Shin crushes field to claim Women's British Open title

HOYLAKE, England — Jiyai Shin avoided mistakes in miserable weather conditions Sunday to cruise to a record nine-stroke victory in the Women's British Open.

In the 36-hole finish Sunday in the wind-delayed tournament, Shin took a three-shot lead into the final round after shooting a 1-under 71 in the morning. She stayed calm while strong wind and heavy showers sent scores soaring at Royal Liverpool in the afternoon, closing with a 73 to finish at 9-under 279.

"It was a long, very, very tough day out there," Shin said. "But I kept my focus and concentrated on every shot, and when I made the winning putt, it was great.

Mika Miyazato was fourth at 2 over after rounds of 72 and 77.

The 24-year-old Shin won the major championship for the second time in five years and also won for the second time in seven days on the LPGA Tour. Last Monday morning in Virginia, she finished off Paula Creamer on the ninth hole of a playoff in the Kingsmill Championship.

"When I won at Sunningdale, it was a totally different kind of course, but I finally think I've got the right tempo with my swing for links golf," Shin said.

The 10-time LPGA Tour winner entered the day with a five-stroke lead after shooting a 64 — the lowest competitive round ever at Hoylake — on Saturday. She broke the record for margin of victory of five set by Karen Stupples in 2004 at Sunningdale.

"My goal was 1-under par every single day. So my goal was 4 under. I think it was enough score," Shin said. "So, I'm really surprised even from yesterday and then also today, I hit even par with 36 holes with this weather, so I'm really surprised and inspired by myself. Because it's a really tough course here, so when I finished it today, I'm just like, 'Wow, I can get a good score on any other course.' I'm pretty sure of that."

Shin completed an Asian sweep of the four majors. South Korea's Yoo Sun Young won the Kraft Nabisco, China's Shanshan Feng took the LPGA Championship, and South Korea's Choi Na Yeon won the U.S. Women's Open. Asian players have won nine of the last 12 majors.

Shin missed the LPGA Championship and U.S. Women's Open after having surgery on her left wrist.

"I think so many Asian players are playing at the moment on the LPGA Tour, so it makes a lot of chances to win," Shin said. "Especially, I don't know how can I say, I didn't play the last two major tournaments, but I played in Nabisco and here. Well, I work so hard, I guess that's why I got this trophy, but, I don't know, I know all the other players are doing their best and they work hard, too. So it makes it just happen."

Shin is 2-for-2 working with new caddie Florian Rodriguez.

"I'm happy with my new work with my new caddie because he makes me feel relaxed," Shin said. "Actually, he's one year younger than me, but he like tried to be relaxed on the golf course and I really appreciate my caddie."

South Korea's Inbee Park was second, shooting 72-76.

Creamer shot 72-72 to finish third at 1 over.

Australia's Karrie Webb, a three-time winner in the event, pulled within three shots with a 68 in the morning, but finished with an 82 to tie for fifth with South Korea's Ryu Se Yeon — 12 shots back. Ryu shot 71-76.

Play was abandoned Friday because of high wind, forcing the 36-hole finale Sunday. Play was suspended for a few minutes during the fourth round as the rain and wind pelted the course, but organizers decided to play on.

"It was like we were standing under a shower," Creamer said. "That's the best way I can describe it. It was hard, my goodness gracious."

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Women's British Open postponed

HOYLAKE, England — Play was called off for the day at the Women's British Open on Friday because of strong wind that disrupted the second round so badly that organizers declared early scores "null and void."

With wind gusting up to 96.5 kph, players struggled to keep the ball on the tees and greens before the round was suspended after an hour of play in the morning.

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Ryu, Kang lead Women's British Open; Miyazatos one behind

HOYLAKE, England — Ryu So Yeon won the U.S. Women's Open last summer in Colorado and backed it up with a victory last month in the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic.

The 22-year-old South Korean player made another big statement Thursday at Royal Liverpool in her Women's British Open debut, shooting a 2-under 70 for a share of the first-round lead with Haeji Kang.

"After I won (in Toledo), I was a little more relieved and that helped me a lot," Ryu said. "How can I say, even when I was winning the U.S. Women's Open, a lot of people said it might be just one tournament or just a dark horse like that. But after I won the Toledo championship, I broke that."

Coming off a victory last week in a Korean LPGA event, Ryu had five birdies and two bogeys in relatively calm conditions on the difficult links course.

"This is my first time to play in England, so I have never played this type of golf course," Ryu said. "It's really tough, but fun. Always the first experience, really fun and a little tough, but I want to enjoy this type of golf course.

"Actually, Tuesday and Wednesday were so bad, so today feels like really great weather. But you know, in Korea it was really strong wind, and a little different from this course. This wind might not be a bad wind. I think today the weather was really great."

The 2-under leading score is the highest in the first round since the tournament became a major in 2002, in relatively calm conditions.

The 21-year-old Kang, also from South Korea, had six birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey.

"I hit it pretty good out there," said Kang, winless on the LPGA Tour. "My iron shots were just inside 20 feet all the time, so I could just putt it out."

She hit 13 greens in regulation and needed only 27 putts in her morning round.

"Oh, it was much better this morning," Kang said. "As soon as I made the turn, it started to blow. But I played yesterday the practice round with the rain, also, so I'm ready."

Australia's Karrie Webb, the tournament winner in 1995, 1997 and 2002, was a stroke back along with 16-year-old English amateur Charley Hull, Shin Jiyai, Ai Miyazato, Mika Miyazato, Stacey Keating, Lydia Hall, Vicky Hurst and Kate Kutcher.

"I think it counts for a little bit," Webb said about her experience in the event. "But you've still got to go out there and hit the shot, and you've got to commit to the lines that you want to hit your shots on. . . . There's a lot of links courses that there's a side to miss on, and I don't think this course, especially off the tee, there's a side to miss on. You've just got to get up there and hit a good shot."

Ai Miyazato, seeking her first major title on the U.S. LPGA tour, had four birdies against three bogeys.

"I think that was a good start," said Miyazato, who finished in a tie for seventh last weekend at the Kingsmill Championship. "For the most part, I wasn't thinking about birdies. My thinking was to go for them when the opportunities arose," she said.

Shin, the 2008 winner at Sunningdale, won the Kingsmill Championship on Monday in Virginia, beating Paula Creamer on the ninth hole of a playoff.

Two-time defending champion Yani Tseng opened with a 72. She played alongside Ai Miyazato and Creamer.

"I feel pretty good, first day of the tournament," Tseng said. "I feel like I'm hitting so many good shots out there, making some good putts to save the par, and I'm very happy and very enjoyed playing with Ai and Paula today. It's a four-day tournament, just have to be patient on this tough golf course, and today maybe it's kind of a good day to make some more birdies but I don't think you want to try too hard out there, because the harder you try, the worse you get."

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British gymnasts qualify for Games

London — After an epic meltdown at the world gymnastics championships left them scrambling for a spot at their own Olympics, the British rebounded in spectacular fashion Tuesday.

Not only did they lock up a spot at the London Games with their blowout victory at the test event at the O2 Arena, they firmly re-established themselves as contenders for even bigger prizes this summer.

"We couldn't have put in a better performance," said Daniel Keatings, one of Britain's star performers.

Needing to make the top four from an eight-team lineup, Britain finished almost eight points ahead of France. Its score of 358.227 was nearly 10 points better than its total in Japan, where it flopped to finish in 10th — missing qualification for the Olympics by a measly two places.

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