Feb 29

LPGA - South Korean women dominate women's golf in 2008

Although Lorena Ochoa leads the HSBS Women’s Champions Tournament, shooting 66 in Singapore, South Korea’s women are making their mark in women’s golf. Since the beginning of the year, South Korean women have been playing amazing golf and in my opinion, will eventually dominate women’s golf. In the past 5 weeks, South Korea’s lady golfers have had an amazing run, check it out …

1. Women’s World Cup of Golf

South Korea’s Ji-Yai-Shin and Eun Hee Ji were beaten only by two strokes by Team Philippines in South Africa at beginning of year.

2. Women’s Australian Open

Karrie Webb defeated Ji-Yai Shin from South Korea after both players finished tied at eight-under-par 284 in regulation.   Webb rolled in a twelve-foot birdie putt on the first play-off hole to take her fourth national title.

3. ANZ Ladies Masters

England’s Lisa Hall came from one stroke behind the overnight leader South Korea’s Hyun Ju Shin to post a three round winning total of 13-under-par 203.

4. SBS Open at Turtle Bay

Annika Sorenstam wins while South Korea’s Jane Park finishes 2nd and Angela Park finishes T-5 after receiving a two- stroke penalty.

5. Fields Open

Paula Creamer wins after South Korea’s Jeong Jang lead almost the entire tournament finishing one stroke behind.

Be prepared to see not only South Korea’s ladies on top of the leader board more often, but also women from other Asian nations. There are 66 players from six Asian nations on the LPGA Tour.

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5 comments

Comment from: Shanks [Member]

Angela Park's swing is a thing of beauty.

2008-02-29 @ 10:40

Comment from: Ron Mon [Member]

Shanks' penmanship is a thing of beauty. I don't know that I'd hyperbolize with "dominate" just yet. I agree that, as a team, the south Koreans are among the best in the world. I'd like to see a USA-South Korea matchplay event...I think that it would blow the Solheim Cup away, in terms of competition. For my money, though, it will be interesting to see if Ochoa picks and chooses, a la Tiger, or if she plays them all, or most of them, and rings a ten-victory year up. In the events that she does not play, I will look for the Koreans to challenge frequently.

2008-03-02 @ 11:09

Comment from: The Constructivist [Visitor]

RM, there's a little thing called the Lexus Cup, which is Team Asia vs. Team International. The former is often weaker due to the need to include non-South Koreans and the tendency of the best Japanese players to skip the event, while the latter is stronger as more of the top Europpeans and Western Hemisphere players choose not to skip it. But Se Ri Pak's team beat Annika Sorenstam's team convincingly at the end of '07. That's kind of the President's Cup of women's golf, and it often pits U.S. vs. South Korean players head-to-head.

What I'd really like to see is the Solheim (U.S.-Euro) and Kyoraku (ROK-Japan) Cups synchronized so that the winners and losers of each event face off in the off-year. That's the best chance for the head-to-head U.S./ROK thing ou're calling for, I think.

If you head over to the Seoul Sisters discussion board, you'll see that the mood has been mostly one of frustration the last couple of years. For people used to celebrating the glory years of Pak, Park, Kim, and Han, what's been going on lately is agonizing rather than satisfying. But of course everyone there hopes Karen turns out to be right.

2008-03-03 @ 03:20

Comment from: Shanks [Member]

The more interesting question is, with all of that South Korean talent, why has there not been another Se Ri Pak to step forward? There are many very good players, but not another great one yet.

2008-03-03 @ 09:55

Comment from: Nena [Visitor]

Greetings from Thailand.

The Korean girls are amazing!

2008-03-04 @ 21:44

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