Where’s the Rory love for Yani Tseng? She’s won three majors, you know

The golf world is all a-twitter about Rory McIlroy’s dazzling U.S. Open performance at Congressional Country Club last week, and with good reason. The kid played lights out and carries himself with just the right combination of self-confidence and humility to make him an instant fan fave.

But with three-time major champ Yani Tseng, 22, set to tee it up Thursday in the women’s second major of the season, the LPGA Championship, the buzz accompanying her achievements is so low-key as to make little more noise than the flapping of butterfly wings in a distant meadow.

Did we mention that world No. 1 Tseng has three majors to her credit? And that she’s the same age as Rory Mac? Or that she has a shot at becoming the youngest golfer (male or female) to win four majors? That a win at this year’s U.S. Women’s Open would give her the career grand slam? If she can achieve that feat, will anyone proclaim it the Yani Slam, or is such a title only reserved for the guys (see: Tiger Slam)?

Tseng, who toils in the near-anonymity of women’s golf, declined to take the bait when asked about the obvious disparity between the reaction to her multiple accomplishments and McIlroy’s sole major win.

"That's one I haven't won yet, the U.S. Open," Tseng said, diplomatically, to reporters Tuesday. "I was very excited to see [McIlroy’s victory]. I think it's great for golf."

Where's the recognition for all that Yani Tseng has accomplished on the golf course? (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)

Indeed, the self-effacing Tseng said that McIlroy’s run-away win was an inspiration to her as she readied for three women’s majors in six weeks.

"To see the young people winning the U.S. Open by eight shots, that's really amazing," she said. "I watch on TV, I tell myself, because we have U.S. Open coming up next two weeks..., maybe I can do that, too."

Her response raised another interesting issue. When golfdom discusses the 20-somethings who are making yesterday’s stars like Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson, and even Tiger Woods, look like huffing, puffing geezers, why is Tseng never part of the convo? The woman owns seven career victories, including four straight wins this season, and she’s relegated to a line item in your daily newspaper.

LPGA star Cristie Kerr is one golfer who’s not afraid to tell it like it is. "A lot of the world doesn’t know who we [LPGA golfers] are," Kerr, who will try to defend her title this week in Pittsford, N.Y., told reporters Wednesday. "That’s a problem."

It’s an especially huge headache for a tour struggling to ink corporate sponsors and fill up its playing calendar. At least for this week, Kerr, Tseng, and the rest of the top women golfers in the world who tee off at Locust Hill Country Club will have Golf Channel broadcasting their play in high-def and real time.

Perhaps, then, Tseng will begin to gain the recognition she so richly deserves.

"I tell myself if I play better and play good," she said about the lack of attention her feats have received in the U.S., "more people will put attention on me."