Shin Ji-yai grabs third LPGA victory of season

SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- Rookie Shin Ji-yai of South Korea lifted her third
LPGA trophy of the 2009 season at the US$1.8 million P&G Beauty NW Arkansas
Championship in Rogers, Arkansas, on Sunday (local time), her agent here said.

The 21-year-old hit nine under in the final round alone, after starting the round
at 24th place seven shots shy from the leader, to jump over to a playoff round
with her compatriot Yoo Sun-jung and American Angela Stanford.
In the second hole of the sudden-death playoff, Shin dropped in a birdie to write
down her name on the top of the leaderboard, edging out the other two contenders
who failed to hit birdies.
She finished the tour seven under for a total of 204 to earn the $270,000
winner's prize, repeating another come-from-behind victory after she won the HSBC
Women's Championships in March, trailing by four strokes in the final round.
Four time LPGA winner Stanford who completed an eagle in the 18th hole to take
part in the playoff finished joint second with Yoo, who has not won a title in
the tour since 2006.
With the victory, Shin leads the official money list with nearly $1.5 million,
nudging American Cristie Kerr, and becomes the first female golfer to win three
events in the season.
Meanwhile, six South Korean women finished in the top 10, including Ahn Shi-hyun
and Kim Song-hee who tied fourth with eight under 205.
Beginning with Shin's HSBC Championship victory, South Korean players have
grabbed nine LPGA titles this season, including Ji Eun-hee's U.S. Open trophy.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)