Shin Wins In Japan,
Bolsters No. 1 Ranking

SHIMA, JAPAN | Korean Jiyai Shin, who regained her No. 1 spot in the world rankings just last Monday, fired a bogey-free, final-round, 5-under 67 Sunday to capture the LPGA’s Mizuno Classic. Shin’s margin of victory was two strokes over Taiwan’s Yani Tseng.

American Stacy Lewis, still looking for her first professional win, placed third at 15 under, three shots ahead of Japan’s Miki Saiki and four clear of American Brittany Lincicome and Korea’s Na Yeon Choi, who tied for fifth. Choi’s finish enabled her to retain a slim ($3,535) lead over Shin on the season-long LPGA money list with two official events remaining. Choi’s total is $1,783,303; Shin has earned $1,779,768.

“I am going to take it easy for the next cou-
ple of weeks and then head to the LPGA Tour
Championship (in Florida),” Shin said. “If I have
good play there, it will make a warm winter.”
For her part, Tseng increased her lead in the
Rolex Player of the Year race to 14 points over
Japan’s Ai Miyazato. Choi and Shin are tied for
third, four back of Miyazato. Choi, meanwhile,
still leads in the Vare Trophy hunt with a 69.81
strokes per round average.

More important is her final round scoring average. Shin, in her eight LPGA wins, is averaging 67.25 on Sundays. The key hole turned out to be the par- 5 16th, where Shin’s birdie gave her a two-shot margin over Tseng.

“I really tried to bring my best A-game today,” Tseng said. “But I didn’t make any birdies on the last seven holes.”

The venue was the par-72 Kintetsu Kashiko-jima Country Club. Lewis, for one, felt comfortable because she endorses the equipment of Mizuno, the title sponsor.

The hottest player on the course Sunday was Inbee Park, who began her final nine holes birdie-birdie-birdie-eagle-birdie to finish with an inward 30 and a closing 65 that jumped her from T28 to T8.

Defending champion Bo Bae Song shot a final-round 74 to finish tied for 56th. Former Mizuno Classic winners Karrie Webb, Maria Hjorth and Momoko Ueda tied for 14th. Miyazato rebounded from a second-round 79 to close with 68 and gain a share of 69th place.