Shin Ji-ae, 35, is confident in her bid for the Japan Ladies Professional Golf (JLPGA) Tour individual title.
Shin carded an eagle, two birdies and a bogey in the first round of the U.S. Women’s Professional Golf (LPGA) Tour’s BMW Ladies Championship ($2.2 million purse) at Seowon Hills Course (Par 72) at Seowon Valley Country Club in Paju, Gyeonggi-do, on Monday, shooting a 3-under 69. She is tied for 24th.
He said, “There wasn’t a lot of wind, so I thought my score would be pretty good overall, but as expected, the other guys were playing well. I had a lot of birdie chances and I was disappointed that they didn’t fall, but I birdied the last hole and wanted to finish in the 60s, so it’s a good finish and a good start for tomorrow,” he said.
“I haven’t seen a green over 50 meters in a long time. The greens are very small in Japan, so it was difficult to get the distance right, but I think I did a good job on the first day. It’s been a long time since I’ve played on synthetic turf, so I needed to get used to the grass, but I think I did a good job.”
On her eagle, she said, “I was going for a three-on at first. I had about 50 meters to go on my third shot, so I hit a 60-degree wedge and felt like it was open. I thought it was going to go in for eagle, but the moment it did, I knew it was good. A lot of people were cheering. I should have joined in the fun, but I think I was a little too reserved,” he laughed.안전놀이터
Shin, who plays primarily on the JLPGA Tour, is currently the Mercedes Ranking leader and third on the money list. There’s still plenty of time left in the season for her to win an individual title.
“I’m in my mid-30s, so it’s not easy to compete every week like I did in my 20s. I prioritize my physical conditioning. This year has been exceptionally hot and Japan has a lot of mountainous courses, so I take fitness into consideration. When I make my schedule for the year, I think about my physical condition first,” she confessed.
Nevertheless, being in contention for the individual title means that Shin is still competitive. “I think it’s because I use my experience to make choices and focus. If I keep pushing myself, I can’t focus when I want to focus. I think it’s important to have good timing to play the real golf I want to play.”
“I thought it would take a lot of time to adjust to the grass, but it wasn’t too bad. I created a lot of chances, but I just need to improve my finishing.”