Jenny Shin shot a 2-under 69 on Saturday, putting her in the lead by one shot as she heads into the final round of the ShopRite LPGA Classic. Shin, who hasn’t secured a victory since 2016, navigated the windy conditions at the Bay Course at Seaview Resort with six birdies and four bogeys, totaling 10-under 132 over two days.
Shin’s performance on Saturday was markedly different from her opening round on Friday when she posted nine birdies and just one bogey under calmer conditions, matching her career low with a 63. ‘It was quite windy today, and at some point, it was windier than yesterday,’ Shin commented. ‘I fully expected not having any wind in the morning, so that took me by surprise.’
Albane Valenzuela of Switzerland, aiming to become the first Swiss player to win on tour, finished her day with a 68 and sits alone in second place. Ssu-Chia Cheng, Narin An, Megan Khang, and Wei-Ling Hsu are all tied for third, just a shot behind Valenzuela. Notably, 13 players are within three strokes of Shin as the final round approaches, making it anyone’s game. First-round leader Arpichaya Yubol, who dazzled with a career-best 61 on Friday, stumbled with a 75 on Saturday.
Megan Khang, ranked 16th in the world, believes the final day will be competitive. ‘I think realistically, anyone within three or four has a good solid chance,’ Khang stated. ‘Being in one of the last groups is a little more pressure typically, but being able to be the chaser and be a little more aggressive could work to one’s benefit.’
Yuka Saso, who recently claimed her second U.S. Women’s Open title, missed the 3-under cut by three shots. Hinako Shibuno from Japan, who was the runner-up last week, is five shots off the lead after a 71. In a surprising turn, Japanese star Nasa Hataoka was disqualified before her round even started. Officials reviewed video of her final hole from the first round and found she had exceeded the allowable time to search for a lost ball, leading to her disqualification.
Shin is no stranger to leading in the final round; this will be her fourth time doing so on the LPGA Tour. However, she has never clinched a win from such a position. Reflecting on her experience, Shin noted, ‘This golf course is pretty forgiving if you miss it in the right place. I feel like I don’t know what the weather is going to be like tomorrow, but you need a little bit of luck. You need to make the birdies when they come and you just can’t make bogeys. So tomorrow is always about patience, I think.’ In 2016, she successfully chased down Gerina Piller with a final-round 67 to win by two strokes at the Volunteers of America Shootout.
Valenzuela, who played at Stanford, had a career-best second-place finish earlier this season in Thailand and is optimistic about her chances. ‘Last week was a luxury to get birdie looks,’ said the 26-year-old. ‘So just feels nice to be on a scorable course like this one. Yeah, I love this place. Two good finishes the last two years so just have good memories here.’
With just a one-shot lead and numerous contenders closely trailing, Jenny Shin faces a challenging final round at the ShopRite LPGA Classic. The windy conditions and competitive field promise an exciting conclusion as Shin aims to secure her first win since 2016.
Source: Nbcsports
