Shin Ji-yai Four Strokes Back With Player of the Year Title at Stake

By Yoon Chul
Staff Reporter

World No. 1 Lorena Ochoa of Mexico has jumped out to an early lead at the LPGA Tour Championship, the tour's final tournament of the year which will determine 2009's player of the year.

Ochoa, who is second in player of the year points behind Korea's Shin Ji-yai, shot a 6-under 66 in the first round at the Houstonian Golf and Country Club in Houston, Texas Friday (KST).

Ochoa had eight birdies and two bogeys to take four-stroke lead over Shin, who's in a tie for ninth at 2-under after sinking five birdies and three bogeys.

Shin, who started on the back nine, birdied Nos. 11, 12 and 13. She continued her hot start with another birdie on the 15th. Shin, dubbed "the Little Angel," is already the tour's money list winner and rookie of the year, and she's looking to add player of the year to her dream rookie year. She would become the first player since Nancy Lopez of the United States to win all three awards in the same year.

"The first nine holes I played with little wind," said Shin. "But after that there were a lot of strong winds which made it a totally different golf course. It played really tough."

Shin bogeyed 17, birdied No. 1 and bogeyed 7 and 8 as the winds got stronger later in the day.

"I'm not jet-lagged but the season is coming to an end and I am a little tired physically," Shin said. "Even though I have slept a lot, I'm still tired."

Ochoa trails Shin in player of the year points but a win would guarantee her the award for the fourth straight year. Ochoa is also battling with Shin for the wins title - each have three - and the scoring average title.

"I played two-under, which was not bad in the wind," Shin said. "Lorena, she played really good, a 66. But we still have three more rounds. I will just focus on my game and try my best for three more days," Shin told the AFP.

"Tomorrow I will start afternoon. I don't know if the weather will help me or not. Wind and rain is forecasted.

"I am going to practice to correct some mistakes I made today, I will be ready for the second round."

"Tomorrow is a new start," Ochoa said. "I'm going to play like I'm a few shots behind and continue being aggressive and give myself chances to win on Sunday."

"Last week was a little bit tough in many different ways with all the things to do and all the pressure," she said. "Everything is a little bit easier, if you compare it to last week."

On Thursday, Ochoa had the advantage of playing in the morning before the winds got heavier in the afternoon.

Michelle Wie, coming off her first career win last weekend, withdrew for the Tour Championship because of a sprained ankle.

"I wanted to do everything I could to fight through the injury," Wie said in a statement. "It bothered me last week in Mexico, but I was able to play through the pain. I realized today that I wouldn't be able to continue to play through it."

"I want to make sure that I'm being smart with it," Wie said. "I will return home to have it looked at by my doctors and follow their advice for treatment."

yc@koreatimes.co.kr