SHIN AE AHN

Shin Ae joined the KLPGA tour in 2009 and had a very solid rookie year. She made four top tens including a fifth and finished 21st on the money list. This was good enough to earn her the Rookie of the Year award on tour in 2009.

2010 was Shin Ae Ahn's breakout season. She won her first event on the KLPGA in late July at the Hidden Valley Women's Open. It looked like superstar So Yeon Ryu had the win locked up when she suddenly made a bogey and double bogey to fall back to Earth. Ahn, meanwhile, shot a 7 under par 65 and established a clubhouse lead of 12 under par. This would hold up for a three shot victory.

Ahn would win again on tour just a few weeks later. After a 4th in her next event, she played the rain shortened High One Resort SBS Charity Women's Open. Like at her first win, she shot a great final round score to seize the lead. This time, she wound up in a playoff with Hyun Hee Moon, but won that on the first playoff hole.

In all, Shin Ae had 8 top tens in 2010 and finished third on the KLPGA money list.

Shin Ae had a much worse season in Korea in 2011. She had a 2nd place finish at the Nefs Masterpiece and a 3rd at the season ending ADT-Caps; but she only had three total top tens, and finished 22nd on the money list. Still, she was far from forgotten: the fans voted her Most Fashionable Player at the season ending KLPGA Awards Show.

Ahn had some good results playing overseas. By far her best tournament outside of Korea came at the Evian Masters in July. She put herself into contention with a first round 67, and ended up finishing tied for 9th. That result alone earned her $67,000. She also made her first cut at a Major when she finished 64th at the US Women's Open.

In 2012, Shin Ae really struggled. She finished 61st on the KLPGA money list, with only one top ten at the very start of the season. She ended the year with two mediocre results to start the 2013 season. She also played a couple of events on the LPGA, but her best finish was only a 59th at the Evian Masters.

Shin Ae made less than 100 million won in 2013 and finished 39th on the money list. She had a couple of top fives, but otherwise struggled. But her name was still very much in the news: there was a rumor she was dating a K-Pop star, and the paparazzi followed her in force. At the end of the season, she signed with new sponsor TaylorMade/Adidas, and was featured prominently on the web wearing their golf clothing in the weeks that followed.

Ahn finished 37th on the 2014 KLPGA money list with about 115 million won earned. She had four top tens during the season, her best finish coming at the year's final Major, the KB Star Championship. She finished 5th there.

Shin Ae had much the same kind of season in 2015 as she had in 2014; once again, she made 4 top tens and played well but not spectacularly the rest of the time. But there was one week where she was on fire, and it resulted in her first win in several years. That win came at the year's second Major, the KLPGA Championship. Ahn put herself into the hunt through three days, then shocked the field with a brilliant 67 on the final day to force a four-way playoff. Ahn made birdie on the second hole, and only little known player Yeun Jung Seo could match her. Ahn made two more birdies, eventually beating Seo on the 4th playoff hole for the Major win.

Ahn finished the year with 266 million won earned, good for 18th on the money list.

Ahn had a weaker season in 2016. She had three top tens, her best finish a 5th at the Honma Golf Classic in late October. She finished 53rd on the money list with a little more than 126 million won earned.

Ahn attended Japanese tour Q-School and managed to earn a limited tour card for 2017. She split her time between the two tours in 2017, but spent most of her time in Japan. She did not have a particularly great rookie season, however. Her best finish was a tie for 12th, and she achieved four top twenties (but no top tens) in 14 starts. That was good for 83rd on the money list.

She may not have won a lot of money on the course in Japan, but she proved very popular with the fans, gracing the covers of numerous magazines over there and appearing in several popular photo books besides.

Ahn had a weak season in Korea in 2018. She only made 16 million won, which put her 109th on the money list. Her best finish was a 34th place. She played six events in Japan but made only two cuts, with her best finish a tie for 39th.

Ahn did not play much on the KLPGA in 2019; she had just two starts, both at Majors, with her best result a 47th at the Korea Women's Open. She played a little in Japan as well, but didn't have a great year there, either. She did not play anywhere in 2020, but she did play one event on the KLPGA in 2021 (she missed the cut). She continued to get sponsors, although she did not play on the KLPGA in 2022 and had just one sponsor's invite for 2023 (she missed the cut).

But just when it looked like she might be winding down her career, she decided to go to Japan Q-School and, amazingly, finished 17th and earned a card for 2024. So despite the fact she has played little in the past four years, so little that she no longer has a Rolex ranking, she will have the ability to play in Japan for 2024. She is looking forward to challenging herself to return to the winner's circle!