The Far East’s domination of women’s golf is leaping to another level.
South Korea’s Jiyai Shin is halfway home in her bid to win the Ricoh Women’s British Open, moving Asia closer to a historic first.
If Shin holds on and wins at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, she will give golf its first Asian Slam.
If any player from the Far East wins, it will mark the first time Asians have won all four major championships in a calendar year.
Asia is actually going for its seventh consecutive major championship victory in women’s golf. The Far East claimed the final three majors of last year. More than that, an Asian-born player is in line to win Asia its eighth consecutive LPGA event of this season.
Shin built a commanding lead Saturday at Hoylake, posting an 8-under-par 64 and a five-shot lead halfway through the women’s final major championship of 2012. She’s at 9-under 135 on a leaderboard topped by Asians. South Korea’s Inbee Park (68) is at 140 and Japan’s Mika Miyazato (70) at 141. Australian Karrie Webb (70) is also at 141.
South Korea’s Sun Young Yoo won the Kraft Nabisco Championship in 2012’s first major. China’s Shanshan Feng followed, winning the Wegmans LPGA Championship. South Korea’s Na Yeon Choi won the U.S. Women’s Open.
Going back to the last three majors of 2011, Taiwan’s Yani Tseng won the LPGA Championship, South Korea’s So Yeon Ryu won the U.S. Women’s Open and Tseng won the Women’s British Open.
The domination is growing even more pronounced this summer.
The last seven LPGA events have been won by Japan’s Ai Miyazato (Walmart NW Arkansas Championship), South Korea’s Choi (U.S. Women’s Open), South Korea’s Inbee Park (Evian Masters), South Korea’s Ryu (Jamie Farr Toledo Classic), Japan’s Mika Miyazato (Safeway Classic), Lydia Ko (CN Canadian Women’s Open) and Shin (Kingsmill Championship).
Ko was born in South Korea and moved to New Zealand when she was 6.
Four of the top five players in this week's Rolex world rankings, and eight of the top 10, are Asian, including No. 1 Tseng.