Ji-Yai Shin: 1st $2M Woman of '09?

by The Constructivist on Oct 25, 2009 5:17 AM EDT Comment 6 comments

With her playoff win over Akiko Fukushima and Yuko Mitsuka at the Masters GC Ladies today, Ji-Yai Shin moved into the top 20 on the JLPGA money list at over 33 million yen. Combined with her $1.61M in winnings on the LPGA, Shin may well have become the first $2M woman of 2009. Even if she's a few thousand dollars short of breaking the $2M barrier, Shin's got a huge lead on Ai Miyazato, who, after losing last week to Nikki Campbell's 50-foot birdie putt on the 4th playoff hole, decided not only to skip this week's JLPGA event but to forego next week's joint LPGA-KLPGA event so she could have a 2-week vacation in the United States. I don't understand why you'd want to give up home-country advantage in the LPGA's pennant race, much less spot the likes of Shin, Cristie Kerr, and Lorena Ochoa a tournament when Player of the Year, money list title, and Vare Trophy (for lowest scoring average) are on the line. In any case, having beaten the JLPGA's #2 in career winnings and a Japanese young gun who's headed to LPGA Q-School (going in the opposite direction, by the way, as many Asian LPGA stars), Shin has to be riding a wave of confidence. Not only does she have home-country advantage next week, she's the defending champion of the Mizuno Championship the following week in Japan. If you've been tuning women's golf out lately, it's time to tune back in!

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I’m sure she would appreciate your recognition of her year in totall since she won’t be recognized as a $2 million woman on any tour’s money list.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Oct 25, 2009 11:23 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

CG, does that mean I should or should not

be reporting my full income to the IRS from every suspicious source?

...from the land of pleasant living, Baltimore.

by One-Eyed Golfer Guy on Oct 25, 2009 1:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

lol – nah – you’ve gotten away with the Hooters Girl gig for a long time – no need to let them in on ALL the secrets. :-D

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Oct 25, 2009 1:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

LPGA

Sorry if I’m being a bit thick, but with 3/4 more tournaments counting on LPGA, couldn’t Jiyai make the $2M mark this year? (She’s in our Fantasy League, so pretty key to our total).

by WendyUK on Oct 25, 2009 2:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

always a possibility, but there are a number of top players playing well right now. If I’m counting right, she would need at least 2 wins in those tournaments.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Oct 25, 2009 4:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

the way she's playing now, who knows who can stop her?

But I wouldn’t be betting against the likes of Lorena Ochoa, Cristie Kerr, and Ai Miyazato (not to mention the rest of the LPGA’s top and even upper-mid-level players). Who knows if Seon Hwa Lee will come out hot? If In-Kyung Kim will return to her great mid-season play? If Angela Stanford will make like she did at the end of last season? If Paula Creamer can finally play the way she’s capable of? If Song-Hee Kim can finally break through? If Ya Ni Tseng has found her game during the break? If Na Yeon Choi is ready for win #2? That’s 10 to watch, off the top of my head, and I’m sure no surprises there to anyone playing fantasy LPGA golf…. It really is tougher to win on the LPGA than anywhere else in the world of women’s golf.

by The Constructivist on Oct 26, 2009 2:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs