Shin and Johnston claim ISPS HANDA Australian Open titles

2 Dec 2024

Media Release:

It was a return to the winners’ circle for Jiyai Shin at the 2024 ISPS HANDA Australian Open on Sunday at Kingston Heath Golf Club, where Ryggs Johnston also triumphed in a thrilling final day.

Shin, the relentless 36-year-old South Korean, won her second Patricia Bridges Bowl by two, adding to her 2013 Open win and penning another entry to her list of more than 60 worldwide victories despite a late charge from two-time defending champion Ashleigh Buhai.

Home hope Hannah Green’s chances unravelling early as she went the wrong way and Shin surged ahead.

A punched chip-in for eagle from 102 metres out of sandy lie at the par-4 fourth hole from Shin a sign of things to come as Green, who started in second, and Buhai struggled to keep pace.

“It’s like a gift for me,” Shin said of the shot as she cradled the trophy.

Green admitted she was impacted by her fellow major champion’s hot start.

“I just felt like I didn’t have the lucky break in a sense, like when you’re not playing good you don’t get those things,” Green said.

“And when you are playing good you get the right bounces … when she came out blazing I was obviously tough on myself and that just made the situations even worse. Because I’ve been close so many times, I wanted it even moreso this year.”

Perhaps feeling as though she was playing for second as Shin roared forward, Green made a disastrous triple bogey at the seventh and struggled to return to the fray as Shin continued to press and Buhai did her best to match her.

The South African’s 15-under, including some late birdies as Shin finally looked human and dropped shots, almost an even closer race with Buhai missing makeable birdies at 17 and 18.

“I did think I made it,” said the 2023 and 2022 winner of her birdie try at the 72^nd hole.

The first American champion since Jordan Spieth claimed his second title in 2016, Johnston joins an illustrious list of compatriot that includes Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Gene Sarazen.

Johnston (65-68-68-68) a three-shot winner at 18-under, with West Australian Curtis Luck runner-up after a final round 4-under 68, which secured him a berth at The Open Championship alongside the champion and Marc Leishman.

Luck held the lead late in his round, however after three weeks of consecutive golf, the man from Cottesloe admitted he was running out of steam, and bogeys at 17 and 18 ensued.

Victorians Leishman and Jasper Stubbs shared third place at 14-under, after both, like Luck, looked to threaten at certain points on Sunday.

Having not won a four-round event since his high school days, Johnston gained his DP World Tour status just weeks ago through Qualifying School, and has now solidified his position.

"Getting a win and hopefully getting into more tournaments and just knowing that I've secured pretty legit status now, it's great," the 24-year-old said.