Hsbc Champions: Shin launches eight-stroke come-from-behind win

The 2009 season´s first Rolex First-Time winner was named Sunday afternoon as Jiyai Shin, a LPGA Tour rookie, won the HSBC Women´s Champions - and a $300,000 paycheck - by two strokes over 54-hole leader Katherine Hull (70-69-66-74=279, -9). Shin carded rounds of 72-73-66-66 for an 11-under-par 277 winning total. The 6-under-par 66 matched the career-low and tournament-low round she matched during Saturday´s third round.

"Well, actually, this tournament, my goal was top 10," said Shin, who broke a LPGA Tour record in 2008 for most wins by a non-member with three (considered unofficial for her LPGA career). "I make it to the 15th hole, make a birdie. And Katherine, she at number 13, makes double bogey. So I know the score, so I´m more set in my game. Just keep it on the fairway and greens."

She kept it in the fairways, moving up to second place with birdies on her opening holes. Staying at even par on the day and 9-under-par overall until a birdie on the par-3 11th, followed by birdie on 15 around the time Hull was coming off of a double bogey-bogey pair on holes 13 and 14. On hole 13, Hull had to take an unplayable lie off of her drive, then chipped out of a flower bed onto the fairway. She followed up with 7-wood, pitching wedge to 25 feet and two putted for the double bogey, which brought her down to 10-under-par.

"I decided at the start of the week to hit 3-wood of that tee [13] and I did hit driver the other day with the wind and I figured there was enough wind today but I made the wrong choice. I should have hit the 3-wood but I was too greedy and over confident and that´s unfortunately golf," said Hull, who earned $182,956 for her runner-up effort. "I am disappointed that I didn´t win but Jiyai played well today and well deserved so full credit to her."

With the win, Shin earned 150 valuable points to take the lead in the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year race with 194 points, ahead of Michelle Wie (80 points), Mika Miyazato (67 points), Vicky Hurst (45 points) and Stacy Lewis (30 points).