Shin earns Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year award
21-year-old now sets her sights on Rolex Player of the Year honors
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Nov. 2, 2009 – The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) today announced that South Korea's Jiyai Shin is the 2009 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year. The 21-year-old is the 48th Tour member to earn Rookie of the Year honors since the award began in 1962.
If she can finish the season strong, Shin has a chance to join LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame member Nancy Lopez as only the second player to earn Rookie of the Year and Rolex Player of the Year honors in the same season. Lopez accomplished the feat in 1978 when she won nine events, as well as the Vare Trophy for lowest scoring average, in her rookie campaign. Currently, Shin leads Lorena Ochoa by 10 points in the Rolex Player of the Year race with three events remaining. Ochoa has won the award each of the last three seasons.
“In the beginning of this year, my goal was to win the (Louise Suggs Rolex) Rookie of the Year and now I did that,” said Shin, who finished sixth last week at the Hana Bank ▪ KOLON Championship 2009. “I'm very happy. Now I have chance for the Rolex Player of the Year too, so I'm really excited about it. I have enjoyed my rookie year on the LPGA Tour very much.”
“We are so proud of all that Jiyai has accomplished around the world,” said Marty Evans, Acting LPGA Commissioner. “She is a fantastic global ambassador for the LPGA and golf in general. Our congratulations go out to her on a fantastic rookie season.”
Shin, who has 1,406 points in the rookie race this season, has mathematically eliminated the other rookies in the running, including Michelle Wie (764 points), who is currently second in the race, and Anna Nordqvist (722), the 2009 McDonald's LPGA Championship Presented by Coca-Cola champ, who is third.
Shin has recorded three victories and nearly $1.7 million in earnings this season on Tour, but her foundation for success was laid in 2008 when she won three times on the LPGA – including the RICOH Women's British Open and the ADT Championship – as a non-member. Prior to joining the LPGA this season, Shin won 26 times worldwide, including 20 victories on the Korea LPGA (KLPGA) where she was named the 2006 Rookie and Player of the Year.
All season-ending awards will be formally presented at a reception hosted by Rolex on Friday, Nov. 20 at the LPGA Tour Championship Presented by Rolex in Houston.
Named in honor of one of the LPGA's 13 Founders, the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Award is a once-in-a-career award. Points are accumulated by rookies making the cut at all official events with double points awarded at the season's four major championships.
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