Shin Ji-ae Ties for 5th Place... "Strong Winds Are Frustrating"

Per Hills Park Seri Championship FR 2 Over Par
Double Bogey with '3-Putt' at 12th Hole (Par 4) Critical Blow
Korda Wins 10th Career Victory with Playoff Comeback, O'Toole 2nd Place

Invited player Shin Ji-ae failed to collect the winner's trophy.

Shin Ji-ae is watching her tee shot immediately after hitting it on the 4th hole of the 4th round at the Pur Hills Park Se-ri Championship. [Palos Verdes Estates, USA = AP·Yonhap News]

On the 24th (local time), at the Palos Verdes Golf Club (par 71, 6,447 yards) in Palos Verdes Estates, California, USA, the final round of the LPGA Tour Pure Hills Park Se-ri Championship (total prize money $2 million) ended with Shin Ji-ae losing 2 strokes and dropping to a tie for 5th place (7-under 277). She missed out on her 12th LPGA Tour victory in 11 years since the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open in February 2013.

Shin Ji-ae, who is active on the Japan Ladies Professional Golf Association (JLPGA) Tour, is a "living legend." She has 28 wins on the JLPGA Tour and 20 wins on the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, including one as an amateur, totaling 64 professional wins. This is the most professional wins among both male and female players in Korea.

Shin Ji-ae, aiming to participate in the Paris Olympics this August, competed in this tournament to improve her world ranking. Her current world ranking is 18th. Among Korean players, she ranks fourth after Ko Jin-young (6th), Kim Hyo-joo (9th), and Yang Hee-young (14th). Up to four players can participate if they finish within the top 15.

Starting tied for the lead by 2 strokes, Shin Ji-ae recorded 2 birdies, 2 bogeys, and 1 double bogey. She started shakily with consecutive bogeys on holes 1 and 2 but recovered all lost strokes with birdies on holes 3 and 7. However, she suffered a critical double bogey on the 12th hole (par 4). Her second shot was long and missed the green, followed by a short approach and a 3-putt, losing 2 strokes. This was the first time she dropped from the top of the leaderboard that day.

World No. 2 Nelly Korda shot 2-under to tie with Ryan O'Toole (both from the USA) at 9-under 275, then made a "winning birdie" on the first hole of the resumed playoff at the 18th hole (par 4). This was her second win of the season and 10th career victory, just one month after winning the Drive On Championship in January. The winner's prize money was $300,000 (approximately 400 million KRW). Korda has "reserved" her ascent to world No. 1. Korean-American Allison Lee (USA) finished tied for 3rd at 8-under 276, one stroke behind, and Shin Ji-eun finished tied for 10th at 5-under 279 to close the tournament.

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