(26 July 2010 – Evian-les-Bains, France)
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Korea&aposs Jiyai Shin claimed her first win of the season with a dramatic final-hole birdie at the Evian Masters Presented by Société Générale in France. Predictions are that the win will catapult the affable Korean back to the Rolex World No.1 spot when rankings are released tomorrow. Her birdie on the last hole broke a four-way tie with American’s Morgan Pressel and Alexis Thompson and Korea’s Na Yeon Choi left in a share of second spot.
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rnPressel had entered the final round at 11-under par, a two-shot buffer over Shin and another Korean Jeong Jang, with Thompson and Brittany Lincicome a further shot back in third place. Choi was in a group of four players at 7-under par, four shots adrift the leader. While most of the leaders were moving forward on the front nine, both Jang and Lincicome stumbled to outward nines of even and 1-over respectively, effectively ruling them out of the race. Jang carded a round of 72 to finish in 8th while Lincicome fell into a tie for 11th after a 1-over 73.
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rnThompson had the best of the front nine with 4 birdies and no bogeys to move to 12-under and a tie for 2nd with Shin, who also went bogey-free adding three birdies. Pressel retained her two-shot lead with an eagle at the 5th and another birdie on the 9th hole to get to 14-under par through 9 holes. Her birdie on the 9th would be her last of the day. On the inward nine the putts wouldn’t drop, and after a bogey on the 10th hole dropped her back to 13-under she would play the last eight holes in 8 straight pars.
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rn15-year old Thompson, playing on a sponsor’s invitation, also dropped a shot at the 10th but bounced back with a birdie at the par-4 12th to remain just one shot out of the lead. Shin moved to the top of the leaderboard with Pressel after a birdie at the 13th. The big move was happening up ahead with Choi starting a run of 4 birdies in a row at the 14th. This moved her from 9-under up to 13-under and in a share of the lead. Both Shin and Pressel couldn’t break away at the top, making pars at the same four holes. Thompson’s thoughts of victory seemed to have evaporated with a bogey at the 16th, but showing amazing composure for a 15-year old, bounced back to birdie both 17 and 18 to join the leaders on 13-under par.
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rnAnd so it came down to the last pairing on the course. Choi and Thompson were in the clubhouse at 13-under and Shin and Pressel stood on the par-5 18th tee on the same score. On what is one of the most dramatic closing holes in women’s golf, either player knew that a birdie on the last could give them the title. Both players found themselves with makeable birdie putts in front of a huge crowd. Shin putted first from just over 8-feet and sunk it to place the pressure firmly on Pressel’s shoulders. From just inside the same distance, Pressel failed to make hers and the title was Shin’s.
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rnThe Evian is equal to the biggest purse in women’s golf and Shin collected US$487,500 for her troubles and looks likely to regain the No.1 ranking, a spot she held for seven weeks after taking over from Lorena Ochoa. After her round, Shin said, “This morning I thinking I have a chance for win, so I try to make…make no mistake. So I play very well today.” She also thanked her Australian caddie Dean Herden, who has worked with Shin for 3 years, saying, “When I get nervous, he try to make me calm. Yeah, I really appreciate my caddie, he really good to me.”
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rnOnly two of the six Australians in the field managed to make the cut. Lindsey Wright was the best placed, finishing in a tie for 37th at 1-under par while Karrie Webb was two shots further back in a tie for 48th.
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rnThis week sees the final Major for 2010 with the Ricoh Women’s British Open being played at Royal Birkdale Golf Club. At present there are seven Australians in the field; Frances Bondad, Katherine Hull, Karen Lunn, Kristie Smith, Sarah-Jane Smith, Karrie Webb and Lindsey Wright. Final-Qualifying will be played on Monday at nearby Hillside Golf Club. ALPG Members Lynnette Brooky, Nikki Garrett, Rebecca Coakley and Rebecca Flood are all competing for one of the 17 spots available to compete at Royal Birkdale.