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Shin Ji-yai caps amazing year with US$1 million win

South Korea’s Shin Ji-yai won the US$1million top prize at the LPGA’s season-ending ADT Championship, firing a two-under par 70 on Sunday to win an eight-woman, 18-hole showdown.

Shin, the 20-year-old British Women’s Open champion, who also won two weeks ago in Japan, shared fifth after Saturday’s round but all prior scores were wiped out for the Sunday shootout at the Trump International course.

Serving notice to the LPGA Tour she will join next year, Shin followed her major triumph by taking the biggest prize in women’s golf by one stroke over Australian veteran Karrie Webb.

“It’s very special,” Shin said. “Last year I only won in Korea and I was only watching the LPGA on TV. Now I play here and I won. Next year is very important. I will try to keep going.”

Shin won her 11th title of the year in 35 events and will play next week in Japan and next month in South Korea. That’s more than the 34 events the LPGA will have on next year’s tour.

“My dream is No. 1 in the world,” Shin said. “Next year I will try for Rookie of the Year. Then No. 1.”

American Paula Creamer, a questionable starter after severe abdominal pain on Saturday night, and South Korean Seon Hwa-lee shared third on 74, one stroke ahead of compatriot Ji Eun-hee.

American Angela Stanford was sixth after firing a 78, one stroke better than Norway’s Suzann Pettersen and South Korean Jeong Jang.

Shin birdied the second and third holes to seize the early lead. She took a bogey at the par-3 seventh to fall back into a share of the lead but birdied the par-5 12th to reach 2-under and grab a two-stroke lead on Ji, Lee and Webb.

Shin opened the door with a bogey at the par-5 15th but birdied the 16th — hitting an 8-iron to two feet on her approach — to regain a two-stroke lead over Webb with two holes remaining.

“I was very nervous on that hole because it was a very tough pin location and very strong winds,” Shin said. “And I was just one stroke ahead of Karrie. But I made a birdie and got more comfortable.”

Webb kept the pressure on Shin with a birdie at the par-4 18th but Shin followed with a par to seal the victory.

Webb took three bogeys in a row starting at the 11th but a birdie at the 15th left her at level par, the closest to Shin’s pace as other rivals faded.

“She’s a quality player,” Webb said, expecting Shin to debut in the top five on tour next year. “Out of all of the Koreans that have come up, she’s got the most potential.”

Top-ranked Lorena Ochoa of Mexico was eliminated on Saturday, the same day she was named the LPGA Player of the Year for the third season in a row.
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