ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – No one on this AIG Ladies’s Open discipline has gained greater than Jiyai Shin.
And absolutely a couple of of those younger gamers chasing the 36-year-old Shin into Sunday at St. Andrews have little thought what all she’s completed.
“I don’t know a lot,” mentioned Lilia Vu, who trails Shin by a shot and shall be paired alongside her within the last pairing. “However I do know each time she exhibits as much as a significant match, she’s high 10.”
Vu isn’t far off. Shin had teed it up in 38 main championships earlier than this week – and racked up 13 top-10s. Two of these are Ladies’s Open victories, in 2008 and 2012, they usually assist account for not solely 11 profession LPGA titles but additionally a whopping 68 worldwide wins, which have principally come on LPGA excursions in Japan (30) and her native South Korea (27).
“I undoubtedly know,” mentioned Lydia Ko, who was paired with Shin within the last spherical when Ko gained the 2012 CPKC Ladies’s Open as a 15-year-old novice. “… I don’t know if there’s a single place on planet Earth that she has not dominated in.”
Shin first reached world No. 1 in 2010, a 12 months after her first full season on the primary LPGA, and spent a complete of 25 weeks in three stints atop the world rankings. However in her phrases, she finally misplaced motivation, her 10-year targets completed in just some seasons.
“I couldn’t discover any subsequent step,” Shin mentioned Saturday after her 5-under 67 across the Outdated Course moved her to 7 beneath. “I wanted a change, in order that’s why I moved.”
Shin, who misplaced her mom in a automobile accident when she was 16 years outdated, additionally wished to be nearer to her household in Korea and settled in Japan. Previous to the 2014 LPGA season, she forfeited her membership and joined the JLPGA, profitable 4 instances that 12 months. She has gained no less than as soon as on that tour yearly since aside from 2022 and this 12 months, although on the subject of majors, she solely competed in seven between 2014 and 2022.
“For her to go to Japan, I don’t assume it’s a simple transfer since you’re nearly going again to love the place you began,” Ko mentioned. “I feel it’s simply very brave. … She made the choice that she thought was proper for her, and I imply, look what she’s executed.”
Added Shin: “I nervous about misplaced the followers, however I met new followers. Extra new followers. I made an incredible determination.”
With 22 wins in Japan since leaving the LPGA full-time, Shin has lately picked up her play on the world’s hottest ladies’s golf circuit. Trying to qualify for the Olympics in Paris, Shin made 9 LPGA begins up to now two years main into the qualification deadline – greater than she’d made within the eight earlier. Six of these had been majors, and she or he contended in two of them, ending T-2 on the 2023 U.S. Ladies’s Open and third at this championship later that 12 months. She additionally tied for fifth on the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship in Los Angeles, her first non-major begin within the U.S. in over a decade.
Shin finally fell wanting an Olympic berth, however at No. 30 within the Rolex Rankings coming into this week, she’s confirmed that she’s nonetheless bought it, irrespective of the tour.
“It was an excellent strive,” Shin mentioned of her Paris chase. “Good problem for myself. I bought numerous good motivation on my own. I’m actually working onerous and practising onerous. I couldn’t make it, however I’m taking part in good this week.”
In blustery situations at St. Andrews, Shin has carded simply six bogeys via three rounds. She performed in every of the primary two Ladies’s Opens on the Outdated Course, although after a pair of finishes simply exterior the highest 25 in each 2007 and 2013, she’s lastly in competition.
As the present world No. 1, Nelly Korda, misplaced her grip on this championship with a sloppy 4-over 40 on the again 9 to slide to 3rd, two photographs again, Shin shined down the stretch Saturday. Positive, she bogeyed the par-5 14th, however in any other case, she was scientific, no extra so than when she flushed a 20-degree hybrid from 205 yards out on the par-4 seventeenth gap. Her ball landed on the entrance of the inexperienced, about 25 yards wanting the opening earlier than taking the slope and curling into a couple of toes.
“I couldn’t see the place ball completed as a result of my peak,” Shin quipped. “I couldn’t see it, however I might hear numerous clapping … after which once I come as much as 17 [green], wish to the opening, I’m like, ‘Wow, so shut!’”
Ko mentioned she considers Shin a mentor and admires her significantly. When Ko has been within the health club this week, Shin has normally been there as effectively. Whereas Ko was beginning her observe rounds later within the day, Shin was among the many first strolling off the 18th inexperienced, having gotten out early, together with at 6:30 a.m. on Monday.
“I feel that takes not solely numerous work ethic however ardour towards the sport in what she does,” Ko mentioned. “I feel she’s one of many gamers that I really respect simply as an individual and never what she’s simply executed and completed as a golfer.”
Shin is closing in on undertaking much more as a golfer. A 3rd Ladies’s Open trophy would match her with Karrie Webb and Sherri Steinhauer for probably the most all-time. It could additionally shut a 12-year hole between main titles, the longest since Steinhauer gained the 2006 Ladies’s Open, 14 years after her first, which got here when this championship wasn’t thought of a significant. And for these younger gamers who don’t know Shin, it could present them simply how dominate she will be.
But, no matter what occurs Sunday, it is likely to be some time earlier than they see her once more.
She’ll be off to Japan, to win some extra.
