Shin Ji-eun wins second LPGA title after 10-year wait, setting 30-year record

Shin Ji-eun claimed her second LPGA Tour title Sunday, ending a 10-year wait with an emotional victory in Scotland.

Shin carded two birdies and five bogeys for a 3-over-par 75 in the final round of the ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open — a $2 million event — at Dundonald Links (par 72) in North Ayrshire, Scotland.

The shaky round mattered little given the five-stroke cushion she carried into the day. She finished at 9-under-par 279, beating runner-up Kim A-rim (7-under 281) by two strokes to complete a wire-to-wire victory. Her winner's check came to $300,000.

Shin joined the LPGA Tour in 2011 and claimed her first title at the Volunteers of America Texas Shootout in May 2016, lifting the trophy again after a gap of 10 years and two months. A victory on the LPGA Tour after a gap of 10 years or more had not been seen since 1996, when Vicki Fergon of the United States won a title 12 years and three months after her previous one — making Shin's feat the first of its kind in 30 years.

Shin opened the tournament with a 6-under-par round to share the first-round lead, moved into sole possession of the top spot in the second round, and extended her advantage to five strokes over Pajaree Anannarukarn of Thailand heading into the final day. She pushed that lead as wide as eight strokes through the fifth hole (par 5) in the early stages of Sunday's round.

Three consecutive bogeys starting at the sixth hole (par 3) brought a sudden wobble, and Anannarukarn closed to within three strokes. But Shin answered with her first birdie of the day at the 10th hole (par 4) and added another at the 12th (par 4) by sticking her second shot close to the pin, reasserting her lead.

A missed green at the 16th (par 4) led to a bogey, leaving her three ahead as she stepped onto the 18th (par 5). Her tee shot found the rough to the right of the fairway, forcing a scramble, but she two-putted for bogey to close out the round and end her long wait for a second title.

Drenched by a celebratory water shower from fellow players and moved to tears, Shin told reporters she had not been as nervous as the day before but that her ball-striking had not been as sharp as in the previous three rounds. "After three straight bogeys, I wasn't enjoying myself and I wasn't sure what would happen," she said. "But I'm proud of myself for holding on, and I'm incredibly happy."

She reflected on the decade between her two titles. "My first win felt like something I stumbled into by chance, but this one is completely different," she said. "This feels like something I achieved through my own hard work."

Shin's victory at the Scottish Open is the third by a Korean player at the event, following Im Mi-hyang in 2017 and Huh Mi-jung in 2019. Her win also extended a strong run of Korean victories on the LPGA Tour.

Ryu Hae-ran had already made history by winning back-to-back majors — the KPMG Women's PGA Championship late last month and the Amundi Evian Championship two weeks ago — and Shin's triumph means Korean players have now won three consecutive LPGA Tour events. Including Kim Hyo-joo's two wins earlier this season (the Founders Cup and the Ford Championship) and Im Mi-hyang's victory at the Blue Bay LPGA, Korean players have combined for six wins on tour this season.

The winning streak has raised expectations ahead of the AIG Women's Open, the season's final major, which tees off Thursday.

Runner-up Kim A-rim posted a 4-under final round for her best result of the season, while Anannarukarn dropped two strokes to finish third at 5-under 283.

Choi Hye-jin fired the day's best round of 5-under to tie Yang Hee-young for 13th place at 1-over 289. Kim Hyo-joo and world No. 1 Nelly Korda of the United States finished tied for 16th at 2-over 290.