(West Palm Beach, Florida)
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rnSouth Korea&aposs Ji-Yai Shin pocketed US$1million after her win in the season ending ADT Championship at the Trump International Golf Club in Florida on Sunday. Her final round score of 2-under par 70 was good enough for a 1-shot win over Australia&aposs Karrie Webb, who collected US$100,000.00 for her efforts. Tied for third were American Paula Creamer and South Korean Seon Hwa Lee.
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rnAt the start of the week there was an elite field of only 32-players, which was reduced to 16 after the second round cut, and another cut was made to 8 players for the last round. All scores from earlier rounds were wiped and the 8 players left standing battled for the million dollar first prize in an 18 hole shootout on Sunday.
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rnShin, who lost to Webb in a playoff at this year’s MFS Women’s Australian Open, exacted revenge with her consistent play, not missing a fairway and missing only two greens all day. Both players were 1-under par after 11 holes before Webb fell two behind at the next with a bogey to Shin’s birdie. She held the two shot lead all the way to the 18th where Webb applied a little pressure with a monster birdie putt from 30 feet. However, Shin had done enough and rolled in her short par putt to become the first non-LPGA member to collect the biggest cheque in women’s golf. After her round, Shin said, “My first plan is to survive to Sunday, and then I just do my best.”
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rnShin started the week as the 6th ranked player in the world according to the Rolex Rankings and should move into the Top 5 for the first time when the rankings come out tomorrow. She has rocketed up the world list this year after notching 11 victories all over the world, including the Ricoh Women’s British Open. Shin is already a confirmed starter for the ANZ Ladies Masters in February, and fans should expect some spectacular golf from the affable South Korean on a Royal Pines course she is no stranger too.
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rnThe other Australian in the field was Katherine Hull who finished in a tie for 9th after failing to make the 54-hole cut. She did however hold the lead after the opening two rounds, where she shot rounds of 68 and 71 to lead the pack into the weekend. This counts for little in this format where those scores are wiped and the 16 players who advanced battled for the last 8 spots. Unfortunately for Hull, she fired her worst round in several months, firing a 7-over par 79. Of some consolation will be her selection in this week’s Rest of the World team for the Lexus Cup in Singapore.
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