GOLF

Jiyai Shin started playing golf at the age of 11, and after five months she had already won a tour. In 2005, at the age of 17, Shin won the SK Enclean Invitational and was the only amateur to win a LPGA at a Korea Tour (KLPGA) event that season. She turned professional in 2006, winning 7 titles in KLPGA. She also ventured to overseas tournaments, winning three titles in the LPGA Tour in the U.S. Especially, her championship recorded in RICOH Women’s British Open was her first title in a major tournament. She won her first title in the LPGA of Japan Tour (JLPGA), in Yokohama Tire PRGR Ladies Cup. In 2009, she made a full-scale challenge to PGA Tours in the U.S., and won three titles, including the HSBC Women’s World Championship. This led to her receiving various awards such as the LPGA Tour Rookies Award and Top Money Winner. In May 2010, she ranked No. 1 in the world for the first time.
From 2013, she mainly played in the JLPGA, and then won four titles in 2014, in addition to obtaining 4th place in the money winner ranking. Her legendary come-from-behind victories with 3 consecutive birdies in the Munsingwear Ladies Tokai Classic is still memorable among golf fans. From 2015, ThreeBond became her main sponsor, and she made a step forward to 3rd place in the money winner ranking. Since then, she has always been in the top-level money winner ranking, and at the same time, she put an effort on nurturing junior golfers in Korea and in Japan.In 2019, she obtained 3rd place in the money winner ranking, and also recorded the average annual stroke of 69, which is the best in all JLPGA history. Praising her achievement, she was given a JLPGA Honorable Award for the second time. In the 2020-21 season, she won four times on the JLPGA Tour, and in 2022, she played a fierce battle for victory until the final hole at the Japan Women’s Open Golf Championship, never giving up until the end, which impressed many spectators. In 2023, she achieved great results by winning two championships in two JLPGA Tours, winning 2nd place in the Mercedes rankings, and winning 3rd place in the prize money rankings. Moreover, in 2024, she achieved a tie for 2nd place in the AIG Women’s Open. Then in 2025, after the Daikin Orchid Ladies Golf Tournament, she rose to the top of the JLPGA career earnings rankings. By winning the Majors World Ladies Championship Salonpas Cup, she became the first player in JLPGA Tour history to surpass ¥1.4 billion in career earnings. Her achievements that year earned her the JLPGA Honorary Award for the third time.
Then, in 2026, she won the “Japan Women’s Open Golf Championship,” bringing her career total on the JLPGA Tour to 30 victories. As a result, she became the seventh player in history to earn a lifetime exemption and achieved the historic feat of winning all four major official tournaments for the first time ever.