Shin goes low for Women's British Open lead

Hoylake, England – Jiyai Shin fired an improbable, 8-under 64 on Saturday to take a commanding lead after the second round of the Women's British Open.

Shin finished 36 holes at 9-under 135 and is five strokes clear of her closet competitor, Inbee Park, the 2008 U.S. Women's Open champion and this year's winner of the Evian Masters, who had a 4-under 68 on Saturday at Royal Liverpool.

To illustrate just how good Shin's round was on Saturday, Park's 68 tied the next lowest round of the day, a distant four strokes off the pace Shin set.

"I can't believe the way I hit it, 64 shots today on this course, it's really tough," admitted Shin. "Actually, this week, my goal was 1-under par every single day. But I hit 8-under par, wow."

The tournament got back on track after a bumpy, and very windy, Friday.

After a few groups went out and played in 60 mph winds, play was suspended. A decision was made to wipe out those golfers' scores, even if action resumed on Friday.

Ultimately, play did not resume, so the second round was contested on Saturday. The cut will now be low 50 and ties and the final two rounds are scheduled for Sunday, when inclement weather is forecast.

Earlier in the week, players practiced in the heavy wind, but nothing like Friday, when balls moved, not just on the greens, but also off of tees.

Shin didn't get the early experience everyone else had at Royal Liverpool. She had to complete a playoff at the Kingsmill Championship Monday morning and won her ninth LPGA Tour title on the ninth extra hole.

Shin began on the 10th tee in round two and immediately vaulted up the leaderboard. She holed a 30-yard chip for an eagle and took the lead at 3- under par.

"It was a good start," said Shin.

It was also a start that brought about more great play.

At the 11th, Shin hit a 6-iron to 10 feet to set up birdie. She made it two in a row with another 10-footer at 12, then rolled in a 12-foot birdie putt at the 13th to start 5-under in her first four holes.

Shin was already out to a big lead, but she padded her cushion. At the par-5 16th, Shin had a chance to get home in two, but laid up 60 yards short of the green. She wedged her third to 15 feet and drained the birdie putt.

After five pars around the turn, Shin hit a 7-iron to 30 feet at the fourth. She ran home the long birdie putt, then tapped in one from a foot at the seventh.

Two pars gave her a 64 and a huge lead with a long Sunday ahead, and this long Sunday comes after a long weekend last week.

"After the first round, I was still tired, but yesterday I took a big rest all day staying in hotel, long sleep, and I feel a lot better today," said Shin. "I know I play 36 holes tomorrow, but I know I've played lots of holes so I just keep focused for the recovery, the physical recovery tonight and then just keep going forward to tomorrow."

Park also started on 10 and birdied that hole. She birdied 17 and rolled in a 10-foot eagle putt at 18 to get to 4-under for the round and for the championship.

Park birdied No. 1 to get to minus-5, but bogeyed the third and parred out for second place.

Three-time champion Karrie Webb and Mika Miyazato both had 2-under 70s on Saturday and share third place at minus-3.

Katie Futcher carded her second straight 1-under 71 and is fifth at 2-under 142.

Amateur Lydia Ko, 15, who became the youngest winner in LPGA Tour history last month when she won the Canadian Open, had a 1-under 71 and is tied for sixth with Carin Koch (71), Jenny Shin (68), Vicky Hurst (72) and Ai Miyazato (72). The group finished at 1-under 143.

Two-time defending champion Yani Tseng managed an even-par 72, her second in as many rounds, and she shares 11th place.

NOTES: First-round co-leader So Yeon Ryu had a 2-over 74 on Saturday and fell into a tie for 11th at even-par ... Fellow leader Haeji Kang struggled to a 7- over 79 and made the cut on the number at 5-over par ... Suzann Pettersen, Brittany Lincicome and last year's runner-up, Brittany Lang, all missed the cut ... Laura Davies withdrew Saturday with an ankle injury ... Stacy Keating, who was under par after round one, was disqualified on Saturday, as was Tania Elosegui ... Players will go off in threesomes off both the first and 10th tees for the third round on Sunday, then will stay in those groups for the final round.