Shin makes it five LPGA Tour wins
BY Bruce Young | LPGA Tour | 2009 Wegmans LPGA | Round Four | 29 Jun 2009
20-year-old Ji Yai Shin made it five LPGA Tour victories in her last 11 months when she walked away with the Wegmans LPGA Championship in Rochester New York.
Officially a rookie in season 2009 on the LPGA Tour, Shin won the Women’s British Open, the Mizuno Classic and the ADT Tour Championship in the latter half of 2008 while a non member of the LPGA.
Today however she moved to the top of the 2009 money list with her seven shot victory over Yani Tseng and Kristy McPherson, adding this title to the HSBC Women’s Champions event she won in Singapore earlier this year.
One shot behind Sandra Gal after an opening round of 65, Shin took the lead in round two and the margin just kept increasing as those nearest to her heading into the final round struggled. Tseng and McPherson each produced final rounds of 66 to move from 21st to share second but they were never a chance of catching the leader.
Rookies Haeji Kang and Mika Miyazato and Stacy Lewis finished in a share of 4th. The 18 year old Kang played much of her amateur golf in Australia when based on the Gold Coast and was the Australian Junior Champion in 2007 and runner up to Helen Oh at the Australian Amateur in 2006. Kang has only limited status on the LPGA Tour in 2009 and this has been by far her best performance in her seven starts to date.
Sarah Kemp and Lindsey Wright were the leading Australians finishing in 15th position. For Kemp it was her best finish of the season to date and her second best finish in her LPGA Tour career. Lindsey Wright was well positioned heading into the final day only to falter with a round of 76. Wright remains as the leading Australian in 9th place on the 2009 money list however with earnings of US$542,000.
Karrie Webb was the only other Australian to make the cut and finished 24th.
The LPGA Tour now moves to Toledo for the Jamie Farr event before moving back east for the US Women’s Open in Pennsylvania beginning on July 9th.
