Player Profile - Jiyai Shin

Twenty-two year old Jiyai Shin may be younger than some pros on the LPGA tour, but she has already made her mark on women’s golf. With thirty-four professional wins to her name since going pro just five years ago, this talented young player has worked hard to earn her nickname, “the final round queen”.

Shin’s career in golf kicked off at a young age in 2005 while she was still in high school. At 17, she was the only amateur to win an event on the KLPGA during the season, after a victory at the SK Enclean Invitational. At the end of the 2005 season, she took the decision to go pro while attending Yonsei University.

2006 was a successful rookie year for Shin. Starting off the season with several top ten finishes, she found her stride and finished the season with wins at the PAW Invitational, Orient China Ladies Open and the Taeyoung Cup Korea Women’s Open. Shin’s performance in her rookie year looked impressive, but it was just a taste of things to come for the young golfer. In 2007 she flew through the KLPGA tournaments, winning ten out of nineteen events in which she took place and breaking successive tour records. After playing several LPGA events during the 2007 season, Shin finished the year ranked number eight in the world.

2008 marked the year that Shin entered the mainstream of international professional golf. With wins at the Women’s World Cup of Golf and the Mizuno Classic, Shin ended the year with a win at the ADT Championship, the first non-LPGA member in history to win three LPGA tournaments in a year. In 2009 Shin continued her domination of LPGA tournaments, winning the Wegmans LPGA tournament and the P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship. She finished the 2009 season as rookie of the year.

This year, Shin has been competing for the world number one spot, which she has lost and regained several times in competition with Ai Miyazato amongst others. Victory came again for this talented young golfer when she won the Mizuno Classic for the second time on Sunday, weathering heavy competition from a talented field.

Jiyai Shin is a powerhouse of the LPGA. At only 22, she has a fantastic career ahead of her and will thrill golf fans for many years to come.