Jiyai Shin made light of the strong Hoylake winds to win the Women's British Open by a massive nine strokes.
Korean overcomes terrible weather to claim second British Open title
Jiyai Shin made light of the strong Hoylake winds to win the Women's British Open by a massive nine strokes.
Shin claimed her second British Open win in five years and completed a landmark day for women's golf as she completed a grand slam of major wins for Asian players this season.
The 24-year-old South Korean was the only player to complete 72 holes under par at Royal Liverpool where she carded a closing one-over 73.
On a difficult day, she overcame a triple-bogey seven at the first hole to make five birdies in her final round.
Compatriot Inbee Park (76) finished second on level par, while Paula Creamer produced the lowest score of the final round - a 72.
Shin stars
The American covered the last four holes in four-under but never came close to preventing Shin from collecting her second British Open title in four years.
Former champion Karrie Webb had started the final round in contention only to fire a 10-over 82, after making three sixes in the closing five holes.
And Shin's win means that Asian players have won all four women's majors in 2012 - making it seven in a row in all.
A torrential downpour as she reached the turn left her with a broken umbrella, but after a replacement was found play was suspended because balls were moving on another green.
The hold-up was for less than 10 minutes as the gale passed, however, and on the resumption Shin never looked in the remotest danger of tossing it away.
Tough day
"It was a long, long, very tough day and I just focused on each single shot," said Shin.
"Before I thought my skill was not good for links (her 2008 victory was at Sunningdale), but finally I have great tempo in my swing and I think this course was made for me.
"After last week I had great confidence and I have great memories of this tournament."
World number one Yani Tseng's bid for an unprecedented third successive win in the event was over long before she ran up a quintuple bogey nine at the 14th.
The Taiwanese 23-year-old, very much part of the Asian success story with five majors already in her career, closed with a 79 for joint 26th place on 11 over.
