LOS ANGELES – South Korean veteran Shin Ji-yai fired eight birdies in a scintillating eight-under 63 to grab a share of the third-round lead in the LPGA Seri Pak Championship alongside Alison Lee.
A March 23 round featuring five straight birdies from the third to the seventh holes propelled Shin, who began the day in a tie for 33rd, to a nine-under total of 204, where she was joined by Lee after the American signed for a three-under 68 at Palos Verdes Golf Club in Los Angeles.
They were two strokes clear of Australian Gabriela Ruffels, Americans Nelly Korda and Malia Nam and China’s defending champion Yin Ruoning.
Yin had the lead at 10 under after 15 holes before a triple-bogey seven at the 18th dropped her into the tie for third. Ruffels carded a 65, Korda a 67 and overnight leader Nam a one-over 72.
Shin, who added birdies at Nos. 15, 16 and 18, said the windy conditions made hitting into the small greens tricky but once she got on her birdie run at the third, things felt relatively “easy”.
“Actually the setting is not for the long golfer, so we need it very consistent. But, you know, this wind (made it) very hard (for) calculating today. That’s why I talked a lot with my caddie about the wind direction and the numbers, too,” the 35-year-old said.
The former world No. 1, whose 11 LPGA titles include two British Women’s Open crowns, plays mostly in Asia nowadays. However, she took a sponsor’s exemption to compete in the tournament hosted for the first time in 2024 by her childhood idol Pak Se-ri.
It is also a chance for the world No. 18 to garner more world-ranking points as she chases a berth in the Paris Olympics.
“It’s quite big,” Shin said of the possibility of playing in the Olympics. “That’s why I asked Se-ri to want to play... because I play the Japan Tour right now. They have points as well, but much fewer than the LPGA Tour.
“You know, next year (will be) my 20th pro year. But finally I find a new goal this year so since early January I went to Australia and did the hard work. I went to Saudi, Singapore, Japan. I played all over the world because I’m very focused on my goal.”
Lee, who is chasing a first LPGA title, had six birdies in her three-under effort, chipping in for a birdie at the first before picking up another stroke at the second but gave one back straight away. She added birdies at the fifth, sixth and seventh and bounced back from bogeys at the ninth and 11th with a birdie at No. 16.
“I don’t think I’ve ever played out here this windy. It is definitely really tough mentally as well to just stay in it,” she said. AFP, REUTERS
