Professional athletes often push their bodies to extremes, where the line between peak performance and health vulnerability becomes dangerously thin. The demanding global schedule of the LPGA Tour—with its constant travel, changing time zones, and varying climates—can be particularly taxing on players’ immune systems, as evidenced by the recent situation with Jenny Shin, who was forced to withdraw from the 2025 HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore due to a concerning health issue.
The South Korean veteran recently took to Instagram to update her concerned fans about her condition, explaining that it was a tough decision to take. In the video, she continues to explain how she felt dizzy on Friday during the tournament before she finally withdrew on Saturday. Later on a podcast, she said, “When I was sick in Singapore, I was like ‘this is what I need to film, this is what I need to vlog,’ but I felt like such a loser trying to film myself being sick,” Shin revealed in a candid follow-up interview on the LPGA’s YouTube channel. Despite posting solid rounds of 74 and 72 for a total of 146 (+2), her deteriorating health made it impossible to continue competing, leading to her mid-tournament withdrawal and marking another setback in what has been a challenging 2025 season.
This latest health issue follows a concerning pattern for Shin, who has faced several physical challenges in recent months. In October 2024, she withdrew from the Maybank Championship before the second round after straining a muscle during her warm-up. In August 2024, she also exited the FM Championship after straining her left QL muscle. The 32-year-old’s ongoing health struggles have undoubtedly contributed to her difficulty in recapturing the form that earned her an LPGA Tour victory back in 2016—a win that remains her only tour triumph despite numerous top-ten finishes in the eight years since.
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View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jenny Shin 신지은🇰🇷 (@jennyshin_jtibs)
While Shin’s health challenges have been concerning, the response from her loyal fanbase has been nothing short of heartwarming, showing just how much support exists within the golf community.
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Fan support pours in as Jenny Shin focuses on recovery
The golf community quickly rallied around Shin following her Instagram update, with fans sending messages of support and encouragement. “Please Ozijen, your health is more important, with respect to Singapore, it’s not as important as a major. Wishing you well and thanks for the update,” wrote one concerned follower, prioritizing Shin’s wellbeing over tournament results.
The overwhelming sentiment from fans emphasized placing health above competition, with another supporter commenting, “So glad you’re on the mend, your health is number one, the rest can wait. I’m pretty sure the diagnosis was Aussie Withdrawal Syndrome—it gets most travelers 😂.” This blend of concern and lighthearted humor about travel fatigue—jokingly suggesting Shin might be missing Australia after her recent tournament schedule through Asia—reflects the close relationship Shin has cultivated with her fanbase throughout her career.
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Support continued to pour in, with fans emphasizing recovery over rushing back to competition. “Hope you are ok now. See you on the tournament soon. 👏👏👏👌👌👌💙🤍” wrote one fan, while another added, “Glad ur feeling better… take care of urself 🙏.” These messages reveal how Shin’s transparency about her health challenges has created genuine concern among her supporters. A fifth fan summed up the collective sentiment perfectly: “Your health is more important than anything you did the right thing 100% for sure,” reinforcing the golf community’s supportive nature during challenging times for players—particularly meaningful given Shin’s history of health-related withdrawals, including her muscle strain at the 2024 Maybank Championship that sparked similar concern among fans.
For athletes like Shin, the road to recovery often proves more challenging than competition itself. With her planned three-week break before returning to the Ford Championship, fans remain hopeful she’ll soon be back to full strength on the course.
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