In a stunning turn of events, unflappable former world No. 1 Jiyai Shin has seized the outright lead at the Australian Open after a sensational third round performance in Melbourne. The South Korean star conjured some late magic to complement her extraordinary consistency, snatching an improbable two-shot advantage over in-form local hope Hannah Green on a rain-soaked Saturday at Kingston Heath Golf Club.
Chasing her second Australian Open title, after a triumph in Canberra back in 2013, the 34-year-old Shin chipped in for birdie on the penultimate hole before draining a lengthy putt at the last to soar to a 14-under par total. Remarkably, given the challenging conditions, the two-time British Open champion has made just two bogeys through 54 holes, a model of unerring precision.
Green’s Charge Interrupted
Hannah Green, the highest-ranked Australian in the field at world No. 6, appeared on track to head into Sunday with the lead after a scintillating run of six consecutive birdies midway through her round. However, the 25-year-old West Australian’s charge was halted by an ill-timed stumble at the treacherous 17th hole.
Green’s approach shot clipped the lip of a fairway bunker, leaving her ball plugged in the sand and leading to a deflating double-bogey six. As if to rub salt into the wound, Shin chipped in for birdie on the same hole moments later, engineering a dramatic four-shot swing at the top of the leaderboard.
To her immense credit, Green immediately steadied with a closing birdie to sign for a 68, ensuring she will begin the final round just two shots adrift of the wily Shin at 12-under par. South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai, chasing a historic third straight Australian Open crown, matched Shin’s third round of 67 to lie two strokes further back in outright third position.
Bosio Best of the Rest
With 20-year-old Queensland sensation Justice Bosio the next best at eight under after a roller-coaster round of 72, the tournament appears to have distilled into a captivating three-way shootout for the time-honored Patricia Bridges Bowl. Bosio briefly seized the outright lead after following a birdie at nine with a glorious eagle at the 10th, but the former amateur star leaked four shots coming home to dent her bid for a breakthrough professional win.
Mixed Fortunes for Contenders
Sydney’s Steph Kyriacou was another to endure a fluctuating day, mixing an eagle and five birdies with four bogeys in an eventful round of 70. At seven under, the powerful 22-year-old remains an outside chance of claiming a second Australian Open title. Shin’s teenage compatriot Hyojin Yang, meanwhile, looks to have relinquished her chances after the 36-hole leader ballooned to a 76 to fall eight shots off the pace.
Earlier, former world No. 2 Minjee Lee carved through fields of driving rain to vault up the leaderboard with a superb bogey-free round of 69. The dual major champion will begin the final round well behind the leaders at one under but buoyed by a valiant Saturday effort in cruel conditions.
Shin, chasing her 52nd professional victory across all tours, will sleep on the 54-hole Australian Open lead for the first time in her glittering career. But with major champions Green and Buhai poised to strike, and emerging talents Bosio and Kyriacou eager to announce themselves, a riveting final round beckons at one of the world’s most revered Sandbelt courses.
