Tomorrow: Jill McGill’s LPGA Tour Diary
FOUR LPGA TOUR WINS and a total of 26 professional wins − and she won’t be 21 until next month. LPGA Tour rookie Jiyai Shin doesn’t play like one.
Shin has already won a major − the 2008 Women’s British Open. This past weekend she stormed from behind to win the HSBC Women’s Champions in Singapore against an elite field.
Jiyai closed with a pair of 66s, explaining that she hit her driver and iron shots better than the first two days. The solid play catapulted Shin up the leaderboard. On Sunday, she made up four shots on leader Katherine Hull over the final nine holes to claim the title.
“Why do you think Koreans are so good at golf?” Shin was asked.
“I always say that we have Kimchi, and it has special powers, spicy, I think,” she said, laughing.
Shin, whose English is improving, added, “I think we long time have family to support, the players. So, get more hard mental, and then more training.”
Whether it’s from Kimchi, hard work, or both, this former KLPGA Tour player certainly does have special powers. At the rate she’s going, Shin will need a very large trophy room to store all of her golf hardware.
Shin File
Turned pro: 2005
Birthplace: South Korea
College: Yonsei University
World ranking: 4
Professional wins: 26
LPGA Tour wins: 4
Major wins: 1
Equipment: PING
−The Armchair Golfer
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Jiyai Shin really does look like the player to watch out for going by her incredible record. The number of tournament wins she has against her name, which includes a Major, can be given a lot more credence considering the fact that she is not even 21.
I had interacted with a young amateur from South Korea at a tournament last month and this is exactly what I asked him, how is it that the South Korean women are just so good? He puts it all down to practice. It didn’t seem like reason enough to me but according to him the way most of them train is close to scary. I noticed that Shin did put it down as one of the reasons but that young lad was confident that training and hard work was the one and only reason why they are so good at the game.
There have been a few good players on the men’s circuit, notably KJ Choi, Charlie Wi and more recently Yang Yong-Eun, who incidentally won the HSBC Champions in Shanghai, in a field that included Tiger Woods. But, South Korea has never managed to produce as many champion golfers on the men’s circuit. It is undoubtedly strange.
All on the tour have talent. An incredible worth ethic can make the difference, and apparently Shin has it.
I met and followed Ms. Shin at The Jamie Far Tournament in Toledo OH.Yes she is a dazzeling golfer, but more important Ms. Shin is a super nice young lady as well. On Saturday she played w/ Wie and Gulbus, by the turn she had captured the hearts of that naturally large following. At days end Ms. Shin took time for photos and autographs for everyone in line then went back to work.Ji-yai Shin is the real thing. A great ambasador for woman and womans golf. I traveled to Prattsville Al.to see her one more time, but she was not feeling well and did not play. Merry Christmas Ji-Yai see ya next year.