By: Max Bechtoldt
Expect the unexpected in links golf. While No. 1 Nelly Korda has looked so solid throughout much of the week, her shaky play combined with Shin’s fantastic round has flipped the tournament on its head.
Shin shot a terrific -5 67 in the afternoon. The later groups got the toughest of the conditions, as shown by the struggles of everyone else around her. Shin had seven birdies with only two bogeys, and went one over on the par 5s.
Shin played all around solid. She hit the ball straight and putted well. Shin hit 13 fairways, 15 greens and had only 28 putts. She hit the shot of the day, putting a ball to just a few feet on the iconic road hole. If she wins this weekend, she ties Sherri Steinhauer for the most AIG Women’s Open titles with three. Shin also won in 2008 and 2012.
Korda had a crazy day that started with two bogeys on the first two holes. She did steady the ship with birdies on 3, 5 and 9 before her disastrous back nine came. Korda bogeyed 12 and 13, before hitting her tee shot out of bounds on 16. That hole resulted in a double bogey, while she bogeyed 17. She did bounce back with a birdie at 18 to get to -5, two strokes back of the lead.
Lilia Vu had an interesting day, particularly on the greens where her speed was inconsistent the entire round. Vu finished with five birdies, two bogeys and a double. She currently sits one back of Shin, at -6.
Korda’s back nine proves how at the Old Course at St. Andrews, it is never over until the final putt drops.
