If Nelly Korda is still to be crowned champion at this AIG Women’s Open, she’ll need to take down a player who knows how to win unlike almost any other.
While many anticipated a blockbuster battle between the current world No.1 and the home favourite Charley Hull, it was the 36-year-old Jiyai Shin who surged into contention at St Andrews.
The former world No.1 from South Korea – with 64 worldwide wins to her name – made seven birdies in a sublime 67 on Saturday to lead Lilia Vu by one shot heading into Sunday’s finale.
Defending champion Vu posted a stress-free 71 with a fine birdie at the last, while her flustered playing partner Korda made a steely birdie of her own on 18 to recover and remain two back.
Yet at one stage on a calmer but breezy Saturday at the Old Course, Korda looked destined to pull away from the pack.
After an early wobble with two opening bogeys, she made three birdies to finish the front nine with a flourish and restore her three-shot overnight cushion. But Korda’s new Spider putter that has worked so well for the American since making the late addition to her bag on Wednesday also proved her undoing.
Back-t0-back three-putt bogeys on 12 and 13 derailed her round once more and Korda looked shellshocked after driving out-of-bounds on her way to a double-bogey six on 16.
As Korda stalled, Shin was lapping up the applause as she took the clubhouse lead. The veteran had rolled back the years with the rarest of birdie threes at the ‘Road Hole’ 17th and was determined to enjoy her moment in the sun.
