Jiyai Shin tees off in round three – image R&A via Getty Images
Korea’s Jiyai Shin, arguably the most underrated player in the female game, overcame an eight-shot deficit on world number one, Nelly Korda, in round three of the AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews and will now take a one-shot lead over world number two Lilia Vu into tonight’s final round with Korda now one shot further back again.
Shin, a two-time winner of the event in 2008 and 2012 produced a round of 67 including an outward nine of 32 and swept past Korda and Vu Korda’s final nine of 40 costing her the lead.
Vu also had trouble on the closing nine dropping three shots in two holes on the 12th and 13th before three late birdies moved her into second position alone.
Shin is a prolific winner of titles with more than 60 wins worldwide, eleven of those LPGA events and three of those majors but in recent years she has focused her attention on the Japan LPGA Tour where she has won a massive 30 titles.
When asked what it was about links golf that suits her, Shin would say:
“Well, I try to, well, I played a long time, the golf. I’ve been here already third time. This is my third time at St Andrews. That’s how much I played it, for so long. I have a lot of experience with links course and with not like this tough wind but pretty much I have a lot of good experience.
“So that’s why I take all my skill today. Yeah, the wind — really, the wind is nice to me today, and also, I made a bogey — two bogeys today but I think everyone can make one or two bogeys. So this is nothing. I just keep focused forward.”
When asked why a player of her calibre would focus on the Japan LPGA rather than the LPGA Tour Shin was open in her response.
“Well, yeah, my rookie year was 2009, and then I have — like I have many goals for the ten years’ goal, I have a plan. But after three, four years, I finish everything. So I couldn’t find any next step.
That’s why I just — I want to play good, but it doesn’t like — like I couldn’t get any motivate by myself. That’s why, okay, I need to change. I need a change. So that’s why I moved to, close to the family so that’s why I moved to Japan and this is my 11th year in Japan tours.
Yeah, I worry about lost the fans, but I met new fans. More new fans. I had a great decision.”
Lydia Ko remained in a share of 4th place with her round of 71 and is just three from the lead and appears to have a genuine chance of a first Women’s Open Championship.
Stephanie Kyriacou shares 19th place at even par while Grace Kim, the only other Australian to make the cut is now in 70th place.
