Jiyai Shin takes surprise lead at US Open
IN: News | LPGA | US Women's Open (2007) | Round Three | by Bruce Young | 01 Jul 2007
The US Women’s Open made up a lot of lost ground on day three and with no further disruptions, all 72 holes should be completed by the scheduled time on Sunday. It certainly did not appear that way at various stages through the opening two days but both the tournament organisers and the “weather gods” have performed miracles.
As darkness brought play to a premature close for the third day in succession, Korean Jiyai Shin who, despite not being a member of the LPGA Tour and playing this event as a result of her exploits on the Korean LPGA Tour, heads the world’s best.
As round two wound up on the morning of day three, the woman who had dominated this event for what had seemed like an eternity, Angela Park, retained her lead, this time by two over Jiyai Shin, Amy Hung and Julieta Granada.
Park lost the lead briefly when she three putted the 4th hole of round two for bogey after facing a very makeable putt for birdie. That left Julieta Granada in the lead but Park was not finished yet and she managed to pick up two birdies on her way in and reclaimed the lead. Not only had she done her own cause some good, but she had effectively eliminated some twelve players at seven over who had been inside the ten shot rule prior to Park’s late rally.
Only five players were under par at the completion of 36 holes but the scores may well have been much higher if the weather had not been so kind today. The weather was still hot but gone was the threat of the thunderstorms that had interrupted throughout the opening two days.
The victims of the cut included the world number two, Karrie Webb, who improved twelve shots on day two but not enough to play the final 36 holes, Juli Inkster and McDonald’s LPGA Champion, Suzann Pettersen.
Lorena Ochoa finished off her second round with a 71, which had her at even par and although five shots behind Park, she appeared to be the player to beat over the next 36 holes. Ten holes into round three the Mexican had joined the lead. An outward nine of 32 had Ochoa at three under and when she added another birdie at the 10th she had moved to 4 under and shared the lead with Angela Park, Cristie Kerr and Jiyai Shin.
Shin is not a regular on the LPGA Tour but she has become a prolific performer on the Korean LPGA. In February of this year she played in Australia and did well at the Women’s Australian Open and the ANZ Ladies Masters. She gained a start in this event as a result of her huge success in Korea and as one of 24 Koreans to make the cut she’s not only the best of that list, she is sharing the lead at the US Women’s Open. When Shin birdied the 10th she had moved one ahead of Ochoa, Kerr and Park.
Kerr was putting together a very impressive third round when darkness again brought play to a conclusion for the day. Like Ochoa, Kerr has yet to win a major but has often played the big events well recording nine top tens in majors. She has created a chance to go one better this week by playing her first 13 holes of round three in 5 under but there is still a long way to go.
At 8.05pm played was called and Shin led by one over Ochoa, Kerr and Park with Morgan Pressel opening up chances for her second major of the year at three under.
The best of the Australians is Wendy Doolan who dropped two shots just before play was concluded to be at 2 over and in 15th position. Katherine Hull was the only other Australian to make the cut and she is at 5 over and in 35th place.
