Can Shin regain winning form at HSBC?
BY Bruce Young | LPGA Tour | 2012 HSBC Women's Champions | Preview | 22 Feb 2012
The LPGA Tour moves south to Singapore for the HSBC Women’s Champions event at the Tanah Merah Country Club’s Garden Course.
The event is being played for the fifth occasion with Lorena Ochoa, Jiyai Shin, Ai Miyazato and Karrie Webb the previous winners.
Last year Webb ran down the long time leader, Chie Arimura, coming from three behind with nine holes to go to win her first LPGA title in nearly two years.
Yani Tseng finished third last year and given her great win last week in Thailand is expected to again be the one to beat despite not having won this event to date. Tseng also finished third in the event in 2010.
Miyazato finished runner-up to Webb last year and given her great start last week when runner-up to Tseng in Thailand she can be expected to contend once again.
Jiyai Shin won in 2009 and gave an indication when third last week behind Tseng and Miyazato that she could be on the way back to her former glory. It has been 15 months since Shin last won an event but at that time she was the game’s number one player and her recent efforts suggest she is closing in on her best again.
Karrie Webb improved significantly between the Australian Women’s Open and the event in Thailand last week which she lad at various stages before finishing 9th. If she can continue that improvement then a successful defence is not beyond her.
Katherine Hull is the only other Australian with a start.
The event is played over 72 holes and carries a first prize of US$210,000.
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