Look out for the silent assassin: Ji-Yai Shin at RIcoh Women's British Open

I’m not going to be subtle: I’m pulling for Ji-Yai Shin to win the Ricoh Women’s British Open today.

At 12-under, Shin sits one shot back of leader Yuri Fudoh. In the hunt are the likes of Christie Kerr, Lorena Ochoa and Natalie Gulbis.

I like all those girls too, especially Ochoa. But I’m on the Shin bandwagon.

I think for the casual TV fan, it can be tough to really root for a Korean player since there is less personal attachment and their look and mannerisms can blend together through a camera lens. In person it’s a different story.

I met Shin while covering the U.S. Women’s Open last year, when she climbed to the top of the leaderboard on Saturday and for the first time came on the radar for U.S. women’s golf. She finished 6th, and since has had some close calls on the LPGA and internationally, proving it was no fluke.

She won some hearts in the crowd too. I received an email from a fan at Pine Needles who had a heartwarming encounter amidst the pressure of the back nine on Sunday.

I’m happy to see since then she’s earned the coveted Wikipedia biography page. When I was trying to initially write something about her, practically no one knew anything about her.

Shin is bashful, wears an adorable smile and can cream the golf ball practically as far as Ochoa. She’s just 20 years old and has won 10 times in 19 starts on the Korean LPGA. Her first LPGA win, if not today, isn’t far off.

She’s very soft spoken and doesn’t know much English. For all the reasons Michelle Wie creates a stir Shin doesn’t, so don’t expect a media frenzy if she wins (at least outside of Asia). But Shin is a fine young woman with some tragedy in her young life and is a player worth rooting for at Sunningdale on Sunday.