Beyond the Smiles: Yani Tseng

Official Selection, 2026 Hawai’i International Film Festival

Fearless. That is the word that is most frequently used by family and friends to describe Taiwanese superstar golfer, Yani Tseng. That fearlessness led Tseng to becoming the youngest person ever to win five major championships on the LPGA Tour and be ranked number one in the world for over two years. And then, in what seemed like a single stroke, it all came crashing down. A chronic hip injury and a sudden onset case of the yips—the mental and physical inability to perform—turned a promising young career into years of doubt, frustration, and criticism.

Filmmaker Frank W. Chen (Decathlon, SDAFF ‘25) captures the heartfelt moments of a top-tier athlete learning to manage their physical and mental struggles with openness and vulnerability. With all eyes on her at the top, Yani finds ways to deal with the pressure and expectations brought on by her early success. And if she’s going to overcome the numerous surgeries and her battles with anxiety and depression, she will indeed need to be fearless.

– James Paguyo