Jiyai Shin Wins Womens Australian Open
South Korea’s Jiyai Shin earned her 65th career title with a two-shot victory at the Women’s Australian Open, held at Kingston Heath. This is Shin’s second win at the event, having previously claimed the title in 2013.
Ashleigh Buhai from South Africa, who was aiming for her third consecutive win at this tournament, put up a fight but couldn’t close the gap. She finished second, while 17-year-old South Korean amateur Hyojin Yang took third, eight strokes further back.
After her win, Shin expressed her pride in being able to add her name to the trophy once again, pointing out how special it was to see her name alongside her previous victory.
For Australian golfer Hannah Green, the final day was one to forget. Starting just two shots behind Shin, Green struggled with fatigue and a lack of preparation, finishing with a disappointing six-over 79. This left her tied for fourth place, far from the leader.
The decisive moment came early in the round. Shin had an up-and-down start with birdies and a double bogey in the first three holes. However, she made a spectacular eagle on the fourth hole from over 100 yards out of a sandy lie, gaining a big advantage. Green, trying to keep pace, made a bogey on the same hole, which widened the gap to six shots.
Green later admitted that the early setbacks affected her focus and confidence, saying it felt like nothing was going her way. She added that her frustration grew because of how much she wanted to win her first Australian Open, especially after coming close several times before.
Shin maintained her lead comfortably, adding another birdie before the turn while Green’s game fell apart, including a triple bogey on the seventh hole. Although Green managed four birdies on the back nine, her mistakes earlier in the round kept her out of contention.
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Buhai briefly threatened late in the round as Shin’s lead narrowed due to three bogeys in her last six holes. The South African played strongly between the 10th and 16th holes but missed a crucial birdie putt on the 18th.
In the end, Shin needed only one putt to secure her victory, cementing her place as one of the most accomplished golfers from South Korea.
