It’s been two decades since Jiyai Shin first joined the LPGA Tour, and yet the seemingly ageless titan, who has amassed 66 victories worldwide, continues to contend on the biggest stages in women’s golf.

On Thursday at the TOTO Japan Classic at Seta Golf Course, the two-time major champion played her way up the leaderboard with a 6-under 66 to sit one stroke back of first-round co-leaders Nasa Hataoka and Miyu Yamashita. Shin said after her round that she was buoyed on day one by a return to her old putter, a trusty Scotty Cameron that the 37-year-old recently put back in her bag.

Shin rolled in a six-footer for birdie on the par-5 16th hole to, at that time, move into a tie atop the leaderboard. The fans, who have loyally supported Shin as she has competed around the globe throughout her long career, erupted with a cheer when her ball found the bottom of the cup, causing a wide smile to spread across the Korean’s face.

But the same club betrayed Shin on the par-4 17th hole when she got overly aggressive with her birdie try and failed to make the par save coming back, resulting in a three-putt bogey to drop out of a tie for first. Thursday, Shin found 10 of 14 fairways and 15 of 18 greens, needing just 26 putts to climb into contention on day one in Japan.

“I bring back to my old Scotty (Cameron putter) this week, and it works today,” Shin said about the club change she made. “So, I want to keep more closer with my old putter, old friends.”

Shin has many old friends she’s been able to reconnect with this week in Japan. Although she gave up her membership on the LPGA Tour ahead of the 2014 season, Shin has continued to make a handful of starts in Tour events after her departure. Since Shin first began competing on the JLPGA in 2008, she has been a dominant presence and racked up 31 victories, the most recent of which came in May 2025.

While she is creeping closer to her 40s, which has been a sort of benchmark in recent years on the LPGA Tour that has led many players on the LPGA Tour to step away from full-time competition or to retire altogether, Shin says she is still very much motivated to compete and continues to work towards improving her game despite all she has already accomplished in the game.

“I keep working hard because you can see me, like how much I change and lost weight,” said the former Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings No. 1 on Thursday. “So that much I working hard and, well, I'm still wanting to win. That's why I'm keep working hard.”

The motivation isn’t solely for herself, as the veteran Shin now sees herself as a source of inspiration to younger players, too. And she has proved to be inspiring not just on the golf course but off it as well.

Shin is known to have a beautiful singing voice and has released multiple solo Christian albums in Korean and English. Shin says she plans to sing at the upcoming wedding of So Yeon Ryu, a fellow Korean and former LPGA Tour member who retired from competition in 2024.

“I'm quite busy with my golf and training, but So Yeon Ryu is getting married next month, and then I'm going to sing for her,” Shin said. “I need to practice that.”

If the practice Shin has put in on her golf is anything like what she will put in on her singing, her performance is sure to be an unforgettable one. And with three more solid days at the TOTO Japan Classic, which she’s won in 2008, 2010 and 2020, she'll have a chance to secure her 32nd career win on the JLPGA and her first victory on the LPGA Tour since 2013.

That would be pretty remarkable, too.

Jiyai Shin Sits One Off the Lead with a Round of 66 in Japan

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