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Shin Ji-yai of South Korea tees off on the ninth hole during the final round of the US Women's Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California, on Sunday. (Getty Images) |
In a turn-back-the-clock performance, South Korean Shin Ji-yai has finished tied for second place at the US Women's Open.
Shin, former world No. 1 in women's golf, shot a four-under 68 in the final round of the second major championship of the season at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California, on Sunday.
At six-under 282 overall, Shin tied Charley Hull of England for second place, three behind the champion, Allisen Corpuz of the United States.
Shin, an 11-time LPGA winner currently based in Japan, hadn't recorded a top-10 finish at a major since tying for fifth at the 2013 Wegmans LPGA Championship.
Shin, 35, spent 25 weeks as the No. 1 player in the world from May 2010 to February 2011. But she gave up her LPGA membership before the start of the 2014 season to be closer to her family in South Korea, and began playing more regularly on the Japanese tour.
This U.S. Women's Open was Shin's first tournament in America since 2019. Shin won the 2008 and 2012 Women's Open titles as her only two LPGA majors so far.
Shin started the final round at two-under, five behind the leader, Nasa Hataoka of Japan. Playing in the third-to-last group with countrywoman Ryu Hae-ran, Shin made two birdies on the front nine.
After missing the green en route to her first bogey of the day on the 10th hole, Shin bounced right back with a birdie on the 11th to return to four-under.
A birdie at the par-5 14th took Shin to five-under, three shots off the lead. But Shin couldn't put any more pressure on Corpuz, who birdied the 14th and 15th en route to her maiden major title.
Shin capped off her day by draining a 14-foot birdie putt on the 18th, her fifth birdie of the round.
Another South Korean, Kim Hyo-joo, finished tied for sixth at two-under 286.
Kim began the final round three behind Hataoka in a tie for third place and failed to make up any ground on the front nine.
Playing in the second-to-last group, Kim birdied the second hole but then had six straight pars, held back by mediocre chipping and putting. Kim's first bogey of the day came on the par-4 ninth hole, dropping her back to where she began.
A three-putt bogey at the 11th pushed Kim further out of contention.
Playing alongside Shin, Ryu shot a 74 to end at even-par 288.
Only seven players finished with an under-par score on the iconic Pebble Beach, which hosted the U.S. Women's Open for the first time. (Yonhap)
