Jenny Shin Holds 5-Shot Scottish Open Lead at 12 Under

Q: After a grueling ten-year drought, what secret putting strategy finally secured Jenny Shin's emotional victory in Scotland?

Jenny Shin’s key putting change was a subtle setup adjustment: she stood taller over the ball to feel more stable in the Scottish wind, and she stayed committed to that posture under pressure. Coverage from Dundonald Links showed Shin crediting years of work on the greens, but this week’s breakthrough hinged on that specific tweak. She said the only real putting mistake in the third round came on the 10th, when she “reverted to my old setup” out of habit and shut the face. Because she recognized it immediately, she was able to correct it and settle back in. That adjustment worked alongside a broader formula that finally ended her long drought: elite ball-striking, confidence built in practice, and a disciplined short game. Shin said she arrived with the best ball-striking she had ever brought to the Women’s Scottish Open, which reduced fear over the ball and helped free up the putter. In the final round, when nerves surged, she also relied on patience and pace control rather than forcing putts. Her caddie helped keep her present, and even the group being timed slowed her down in a way that she later said actually helped. Taken together, the “secret” was not a gimmick but a refined, wind-proof putting setup — standing taller and resisting the urge to fall back into old habits — backed by persistence after years of practice.

Q: How did the unforgiving coastal winds of Troon threaten to derail a historic LPGA comeback during the final round?

The coastal winds at Dundonald Links turned the final round into a survival test and nearly unraveled Jenny Shin’s bid for a long-awaited LPGA comeback by making even conservative shots difficult to control. Shin began Sunday with a five-shot lead and was chasing her first LPGA Tour win since 2016. But Troon’s exposed links conditions — moderate to fresh westerly winds, with gusts around the course area — meant distance control, tee-ball placement and putting stability were all under constant threat. That is especially dangerous on a firm links course, where gusts can exaggerate bounces and send approach shots or putts away from ideal positions. The pressure was not only physical but mental. Shin had already admitted on Saturday that nerves were so strong at times she looked down and “couldn’t see the ball.” In that setting, the wind threatened to magnify any lapse in commitment or tempo. Coverage of the tournament noted that links golf at Dundonald rarely rewards aggression; players often have only one sensible shot, whether attacking or simply trying to save par. That is reflected in how the final round played out. Shin closed with a 75, her highest round of the week, and her winning total fell from 12-under after 54 holes to 9-under. The lead shrank, but she still finished two shots clear of A Lim Kim. So the winds did not quite derail the comeback, but they made the final round tense enough to expose how close the historic win came to slipping away.

3 articles · Updated · ESPN · Jul 25

12-under Jenny Shin shot a 1-under 71 on Saturday to preserve her five-shot lead after the third round at Dundonald Links.
Two birdies and a bogey just after the turn kept the South Korean in control as she chases her first LPGA Tour victory since the Texas Shootout more than 10 years ago.
Pajaree Anannarukarn climbed from fourth to second with a bogey-free 69, finishing at 7 under and five back.
Erika Hara and Esther Henseleit sat another two shots behind at 5 under, while A Lim Kim was alone in fifth at 3 under after a 74.