The Runner-Up Curse

“I guess winning does require a bit of luck."

A new face in Korean women`s golf, Jee Eun-hee (21, Callaway) feels inhibited by her recent streak of runner-up finishes. Her latest 2nd-place finish was her 8th runner-up performance of the season.

She has finished more than half of her 15 local events, 7 to be exact, in second place. Her two wins on the season do not sufficiently ease her disappointment at coming up short on so many other occasions.

Perhaps her woes were foreshadowed by her 76-stroke 2nd-place finish at her season opener at the Asia Miles Binhai Ladies Open.

Then at a round-shortened event in July, the Korea Art-Village Open, she saw Ahn Seon-joo (Hi Mart) deprive her of victory by a single stroke. In the 4th KB Star Tour event, she had inexplicable troubles involving her tee-box while in competition, foiling her 3-under-par start and weighing her down to a 4th place finish.

Earlier this month, she led the Hite Cup tourney by two strokes through the 17th-hole, only to succumb to a double-bogey and allow a come-from-behind victory by the eventual winner.

In her lone local LPGA event, the Hana Bank Kolon Championships, she trailed the winner by a mere stroke entering the final round of play. But the cancellation of an anticipated final-round showdown due to thunderstorms deprived her of a tour win once again.

Despite the luckless fortune that has pervaded her season, Jee is ranked in the top-40 in earnings ($249,663), and is guaranteed a spot on next year`s LPGA tour.

Jee, who is scheduled to play in the upcoming Inter-Burgo Masters Competition this week, summed up her take on the past year of disappointments, saying, "I cannot stand to hear people that try to console me over my 2nd-place finishes."

kjs0123@donga.com