrow.
“Yeah, I'm laughing. I'm disappointed that I am 2-under for the LPGA and I'm into the weekend. I know there were a lot of good players that missed the cut. I am just happy to be out here,” explained Yost. “Unfortunately, my game was where it was today, but I have a lot of golf left tomorrow. Going to go back tomorrow and climb up the leaderboard and hopefully have a good round.”
Yost has had to overcome many challenges in her life, and a bad round wasn’t going to shake her.
“No, no, no. Just getting back into it, getting back into the groove,” explained Yost. “There have been a couple of times I've had rough days on the golf course, and I'll never forget my coach would lean over and say, you could be making jet reservations. Just something as simple as that is what makes me realize I need to be grateful that I'm back out here again.”
When asked if Yost took up the game because of her hearing she said no she followed in grandfather and brother’s footsteps, but admits to using it to her advantage when playing golf.
“I used to turn off my hearing aids before every shot. For years I did that. I just got hearing aids that don't allow me to do that as well,” said Yost. “But I played the deaf card out here today. You know, couple times I joked with Juli, you know, I didn't hear that. I just try to make the best of it and make the jokes.”