South Korea's Jiyai Shin secured the 65th worldwide title of her professional career via a two-stroke win over South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai at the Women's Australian Open.
Shin carded a final-round three-under 70 at Kingston Heath to land her second triumph at this event, having previously won it in 2013, and put paid to Buhai's attempt at winning three in a row.
The South African put up a decent fight on Sunday, cutting the gap in half from four shots overnight, but it was not to be her as Buhai finished eight strokes in front of Korean amateur, Hyojin Yang in third.
Afterwards, former World No.1, Shin said: "I can see my name here on the trophy (pointing to the 2013 champion), so I can put in my name, the next one. It’s so gorgeous.”
And while there was delight for one of the most successful Korean golfers of all time, it was a painful experience on home soil for Hannah Green - whose quest for a first Australian Open crown continues.
2024 Women’s @ISPSHanda #AusOpenGolf wrapped ✅ pic.twitter.com/ojcnYsTA2MDecember 1, 2024
Green, who was two strokes off the leader following round three, felt the full force of a long and successful season on the LPGA Tour and a lack of proper preparation as she collapsed to a six-over 79 on Sunday - ultimately leaving her in a share of fourth on six-under.
The crucial moment arrived early on at Kingston Heath, with Shin having made two birdies and a double bogey through the first three holes. Yet, the tournament ran away from Green at the fourth when Shin made an extraordinary eagle from a sandy lie over 100 yards out.
Looking for a response, Green failed to get up and down from a green-side bunker on the same hole and the margin grew from three to six shots.
Afterwards, Green admitted that passage really affected her from a mental aspect.
She said: "I just felt like I didn’t have the lucky break in a sense, like when you’re not playing good you don’t get those things, and when you are playing good you get the right bounces.
"When she came out blazing I was obviously tough on myself and that just made the situations even worse. Because I’ve been close so many times, I wanted it even more so this year.”
Another birdie from the leader shortly after added to her level of comfort and saw Shin make the turn in 33 (three-under), while Green started to fall apart and began her back nine after a 42 - not helped by a triple-bogey seven on the seventh hole.
While four birdies on the back nine threatened to improve Green's mood, a double and two lone bogeys elsewhere ensured the three-time winner in 2024 was left to consider what might have been in front of her home fans.
For Shin, the two-time Women's Open champion was never really put under any pressure until late on when three bogeys and a solitary birdie through the final six holes allowed Buhai - who was four-under between holes 10 and 16 - an outside chance of a playoff.
However, when the South African's birdie putt on 18 lipped out, that gave Shin two putts for the title. She only needed one, and victory was finally assured.
