This Week at WorldGolf.com: June 03, 2008
 |
|
 |
|
LPGA's South Korean ladies strike back
About two years ago I'd have bet anyone $5 that you'd see a South
Korean golfer win at least 75 percent of all LPGA tournaments
played in 2008. Luckily for me, no one took the bet ('course with the
dollar's collapse, I'd only owe like a buck-fifty, anyway). Because
until last weekend, LPGA tournament winners were of a decidedly
non-Korean persuasion.
Seon Hwa Lee broke through Sunday, beating Karrie Webb to take home
the trophy at the LPGA's Ginn Tribute at RiverTowne Country Club in
Charleston, S.C. And to make it a double, 18-year-old rising star Amy
Yang won the Ladies German Open on the Ladies European Tour,
surprising everyone who thought Michelle
Wie was the only player in the field.
So what has happened to the South Korean women? Where is the
domination that was expected after they spent most of 2005 and 2006
winning everything they could get their hands on? I wasn't alone in
thinking they'd only continue to dominate, as one need only look at
Jennifer Mario's WorldGolf.com article "Why
Korean golfers are dominating LPGA Tour," which received dozens of
comments from golf fans around the globe.
"Cristie Kerr, an American, won the 2007 U.S. Women's Open. This was a
major storyline for this year's Open, remarkable because only two
Americans appeared in the top-10 spots of the leaderboard going into
the last round," Mario wrote. "The last names on the leaderboard read
like a Pusan phonebook: Bae, Jang, Kim, Lee, Pak, Park, Park, Shin."
One of the reasons for the fall-off in South Korean winners on the LPGA is obvious -
Lorena
Ochoa. Thus far the world's No. 1 female player has won six of the
14 tournaments played. Add in three wins by a resurgent-yet-retiring
Annika
Sorenstam and two by Paula Creamer, and there just haven't been
that many openings for the women of South Korea.
Still, with the McDonald's LPGA Championship on tap this week at Bulle
Rock Golf Club in Havre de Grace, Md., it's not quite time to
write off the talented South Koreans. Thus far in 2008, five of the 10
top money earners are South Korean. That is up from four in 2007 and
three in 2006. So the bets aren't off. Because while Ochoa and
Sorenstam will likely score more titles before the year is through,
look for the "Seoul Sisters" to be back on top a few more times, as
well, now that Lee has opened the door.
As always, WorldGolf.com welcomes your comments. |
 Tiger's knees not knocking: Diabolical U.S. Open rough not phasing world's No. 1
The state of Tiger Woods' knee remains in question, but the man
stalking Jack Nicklaus swears that the United States Golf
Association's specially groomed kikuyu grass rough will not scare the
most talked about joint in sports. In fact, he has downright dismissed
the rough as a possible physical burden, Chris Baldwin writes.
Also: Have you played Torrey Pines? Rate it!
 Buried Lies: The real story on high-stakes golf in Las Vegas
The state of Tiger Woods' knee remains in question, but the man
stalking Jack Nicklaus swears that the United States Golf
Association's specially groomed kikuyu grass rough will not scare the
most talked about joint in sports. In fact, he has downright dismissed
the rough as a possible physical burden, Chris Baldwin writes.
Also: Hot Las Vegas golf vacation deals
| Resort Suites Golf Packages |
 Enjoy your stay at Resort Suites of Scottsdale and play 1 rounds of golf per day at any of these courses, choosing from TPC Stadium, TPC Champions, Grayhawk Raptor, Grayhawk Talon, Wildfire Faldo, Wildfire Palmer, Kierland, Troon North Monument, Troon North Pinnacle, Camelback Padre, Talking Stick North and many more, starting from $115.
Price Range: $115 - $345
Dates: May 1, 2008 - December 31, 2008
For details, call 1-800-767-3574 or click here. |
 F-A-T-H-E-R spells "Golf Gifts" this Father's Day
It's so easy to shop for moms on Mother's Day. Show up with jewelry or
a spa treatment, and voila!, you're golden. Dads, on the other hand,
can be tricky. If the Old Man wants something, well, he'll just go get
it for himself. If he doesn't have it already, he doesn't want it,
Equipment Editor Kiel Christianson writes. And he's sure not going to
ask.
Podcast: More gift ideas for Dad
|
|
