Who Is Jiyai Shin's Caddie?

Two-time Major winner Jiyai Shin is the most successful Korean golfer of all time, and, after turning professional in 2005 had amassed 62 wins by the 2024 AIG Women’s Open.

During the Major, Shin took an overnight lead into the final round as she looked to add yet another title to her long list of career highlights. Ultimately, that fell short by just two shots as Lydia Ko won, but it was still another excellent week for Shin. During the Old Course, St Andrews Major, she had Keisuke Nakagawa on the bag, but he's a relatively recent appointment. 

For much of Shin's early career, including her maiden Major victory at the 2008 Women’s Open, Shin had Dean Herden alongside her, but that all changed in 2011 when he began caring for his ill mother, leaving Australian Shaun Clews to step in. However, by the time Shin claimed her second Major title in 2012, again at the Women’s Open, she had Florian Rodriguez alongside her.

A dozen years after that triumph, Shin had the chance to make it a hat-trick of titles at the event with a one-shot lead after three rounds, this time with Nakagawa by her side.

Information on the caddie is scarce, although it appears he had an amateur playing career on the Japan Golf Tour after attending Meitoku Gijuku High School in Susaki.

Nakagawa has previously been successful as Min Young Lee's caddie, and he accompanied her during her victory at the 2018 Daikin Orchid Ladies Golf Tournament. He was also her caddie throughout the 2019 season.

Nakagawa has been seen caddying for Shin at various points in 2024, and, despite missing out on her third Women's Open title, helping her to T2 was surely the biggest success of his caddying career to date.