By Kim Hyun-cheol
Staff Reporter
Pak Se-ri and Kim Mi-hyun wanted it but never made it past Karrie Webb and Annika Sorenstam. Michelle Wie was expected to claim it but Lorena Ochoa stood too strong.
Now, Shin Ji-yai, the new leader of the Korean young guns, made the dream of becoming the first Korean golfer to be officially No. 1 in the world a reality. She unseated Ochoa from the top spot of the Rolex Rankings after 158 weeks, in the latest standings.
Shin, 22, won the Japan LPGA (JLPGA) CyberAgent Ladies tournament Sunday, carding an 8-under 208, a two shot victory over Akane Iijima and Miho Koga in Chiba Prefecture. Heading into the final round trailing four strokes behind Chie Arimura, Shin carded a bogey-free round with six birdies for a thrilling upset.
Taking the world top spot would have still been impossible if Ochoa had hit back with her best shot at the Tres Marias Championship in Morelia, Mexico. However, the Mexican legend, who announced last month she will retire to focus on her family, ended in sixth place with a 12-under 280, seven strokes behind the winner Ai Miyazato of Japan.
Ochoa needed to place fourth or higher to hold on to her top spot. Starting in sixth place, she failed to outplay anyone above her in the final round by making up just two strokes.
The Korean star also became the third golfer to occupy the highest berth following Ochoa and Sorenstam, since the rankings were first introduced in 2006.
Shin said the whole thing still ``feels unreal.''
``It's not really hitting me yet,'' she was quoted as saying by The Yonhap News Agency. ``It means my name is placed ahead of many great players. And that's why it still feels unreal to me.
``The spot can change hands at any moment. I hope to learn to roll with the pressure to make new momentum to get me going.''
Shin first stole the global limelight in 2008 as she became the first non-LPGA golfer record to three wins on the tour including the British Open. After joining the tour last year, the Korean powerhouse added three more titles and became the Rookie of the Year.
This Season, Shin has not won on the LPGA as yet, but has had three top-10 finishes, including one at the Kraft Nabisco Championship last month, where she tied for fifth place.
Shin will face a strong challenge to hold on to the top-spot from the other leading LPGA players in arguably the most intense competition ever.
Without Ochoa, a perennial dominating force on the tour, no particular player has a distinct advantage, which could be the beginning of an open era in the sport. Shin is named as one of the favorites to lead the race along with other top Asian golfers such as Miyazato and Tseng Ya-ni of Taiwan.
Miyazato has already claimed three wins this year, leading in wins, money earned and this season's player-of-the-year race. Tseng won the Kraft Nabisco Championship last month.
Also in contention are a group of international golfers including Suzann Pettersen of Norway, Anna Nordqvist of Sweden and Christie Kerr of the United States.
As of last week's standings, Shin leads with 8.76 points, 0.04 ahead of Tseng, while Pettersen and Miyazato closely trailing with 8.46 and 8.19, respectively. They will take on one another next week at the Bell Micro LPGA Classic in Alabama.
Shin appears to be well aware of the pending pressure that the intense competition will bring throughout the season.
The Rolex Rankings are sanctioned by the five major women's professional golf tours including the LPGA, JLPGA and Korean LPGA. Currently they are the sole women's world rankings that incorporate player performances from various major events.
As of last week's standings, no Korean golfers but Shin are in the top 10, with Korean-American Michelle Wie at ninth. The 11th-20th stretch, however, has five Koreans including Choi Na-yeon in 12th.