Shin leads Koreans to dominate in British Open
By Yoon Chul
Staff reporter
Last week’s Evian Masters winner Shin Ji-yai is looking to build on her success at the Women’s British Open, one of the four major events on the LPGA calendar.
Shin, who retook the top spot on the money list and Rolex rankings following her victory, has been scorching the fairways of late.
She has appeared in four competitions since sudden surgery due to acute appendicitis on June 9, and finished in the top five each time. She finished fifth at the Women’s U.S Open and topped the leader board at the Evian Masters.
To maintain her top spot over strong contenders such as Ai Miyazato, Suzann Pettersen and Cristie Kerr, Shin needs another remarkable win.
Under the LPGA’s point scheme, the Korean averages 10.66 points while Miyazato and Kerr are just behind her at 10.25 and 10.18, respectively. Pettersen is ranked fourth with 10.14.
The British Open, the last major competition of the year awards 50 points – 30 points more than non-majors, meaning the winner among them could snatch the top spot.
Shin has wonderful memories of the British Open as she was crowned champion in 2008.
In the Evian Masters, Shin also proved why she is still the golfer to beat. In the final round, then former world No. 1 was two shots off the lead. But her accurate iron approaches and bold putting in tense circumstances gave her the come-from-behind victory.
Clinching the top spot at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club will be much tougher as Shin doesn’t favor links courses. Kerr, on the other hand, takes a different view.
“I like it a lot. It's a different type of golf. You have to play the bounces. I really love this golf course,” Kerr said on the LPGA website.
“I just like how it's out in front of you and you can see where you need to go. And, you know, the approach shots into the green, they fit my eye. And these greens are very good. So I like the course a lot.”
Links courses, with which many female golfers don’t have a lot of experience with, are located on the coast amid sand dunes with few water hazards but feature thick rough and deep bunkers.
Usually the courses have wonderful scenery but it can be difficult for golfers to set low scores there.
In 2008, Shin lifted the trophy at inland Sunningdale. Last year, the 22-year-old Korean failed to defend her British Open crown on another links course, Royal Lytham & St. Annes, shooting 3-over par in the final round to finish tied for eighth.
“I will enjoy the challenge of the links course,” Shin said. “I want to emulate my seniors’ achievements and reclaim the top spot,” added Shin.
Among the other Korean contenders, Choi Na-yeon and Kim Song-hee are both in strong form and veteran Jang Jeong is making her return from wrist surgery.
In her last three events, Choi has one win and been runner-up twice. Though Kim hasn’t been victorious she has made 11 top 10 finishes times in 13 appearances in 2010.
Jang, who won at this same course in the 2005 Women’s British Open, finished in the top 10 at the Evian Masters.
In 2005, Jang won in a wire-to-wire victory, finishing at 16-under.
Shin, who is dubbed the “Little Angel,” turned professional in 2005.
She shone in the KLPGA in 2006, earning Rookie and Player of the Year honors with four victories. In 2007, Shin broke the KLPGA career money record only in 33 events - Il Mi-chung set in 99 - and recorded 16 top-10 finishes in 18 events, including nine victories.
Shin has 32 professional wins (20 in KLPGA, seven in LPGA, three in JLPGA, two on the Ladies Asian Golf Tour) in five seasons of full-time professional competition.
Shin was at a driving range in Korea in 2004 when her mother and two younger siblings were injured in a car accident. Her mother died as a result of her injuries and her siblings spent nearly a year in the hospital - with Shin at their side - before recovering. Her father invested her mother's life insurance money into Shin's golf career.
Another major win would see Shin continue to shine on the LPGA tour with the potential to do so for many years to come