Q. I'm here with Yan after the first round of The Chevron Championship. Leader in the clubhouse. Walk us through your round, how you felt out there.
YAN LIU: Well, today my driver is pretty good, pretty solid. So last week I do the pretty good, too, but not the driver. So this week I fixed my driver so it's feel very solid golf today.
On the course I'm pretty confidence today. I just feel the weather is so good and temperature is perfect for me.
Q. I'm seeing here you had a great number of putts; no three-putts out there. How did your putting feel?
YAN LIU: I think because my approach shot is pretty good it is much like long putt. I feel I had like 16 on the green, so every putt is for birdie putt, so it's pretty key for today is approach shot.
Q. Nice spot to be in. Second start here at The Chevron Championship. What did you learn most from your time playing here last year?
YAN LIU: Last year and this year is quite different. Last year the greens firm and pretty windy I think.
Today the green is pretty soft; fairway is soft, too. Make the course getting far and long. So I had a lot like long iron to the green.
Actually the course doesn't much different with last year. I think it's my (indiscernible.)
Q. Great round.
YAN LIU: Thank you.
Q. I was hoping you could give us a little bit of background of how you got into the game, who inspired you, and when you first played in the U.S.
YAN LIU: Well, the back nine, actually my front nine is pretty good, too, but just doesn't putt go in.
So back nine my putting is go more like -- sorry. Just feel my putter is getting just more confidence with reading the line. Just believe the line will be going. Yeah, I think this is why good back nine.
Q. When did you first start playing golf? Who got you into the game?
YAN LIU: When I play -- I start golf 12 years old and it's my mom. My mom loved the game and she play a lot. Even right now, like probably 20 time on the course every month.
Yeah, feel a lot more than me, yeah, so she love and she bring me to the course. Yeah, until right now.
Q. Does she play competitively?
YAN LIU: No, just amateur.
Q. And is he in China or does she travel with you?
YAN LIU: She's in China. Yeah, my dad travel with me.
Q. What's her handicap? How good is she?
YAN LIU: Well, like she could shot like even. Even she feel bad could shot under par.
Q. Wow. Amazing. Do you play with her a lot?
YAN LIU: I try to not. (Laughter.)
Q. Why?
YAN LIU: Just she would say sometime if we play same score then she say, you practice every day I don't practice; I beat you. It's not fun for me.
Q. Too much pressure.
YAN LIU: Yes.
Q. You've been playing pretty well the last couple weeks. Led last week in LA after the first round. What's clicked maybe in the last couple weeks that you have really seen from your golf game?
YAN LIU: I think I do very good job on the offseason. I changed my -- before I hit draw; right now change to hit fade. I think that help me to control my swing and my ball. Yes, so I think this is why.
Q. There is a lot of Chinese players out here. Are you really close with any of the other Chinese players out here? Who are you really good friends with?
YAN LIU: I think actually not many. Only 11 this week. So we -- I think pretty close with Mary, Ronni, yeah, actually a lot. We play a lot tournament when we in China, CLPGA Tour.
Q. Outstanding round you had today. Was it a kind of combination, the fact that you were playing well and hitting everything good and the golf course is kind of receptive playing this early to shoot a low number like this? Your game being good and the golf course -- you took advantage the golf course conditions?
YAN LIU: I think the golf condition is so good and the green is so smooth, and if you just read the right line, you will get in. Not bumpy, and so the course feels great.
Yeah, I think the important is my driver back, yes.
Q. As you can see it just started raining. Pretty happy you got in before.
YAN LIU: (Laughter.) Yes.
Q. Can you talk about the putt on No. 8 specifically? Just the two holes back. I know you finished on nine. You obviously thought that was going in. What did you think happened there?
YAN LIU: Really going like this, just come out. I had really good driver and actually really good second shot, but doesn't -- well, the direction not right. I missed wrong side, so that's why I didn't save the bunker shot.
It's pretty confidence after that, and so I hit a really solid nine holes.
Q. Started getting pretty slow with the groups ahead of you there at the end.
YAN LIU: Yeah.
Q. When you're having to wait for long periods of time how do you handle that?
YAN LIU: Just talk with my caddie, just drink water, do anything.
Q. What did you guys tend to talk about usually?
YAN LIU: Well, actually we just talk about the camera guy. She face to me like probably five, six minutes. I feel very --
Q. Awkward?
YAN LIU: Nothing wrong, just feel I have to be everything very nice.
Q. You can't swear.
YAN LIU: Yeah, yeah.
Q. Do you have a U.S. home?
YAN LIU: Yes. I am based in Orlando.
Q. Do you have a U.S. based instructor, teacher, coach?
YAN LIU: Oh, yes.
Q. Who is your coach?
YAN LIU: He's here this week. His name is Holton Freeman.
Q. Do you have an English name?
YAN LIU: Oh, yeah, actually I just got my English name. I go by Abby. Yeah, from last year December.
Q. How did you chose that one?
YAN LIU: My stats coach give to me.
Q. You have a stats coach?
YAN LIU: Yes.
Q. Who is that?
YAN LIU: Craig.
Q. What does Craig do?
YAN LIU: He's here and he's work with Ronni as well.
Q. How do you spell Abby and was it after a movie character or anything or you just pick it?
YAN LIU: I just pick it, the meaning is very good. The father give the name.
Q. How do you spell it?
YAN LIU: A-b-b-y.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports