Shin Ji-eun has returned to the top of the LPGA Tour after more than a decade.
On July 26, local time, Shin claimed victory at the ISPS Handa Scottish Women's Open held at Dundonald Links in North Ayrshire, Scotland. She shot a final round of 75, with two birdies and five bogeys, finishing at 9-under 279.
Shin outpaced second-place finisher Kim Ah-rim, who finished at 7-under 281, by two strokes. This victory marked a wire-to-wire win, as Shin led the tournament from the first round onward. She earned a prize of $300,000 (approximately 440 million won).
Since debuting on the tour in 2011, Shin had to wait until May 2016 to secure her first win at the Texas Shootout. Despite consistently placing in the top ranks, she struggled to clinch another title, even experiencing a deep slump that led to burnout.
With this win, Shin finally ended her long wait for a second title, achieving it 10 years, 2 months, and 25 days (3,738 days) after her first victory. She becomes only the third player since 1980 to have a gap of over 10 years between LPGA Tour wins.
In the final round, Shin started with a comfortable five-stroke lead but faltered with three consecutive bogeys from the 6th to the 8th hole. However, she regained her composure, making birdies on the 10th and 12th holes to extend her lead. Despite a challenging tee shot on the 18th hole that landed in the bushes, she managed to secure her victory with a bogey.
After the tournament, Shin was emotional as she celebrated with her fellow competitors. In a local interview, she reflected, "I didn’t play as well in the final round as I did in the first three. After making three consecutive bogeys, I felt uncertain and not very happy. But I’m proud of myself for holding on until the end, and I’m very happy."
She added, "When I won my first title, I didn’t feel deserving and thought it was a fluke. This time, it feels completely different. I feel like I earned it through hard work. I’m really happy to have achieved this victory."
With Shin's win, the total number of victories by Korean players on the LPGA Tour this season has increased to six. This follows victories by Lee Mi-hyang at the Blue Bay LPGA in March, Kim Hyo-joo at the Founders Cup and the Ford Championship, and Yoo Hae-ran at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the Evian Championship.
Kim Ah-rim, who shot five birdies and one bogey for a 4-under 68, finished in solo second place, achieving her best result of the season.
Choi Hye-jin and Yang Hee-young tied for 13th place with a total score of 1-over 289, while Kim Hyo-joo finished tied for 16th at 2-over 290, and Kim Sei-young ended in a tie for 19th at 3-over 291.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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