Shin ready for Vic Open title defence

FORMER world number one female golfer and defending Vic Open champion Jiyai Shin will be among the playing field in next month’s Vic Open at 13th Beach Golf Links.

Shin confirmed her attendance at the annual event earlier this month with governing body Golf Australia, and she is coming off an outstanding 2023.

Following her commanding five-shot win at last year’s Women’s Vic Open, Shin went onto two more victories for the year, raising her career win tally to 64.

“I love Australia, and playing golf in Australia, and I’m looking forward to coming back to the Vic Open again,” Shin said.

“When I come over here, I always really enjoy it.”

Shin recently placed equal third at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open.

The 35-year-old is ranked 15th in the world, with a remarkable 20 top-10 finishes on tours across the world in 2023.

She also contended for two majors; tying second for the US Women’s Open at Pebble Beach and finishing third at the AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath.

This year’s Vic Open will return to 13th Beach on the Bellarine Peninsula for an 11th year from February 1-4.

Both the Beach and Creek courses will be in use, with both men and women competing for equal prizemoney on the same courses at the same time, with $420,000 on offer for each event.

Among the confirmed entries for the men’s championship are six of the winners from the 2023-24 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia: Ben Eccles, Kerry Mountcastle, Austin Bautista, Daniel Gale, Lachlan Barker and the 2018 Vic Open winner Simon Hawkes, as well as new Champions Tour member Michael Wright.

The 2024 Vic Open also coincides with the Victorian Inclusive Championship for golfers with a disability, and the Australian Wheelchair Golf Championship will return for its third year.

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