Shin Ji-yai Surges Ahead at St Andrews

St Andrews, Scotland: The 2024 AIG Women’s Open was sensationally turned on its head as Nelly Korda stumbled and two-time champion Shin Ji-yai charged to the top of the leaderboard with a tremendous third-round performance.

Shin, whose previous victories in this championship came in 2008 and 2012, has a 54-hole aggregate of seven-under 209. She will head into the final round at St Andrews leading reigning champion Lilia Vu by one, with world number one Korda a shot further back.

Among those also in contention are New Zealand’s Lydia Ko (tied fourth, 212) and Thai Atthaya 'Jeeno' Thitikul and China’s Yin Ruoning (tied sixth, 213).

As Korda and several others endured struggles on another day of gusty crosswinds, the vastly experienced Shin put together a thrilling 67 packed with magical moments.

The undoubted highlight of the 36-year-old’s round came at the 17th, where a phenomenal approach shot with a hybrid left a tap-in putt for her seventh birdie of the day.

That moved the Korean level with American Korda, who had led by three at the half-way stage. But the world number one then double-bogeyed the 16th and dropped a further shot on the 17th to fall three off the pace before a much-needed birdie at the last rounded off her 75.

Vu had a double-bogey of her own on the 13th moments before Shin’s birdie at 17, but last year’s champion at Walton Heath responded magnificently down the stretch, picking up shots on the 14th, 16th and 18th to salvage a 71 and earn a place in the final group for the second year in succession.

Each of the last five AIG Women’s Open Champions have held at least a share of the lead heading into the final day, meaning history is now on Shin’s side.

Leading amateur Lottie Woad (72) eagled the 18th to join a group of six players at two-under that included fellow Englishwoman Charley Hull (75) and the duo of Esther Henseleit and Albane Valenzuela, who rocketed up the leaderboard with 66s compiled in calmer morning conditions.

German Henseleit and Switzerland's Valenzuela deserved credit for taking advantage of more benign conditions early in the day, but it was Shin who handled the afternoon gusts most effectively.

Nobody else in the last 14 groups on Saturday broke 70, putting Shin’s 67 into context.

Lengthy putts on the first and second set the tone, while the Korean came close to holing her tee shot at the short eighth, where the second of three birdies in a row was secured.

Shin then produced a majestic shot into crosswinds at the 12th to set up her sixth birdie, before saving her best of all for the iconic 17th, the Road Hole.

“I made two bogeys today (at the third and 14th), but I think everyone can make one or two bogeys,” said Shin, who provided smiles and fist pumps aplenty during her terrific display. “I just keep focused.”

Hers was a magnificent performance and a player with over 60 worldwide titles to her name is unlikely to be burdened by the prospect of playing with the lead on Sunday.

In contrast to Shin, Korda started her round with back-to-back bogeys, but the American looked to have emphatically steadied the ship when she picked up shots on the third, fifth and ninth to lead by two shots at the turn.

A troublesome back nine followed, however. After bogeying 12 and 13, Korda sent her tee shot out of bounds on the par-four 16th on her way to a six and then gave up another shot at the next.

A birdie on 18 was exactly what Korda required and it duly arrived. Despite conceding top spot, she remains firmly in contention.

Last year’s runner-up Hull has more ground to make up, having matched Korda’s 75 to trail Shin by five.

American Vu also endured several tough moments and later acknowledged ‘the wheels were falling off’ as she slipped to two-over for the day through 13 holes.

A champion’s response followed, though, leaving Vu – who shared the lead through 54 holes on her way to victory in 2023 – right on Shin’s heels.

Woad already had a healthy cushion in the battle for low amateur honours before she produced one of the standout moments of the week on the 18th.

By spectacularly holing her second shot for eagle, Woad completed a level-par 72 to be two-under and five clear of nearest rival Louise Rydqvist, who dropped back to three-over with a 78.

Argentina’s Ela Anacona (72) and Spaniard Julia Lopez Ramirez (74) are one behind Rydqvist as the race for the Smyth Salver enters its final day.