Jiyai Shin wins Wegmans LPGA by 7 strokes
June 28, 2009
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP)—Jiyai Shin dedicates each one of her golf victories—make that five in 11 months—to her mother.
The 21-year-old South Korean star, whose mother was killed in a car crash in2004, shot a 1-under 71 on Sunday to win the Wegmans LPGA by seven strokes witha 17-under 271. It was the biggest margin of victory at the tricky, tree-linedLocust Hill course since Patty Sheehan beat Nancy Lopez by nine strokes in 1992.
“I have my mother’s picture in my course book,” Shin said proudly afterpicking up a $300,000 prize that vaulted her to the top of the money list aboveCristie Kerr, In-Kyung Kim and Lorena Ochoa with $1 million.
Kristy McPherson and Yani Tseng each shot a 66, the day’s best score, tosurge into a second-place tie at 10 under. One behind were Japan’s Mika Miyazato(71) and rookies Haeji Kang (71) of South Korea and Stacy Lewis (74), the formerNCAA champion from Arkansas.
First-round leader Sandra Gal (74) of Germany bogeyed the last hole to dropinto a four-way tie for seventh place at 8 under with Kerr (69), MeaghanFrancella (70) and Sun Young Yoo (73).
“I have a lot of tournaments” left to play this year and “maybe I trymore wins,” Shin said. “Still, my goal is rookie of the year.”
Jiyai Shin, of South Korea, ra… AP – Jun 28, 6:57 pm EDT
Shin lengthened her lead over Michelle Wie in the rookie of the yearstandings to 405 points. She also jumped from fourth to first in the RolexPlayer of the Year rankings with 90 points, nine ahead of Kerr.
Shin carried a four-stroke lead into the final round in the Rochester suburbof Pittsford. She never looked in danger of being caught, even when she pickedup two straight bogeys near the close as a downpour produced a flurry of errors.
The $2 million tournament drew 18 of the season’s top 20 money winners.Ochoa, the world’s top-ranked player, and Suzann Pettersen, the runner-up herelast June, were among the absentees.
A multiple winner on the Korean tour, Shin became the first non-LPGA memberto win three events when she reeled in the Women’s British Open last August. Shefollowed with late-season wins in the Mizuno Classic and ADT Championship and,in March, captured the HSBC Women’s Champions in Singapore for her first victoryas a tour member.
Shin rolled in an 8-foot birdie putt on No. 1, saved par from 20 feet on No.6 but picked up her first of three bogeys on the next hole when her 7-foot puttcurled left at the cup. She made amends from the same distance for a birdie onthe par-5 No. 8.
Morgan Pressel closed the gap to four strokes with an 8-foot birdie puttbefore the turn, but Shin’s lead swelled to six when she birdied No. 10 from 12feet.
Shin faltered with bogeys on No. 13—where Pressel’s prospects vanishedwith a triple bogey—and on No. 14, where she missed a 4-foot putt. But shebirdied from 9 feet on No. 17.
Lewis, who tied for third at the U.S. Women’s Open last summer, reached 13under at No. 13 but slumped with four bogeys on the last six holes.
“I played well this week but right now it’s pretty tough to take,” Lewissaid.
Tiger Woods’ niece, Cheyenne Woods, made her professional golf debut butmissed the cut by four strokes. Play was delayed for three hours Thursday andnearly five hours Friday. After a sunny interlude Saturday, rain fell steadilyover the last three hours of play.
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