'Comeback After 5 Years' An Shin-ae: "Inspired by Woods"

Tied 15th at Japan QT, Returning to Field Next Year
2020 COVID-19 Variable 'Forced Break'
2022 Masters On-site Comeback Determination 'Burning'
"I Will Put a Full Stop, Not a Comma, as a Golf Player"

“Beauty golfer” An Shin-ae is making a comeback after 5 years. On the 1st, she finished tied for 15th place and ranked 17th in the seed order at the Japan Ladies Professional Golf Association (JLPGA) Tour Qualifying Tournament (QT) Final Stage held at Katsuragi Golf Club in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. The JLPGA Tour grants seeds for the first half of next year to the top 35 players in this tournament. In an interview with Asia Economy on the 5th, An Shin-ae said, “I am so happy to be able to compete again,” adding, “I played the qualifying tournament not to put a comma but a period on my career as a player.”

Breaking a long hiatus, An Shin-ae, returning to the field after 5 years, said, "I want to make a brilliant finale to my golf career."

An Shin-ae debuted on the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour in 2009 and won the Rookie of the Year award. After steady performances and accumulating three career wins, she challenged the Japanese stage in 2017. She played until 2019 but did not achieve good results. Although she passed the qualifying tournament in her final year at 25th place, the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 hindered her progress. An Shin-ae explained, “Because of COVID-19, I missed the timing to leave the country. I had to participate in the remaining six tournaments and perform well to maintain my seed for the second half. I judged it was not easy and gave up on going to Japan.”

An Shin-ae cited a failure to control as the reason for her struggles in Japan. She said, “From the first tournament in Japan, I received attention. It was love beyond imagination,” and added, “I spent a lot of time on things other than golf. Doing external activities made it difficult to balance the life of an athlete and the life demanded by fans.” She continued, “My mental strength wavered, and I couldn’t achieve good results. Stress started to build up because I couldn’t meet expectations.”

For An Shin-ae, the Masters in April 2022 became a turning point in her life. At that time, she watched the play of “Golf Emperor” Tiger Woods (USA) on site. Woods, who had a traffic accident in February 2021, made his comeback at the Masters after 1 year and 2 months. He played limping due to his leg not being fully recovered. An Shin-ae said, “It was an opportunity to awaken the love for golf inside me. Woods played golf with a desperate heart despite his injury, but I, with all my limbs intact, had given up golf,” reflecting on herself.

An Shin-ae said, "Watching Tiger Woods limp while playing at the 2022 Masters made me want to return to the field."

An Shin-ae explained, “Watching golf outside the course made me want to play golf inside the course even more,” adding, “Even if I limp, I decided to try playing as a player once again.” She actually took the first test of the LPGA Tour Qualifying Tournament (QT) in the United States. She advanced to the next round but did not take the second test. An Shin-ae recalled, “I wanted to confirm my competitiveness where anyone could recognize me. While taking the QT, I realized my body still remembers golf. I gained confidence that I can do it.”

An Shin-ae still had lingering attachment to golf. During a trip to Tokyo, Japan, last July, she met fans who recognized her. After posting a photo taken at Tokyo Tower on social media, fans came all the way to the hotel. An Shin-ae said, “I felt grateful thinking that there are still fans waiting for me.” She judged that she did not lose her shot feel while playing domestic tournaments. She emphasized, “The ball started to connect a little. My sense was not bad. I didn’t train separately, but I gained confidence that I can do it.”

In August, An Shin-ae went to Gold Coast, Brisbane, Australia, for about two and a half weeks of training. She received coaching from Richard Woodhouse, a New Zealand swing coach she met in early 2009 when she was a rookie. An Shin-ae said, “He was giving lessons at Royal Pines Golf Club,” adding, “That connection has continued until now.” She judged that endurance was necessary to return to the tour. An Shin-ae added, “I had rested for four years from 2020 to this year, so my physical strength had dropped a lot,” and “I tried to walk instead of riding a cart even during practice rounds.”

An Sin-ae promised, "While playing the qualifying rounds, I felt that my shots were still alive. Next year, I will play while enjoying myself."

An Shin-ae will participate in the Simone Asia Pacific Cup, the only national team competition in Asia Pacific, held for three days from the 21st at Pondok Indah Golf Course in Jakarta, Indonesia. To prepare for this tournament, she left for training camp in the Philippines on the 6th. An Shin-ae said, “I planned a mini training camp for the Simone tournament. I chose the Philippines to adapt to the Southeast Asian climate and grass.” After the tournament, she plans to alternate rest and training domestically, then head to Gold Coast, Australia, or California, USA, for training camp after mid-January next year.

An Shin-ae plans to focus solely on golf next year. She said, “I’m getting older, and it’s been four years since I left the field, so I’ve matured a lot. I’ve learned a lot from the world,” adding, “Although I’m older among golf players, I think I’m still young to live in this world. It’s a time when I can try anything again.” She expressed confidence, saying, “Now I have grit. This time, I will grit my teeth and show results. I also believe I can win.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.