“Jenny Shin and Lee Mi-hyang make a strong start at the LPGA’s final major of the season, holding their ground in fierce winds at St Andrews”
In the blustery winds of Scotland, two South Korean golfers, Jenny Shin and Lee Mi-hyang, delivered impressive performances, positioning themselves just two strokes behind the opening-round leader at the AIG Women’s Open. This prestigious tournament, held at the historic Old Course at St Andrews, marks the final LPGA major of the season, and the competition is fierce.
On Thursday, both Shin and Lee carded a three-under 69, tying for fourth place, just two shots shy of England’s Charley Hull, who leads the tournament. Despite the challenging weather conditions, the two South Koreans managed to keep their cool and navigate the treacherous course with skill and patience.
Jenny Shin, who teed off in the early morning hours at 7:11 a.m., showcased her determination with a round that included four birdies, an eagle, and three bogeys. Reflecting on her performance, Shin acknowledged the difficulty of playing in such relentless wind, describing it as a battle from start to finish. “I’ve never really played in this kind of wind before because it just felt relentless,” she said. “I’m extremely happy with an under-par round. It was such a long day as well. It felt like I was there the whole day. And I feel like I did a pretty good job staying calm.”
Lee Mi-hyang, who claimed victory at the 2017 Scottish Open in a similar links-style environment, echoed Shin’s sentiments about the importance of patience. After carding four birdies against a single bogey, Lee credited her steady approach for her strong start. “I had really good patience on the golf course,” Lee remarked. “It was windy, like 40 miles an hour, but I still tried to play simple golf. That worked, I think.”
As the tournament progresses, Shin and Lee remain focused on maintaining their momentum. Shin will take on her second round on Friday afternoon, while Lee, who started her first round at 12:15 p.m. on Thursday, will begin her second round early Friday morning at 7 a.m. “I heard strong winds were coming, but then my tee time is 7 a.m. tomorrow. So hopefully it will be less windy,” Lee said with a hopeful smile. “But who knows. Just wish me luck.”
Among the other top South Korean performers, Kim Hyo-joo ended the first round at two-under, while Amy Yang, who won her first major title earlier this year, struggled with a two-over 74. As the competition heats up, all eyes will be on these talented golfers as they aim to bring home another victory for South Korea.
